The chances of England in the World Cup

England is always a candidate for the World Cup due to their rich history in the game and the sheer quality of the players at their disposal, but they often struggle with living up to the expectations. While the World Cup in Russia four years ago saw them reaching the semifinals, there is a constant air of disappointment regarding the tenure of current manager Gareth Southgate.

So how are the Englishmen arriving to Qatar? Can they finally break their curse and win the World Cup for the first time since 1966? Let’s find out.

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Manager

Manager Gareth Southgate is a very controversial figure in England. There are a lot of claims by pundits and supporters that he is not living up to the potential of the current England squad, and that he is not playing the kind of football that is appealing or exciting. In that regard, Qatar 2022 is seen as his last chance to deliver the goods with the national team.

However, results are something that can’t be argued that much with Southgate. Reaching a World Cup semifinal in 2018 and a Euros final in 2021 are some of the best results England have gotten in decades, even if there are valid claims that Southgate got it wrong tactically in some of those key moments. But he has proven that he can go far with England.

Main Players

With the vast majority of the players performing in the English Premier League, the most famous and most watched football league in the entire world, there are a lot of major names in the game that are worth taking into account when analyzing the England squad. But if there is something that Southgate has achieved is making sure that the team doesn’t rely too much on one player and that has built a lot of synergy as a group.

Sure, there are still some players that are very important in this England squad. Harry Kane is one of the best players in the world and he has always been quite reliable for England over the years. Declan Rice keeps a lot of balance in midfield. While he has gotten a lot of criticism and it has gotten way out of hand, Harry Maguire has always delivered for England in international tournaments.

Players such as Luke Shaw, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford, Phil Foden or Jude Bellingham are also some interesting players that can play a pivotal role with England in Qatar. There are definitely a lot of footballers that can be quite useful in this squad, and give Southgate a lot of variety.

Prediction

A group with the likes of the United States, Wales and Iran shouldn’t be very complicated for England, and, barring any surprises, they should make it to the next round. Now, the real question is if they have the mental fortitude and solidity to show up when it matters.

England has always had great squads, but they often break in the key moments and this is probably going to be the last chance for Southgate to deliver with the national team.