England Win the Group… But Are They World Cup Winners?

England have done what was required. Three games, top of the group, and a favourable last 32 draw. Tick. Tick. Tick. The 2-0 win over Panama wasn’t exactly footballing poetry. It was more the sporting equivalent of doing the washing up. Nobody enjoyed it much, but it needed doing.

To be fair to Panama, they were organised, hardworking and about as welcoming as a wasp in a sleeping bag. England struggled to break them down before improving after the break and scoring two well-worked goals. Job done, travel arrangements sorted, onto the knockout stage.

The Big Question

Here’s the dilemma.

Are England simply doing the sensible thing by conserving energy, taking few risks and quietly getting themselves into the knockout rounds?

Or are we watching a side that lacks the quality to trouble the tournament’s heavyweights and is about to be found out by the first team that can defend properly and attack with genuine purpose?

That’s the million-pound question.

DR Congo Are No Gimme

England’s best performance still came against Croatia, comfortably the strongest side they’ve faced so far.

That suggests this team might raise its level when the opposition improves. The problem is that DR Congo are underrated and likely to pose the same problems for an England side that seem to struggle against teams who play with 11 men in defence.

Congo will be awkward to play against and perfectly capable of ruining England’s summer if they’re taken lightly. Although if England can score earlier, they could dish out a hiding. I dearly hope so. The longer it goes on goalless, the more desperate the occasion feels and it becomes infectious.

Missing a Bit of Magic?

England do appear to be missing something? The manager chose not to take Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden or Cole Palmer. On current club form, you can understand the logic. None have exactly been pulling up trees in 2026.

But all three possess something England have occasionally lacked in this tournament: the ability to unlock a stubborn defence with one outrageous pass or moment of brilliance. Alexander may be vulnerable in certain areas but he has a right foot like a wand.

Hopefully the manager knows something the rest of us don’t. Perhaps Dan Byrne is more of a goal threat than Cole Palmer. Maybe Phil Foden hasn’t got het game changing moment of brilliance Jordan Henderson has in his armoury?

At this point I’m happy to trust the judgement of the manager over mine. He knows them in every detail. I watch them whilst trying to stay awake after a couple of beers.

The Defence Gives Me Palpitations

If there’s one department that refuses to inspire confidence, it’s the back line.

Jordan Pickford still looks capable of producing a moment that would keep sports psychologists in business for years, while the defence sometimes resembles four strangers who met in the tunnel five minutes before kick-off.

Against Panama, it didn’t really matter. Against better opposition, it almost certainly will. What is alarming is that Tuchel said he didn’t see Reece James’s hamstring injury coming. Most armchair or chez lounge viewers did. James has been with cursed hamstrings that god must have created at 4:30 on a Friday just before he knocked off for the weekend.

So… Can England Win It?

A week ago I’d have said maybe.

Today I’d say probably not.

Not because England are a bad side. They’re clearly not. But World Cups are usually won by teams that combine defensive resilience with moments of attacking brilliance. At the moment England seem to have flashes of the latter and occasional outbreaks of the former. But…they can still come good.

Because of course, tournaments have a habit of changing quickly. One outstanding performance can transform belief overnight. Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia in 2022 before lifting the trophy a few weeks later. Nobody wins the World Cup in the group stages.

There is still time for England to find another gear. Perhaps they are like a 5,000 metre runner, jogging along in contention before putting the after burners on when the finishing line is coming into view.

There is, however, one rather awkward difference between England now and Argentina in 2022.

Argentina had Messi.