Since 2018, the England national team has embarked on its most consistent run of major tournament success in nearly three decades.

At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Gareth Southgate's Three Lions dominated Sweden 2-0 in the quarterfinals, with headers from Harry Maguire and Dele Alli sending England to the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 1990. A narrow loss to Croatia in the semifinals, followed by defeat to Belgium in the third-place match, saw England finish fourth. For a squad with an average age under 26, that performance exceeded all expectations.

At UEFA Euro 2020 (postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19), England knocked out Germany, Ukraine, and Denmark to reach the European Championship final for the first time in their history. On that night at Wembley, Luke Shaw scored a breathtaking goal inside two minutes — but England fell to Italy in a penalty shootout, settling for silver.

In the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals in Qatar, England faced defending champions France. Aurélien Tchouaméni's long-range strike, Olivier Giroud's header, two Harry Kane penalties — one converted, one missed — and England lost 2-1, eliminated in heartbreaking fashion.

At Euro 2024 in Germany, England came again. In the final against Spain, Cole Palmer came off the bench and equalized within three minutes, only to see Mikel Oyarzabal score an 86th-minute winner. England had now lost two consecutive European Championship finals.

Over four years — from a World Cup semifinal to back-to-back European Championship runner-up finishes — England's talent on paper has become world-class, yet they have consistently fallen just short. Now, the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico is set to begin. It is the first-ever 48-team World Cup, co-hosted across three nations, and the "largest World Cup in history." With a new format, new geography, and a new coaching philosophy, England sets off once again.

England currently sits 4th in the FIFA rankings. German manager Thomas Tuchel, 53, took charge in January 2025 and has posted a win rate of approximately 75%. Tuchel has previously managed Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich — leading Chelsea to the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup titles in the 2020-21 season. With England, Tuchel has implemented a disciplined, authoritarian approach. He excels at managing star players, is unafraid to trust young talent, and prioritizes tactical execution and team discipline. Under his leadership, England stormed through UEFA Group K qualifying with a perfect 8-0-0 record, scoring 22 goals and conceding zero — becoming the first European team to book their ticket to the 2026 World Cup.

As one of the most discussed and high-profile teams in the tournament, England is among the top favorites to win the World Cup. The squad is loaded with talent, boasting core players from Europe's elite clubs. According to the latest data from Transfermarkt, the current England squad has a total market value of €1.66 billion — the highest among all World Cup teams, surpassing even tournament favorites France by over €230 million.

Every position is stacked:

Forward: Bayern Munich's Harry Kane is one of the world's elite strikers and England's all-time leading scorer (78 goals; led the team with 10 goals in 2026 World Cup qualifying).

Midfield: Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham will orchestrate the attack.

Wings: Phil Foden (Manchester City) and Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) provide elite wide play.

Pivot: Declan Rice (Arsenal) is the midfield commander (led the team with 4 assists in qualifying).

Center-backs: Marc Guéhi and Ezri Konsa form a reliable defensive partnership.

Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford guards the net.

The bench is equally impressive: Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace), and others.

In my view, this England squad is the strongest the nation has produced since their 1966 World Cup-winning team.

As the top seed in Group L, England's path to the knockout stage looks straightforward. Their group-stage opponents include a strong Croatia side — a team that has reached the podium at two consecutive World Cups — as well as African power Ghana and CONCACAF representative Panama. But given England's overall quality, squad depth, and tactical maturity, securing top spot and advancing comfortably is all but guaranteed. The expanded 48-team format — where the top two teams from each group plus the eight best third-place finishers advance — only adds to England's margin for error.

The 2026 World Cup represents England's best window to win a major trophy in nearly 20 years. Across world football, no other elite team possesses such a balanced, deep, and fundamentally sound squad. With injury management and mental resilience, England has every capability to navigate the bracket and finally end a 60-year wait since 1966 — truly bringing football home.