England at World Cup 2026: Can Tuchel End 60 Years of Hurt?
Thomas Tuchel has a clear mission heading into this summer’s World Cup in North America: deliver England’s first men’s global title since 1966. Speaking at his appointment in October 2024, the German set the tone plainly, saying he wanted “to try and put a second star on the shirt”. That ambition, however, comes packaged with realism. Tuchel acknowledged this week that England cannot be considered genuine favourites given how long they have gone without winning the tournament — pointing instead to nations with proven pedigree as the teams to beat.
According to a team preview published by The Guardian as part of their 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, England’s qualifying campaign was straightforward — eight wins from eight, 22 goals scored, none conceded. The caveat, as ever, is that the standard of opposition was not exactly daunting. The real test comes in the knockout rounds, where England have so often fallen short.
Tuchel has not had a seamless build-up. Performances against Andorra and Senegal last summer drew criticism, but the head coach has pressed ahead with creating what he describes as a “brotherhood” mentality within the squad. His boldest statements came at selection time: Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold were all left out, while Ivan Toney earned a call-up. It is a squad that reflects Tuchel’s preferences rather than reputation alone.
Expect England to operate in a 4-2-3-1 shape. Declan Rice anchors the midfield as one of the tournament’s elite central players, with Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest emerging as his likely partner — a question Gareth Southgate never convincingly solved. Further forward, Morgan Rogers has genuinely impressed. The 23-year-old Aston Villa attacker announced himself with a strong display in England’s 5-0 win over Serbia in Belgrade last September, and Tuchel values his pressing and movement highly enough to place him potentially above both Jude Bellingham and Eberechi Eze in the pecking order.
Bellingham’s role remains one of the more intriguing subplots. The Real Madrid midfielder showed positive signs during warm-up wins over New Zealand and Costa Rica in Florida, and when fully motivated he remains capable of being the difference-maker England need.
Harry Kane, meanwhile, is non-negotiable. England’s captain and record goalscorer missed the Euro 2024 final through injury and poor form, but he has been prolific at Bayern Munich since. A strong tournament could put him in serious Ballon d’Or contention.
For a full breakdown of fixtures and results, visit our World Cup 2026 hub and keep tabs on how England progress via the live standings. Tuchel has the squad and the system — the question, as always with England, is whether it holds together when it matters most.