World Cup 2026

[Armagh18]

In fairness, it is England's best finish in a WC since 1966. They fouled up in the semi, but overall that is another baby-step towards where they need to be.

Would you bet against them winning Euro 2028 on home soil? For those hate-watching England the day is coming where they will have to deal with England winning something.

They're in the same place as they were in 2018. Doddling along and made wee boys out of against the first good team they meet. In fact they've probably gone backwards since given they struggled in every knock out game. 

[JollyGreenGiant]

In fairness, it is England's best finish in a WC since 1966. They fouled up in the semi, but overall that is another baby-step towards where they need to be.

Would you bet against them winning Euro 2028 on home soil? For those hate-watching England the day is coming where they will have to deal with England winning something.

They're in the same place as they were in 2018. Doddling along and made wee boys out of against the first good team they meet. In fact they've probably gone backwards since given they struggled in every knock out game. 

2018 was a matter of pure luck of the draw (and a very fortunate catalyst for English football). They managed to get to 4th place by beating Tunisia, Panama and Sweden, and a declining Colombian team on penalties). They lost three matches in the tournament and it was no surprise when Croatia (who beat them handily enough) were caned by France in the final. In 2026 they lost one game, that they could have won with some minor tweaks in terms of substitutions  and tactics. Previous teams would have folded to Norway or Mexico, or would have lost it mentally after Ghana.

[Armagh18]

In fairness, it is England's best finish in a WC since 1966. They fouled up in the semi, but overall that is another baby-step towards where they need to be.

Would you bet against them winning Euro 2028 on home soil? For those hate-watching England the day is coming where they will have to deal with England winning something.

They're in the same place as they were in 2018. Doddling along and made wee boys out of against the first good team they meet. In fact they've probably gone backwards since given they struggled in every knock out game. 

2018 was a matter of pure luck of the draw (and a very fortunate catalyst for English football). They managed to get to 4th place by beating Tunisia, Panama and Sweden, and a declining Colombian team on penalties). They lost three matches in the tournament and it was no surprise when Croatia (who beat them handily enough) were caned by France in the final. In 2026 they lost one game, that they could have won with some minor tweaks in terms of substitutions  and tactics. Previous teams would have folded to Norway or Mexico, or would have lost it mentally after Ghana.

They'll always always have that bottler mentality.

Kane likely won't make another World Cup and won't be the player he was. Their centre backs are shite as is their goalkeeper. France, Spain, Portugal (as long as Ronaldo goes) will all be well ahead of them come 2028.

[AustinPowers]

Since 1996, England haven't  really beat anyone of note  in  a World cup knockout . When they come up against a  top team,  they rarely, if ever  beat them.

Lost to:

Argentina
Brazil
Portugal
Germany
Croatia
France
Argentina


Beat:

Denmark
Ecuador
Colombia (pens)
Sweden
Senegal
DR Congo
Mexico
Norway


In the Euros, not much better either.  Only wins v Germany 2020  and Netherlands 2024 , but both  sides were  a pale shadow of  their former  sides

Beat :

Spain (pens)
Germany
Ukraine
Denmark
Slovakia
Switzerland (pens)
Netherlands


Lost to:

Germany (pens)
Portugal (pens)
Italy (pens)
Iceland
Italy (pens)
Spain

[JollyGreenGiant]

In fairness, it is England's best finish in a WC since 1966. They fouled up in the semi, but overall that is another baby-step towards where they need to be.

Would you bet against them winning Euro 2028 on home soil? For those hate-watching England the day is coming where they will have to deal with England winning something.

They're in the same place as they were in 2018. Doddling along and made wee boys out of against the first good team they meet. In fact they've probably gone backwards since given they struggled in every knock out game. 

2018 was a matter of pure luck of the draw (and a very fortunate catalyst for English football). They managed to get to 4th place by beating Tunisia, Panama and Sweden, and a declining Colombian team on penalties). They lost three matches in the tournament and it was no surprise when Croatia (who beat them handily enough) were caned by France in the final. In 2026 they lost one game, that they could have won with some minor tweaks in terms of substitutions  and tactics. Previous teams would have folded to Norway or Mexico, or would have lost it mentally after Ghana.

They'll always always have that bottler mentality.

Kane likely won't make another World Cup and won't be the player he was. Their centre backs are shite as is their goalkeeper. France, Spain, Portugal (as long as Ronaldo goes) will all be well ahead of them come 2028.

They'll have that mentality until they wont. I know its not the same sport, but in GAA Dublin were the annual bottlers. Wayne McCarthy dropping a 45 against Kerry (2001), Cosgrove's free off the post (2002), Cluxton's red card when five up against Armagh (2003), the 2006 Mayo debacle, running Kerry to two points (2007) Tyrone in the rain (2008), startled earwings (2009).

The likes of Bellingham will only get better, and they conveyor belt will continue producing players that have taken England from dropping out in the Group stage (2014) and losing to Iceland (2016) to third in the World.

But for the regressive tactics on Wednesday, they could be preparing for a final today.

[AustinPowers]

I doubt Kane will be at another WC, maybe not even another  Euros.  His goals carried  them through quite a few matches.

Who  will take over from him? I don't see any real  obvious replacement. Bellingham has goals in him , but he  was anonymous for long  stretches in the tournament.  Nobody else really stood  up. Few big game  players in there

[JollyGreenGiant]

Since 1996, England haven't  really beat anyone of note  in  a World cup knockout . When they come up against a  top team,  they rarely, if ever  beat them.

Lost to:

Argentina
Brazil
Portugal
Germany
Croatia
France
Argentina


Beat:

Denmark
Ecuador
Colombia (pens)
Sweden
Senegal
DR Congo
Mexico
Norway


In the Euros, not much better either.  Only wins v Germany 2020  and Netherlands 2024 , but both  sides were  a pale shadow of  their former  sides

Beat :

Spain (pens)
Germany
Ukraine
Denmark
Slovakia
Switzerland (pens)
Netherlands


Lost to:

Germany (pens)
Portugal (pens)
Italy (pens)
Iceland
Italy (pens)
Spain

A lot has changed over the past 30 years. Not least if you look between 1994-2016 their best finishes were as Quarter Finalists in the WC. On a couple of occasions they didnt qualify for major tournaments, on another couple of occasions they also fell at the first hurdle (group stage). The nadir was Iceland beating them in 2016. Now they are qualifying for finals, and placing highly at World Cups. They have also broken to hoodoo (to an extent) in relation to penalty kicks.

[tyroneStatto]

They had a favourable route to the final like in 2018 but blew it again. Would they have beaten any of Portugal, Spain, Belgium or France had they met each other in an earlier knockout round?

[JollyGreenGiant]

They had a favourable route to the final like in 2018 but blew it again. Would they have beaten any of Portugal, Spain, Belgium or France had they met each other in an earlier knockout round?

Who knows? Spain, I suspect not. Portugal and Belgium, yes. France, well we dont know how good they were because they were never tested (and it was assumed that they were streets ahead of everybody, until they werent).

Spain were the only team who didn't have a route that could be considered "favourable".

[DaleCooper]

Shows how much quality these teams have when they are not dying to win/under high pressure they score ten goals at their leisure.


Fancy Argentina 2-1 purely down to the energy and will to win for their talisman.

[Armagh18]

They had a favourable route to the final like in 2018 but blew it again. Would they have beaten any of Portugal, Spain, Belgium or France had they met each other in an earlier knockout round?

I don't think they'd have beat any of those. France in a proper game tank them, Spain would have destroyed then. The other maybe a toss up.

[Look-Up!]

Great tussle in store tonight. Will be a tight, tense and probably very needley affair.

Stark contrast to last night, very open game, type of game to showcase the very obvious talents England have. But it's nothing we didn't already know, if this team gets time and space they will punish you. They'll also easily qualify for any upcoming major tournaments. Bit of a pointless match all the same considering what both teams have been through lately.
Few English lads saying Mainoo was asked to tog out but he told Tuchel to FO. Make of that what you want.

[gallsman]

They'd have beaten both Belgium and Portugal, little doubt in my mind over it. Two pretty poor teams in the overall scheme of things this time around.

[Armagh18]

Great tussle in store tonight. Will be a tight, tense and probably very needley affair.

Stark contrast to last night, very open game, type of game to showcase the very obvious talents England have. But it's nothing we didn't already know, if this team gets time and space they will punish you. They'll also easily qualify for any upcoming major tournaments. Bit of a pointless match all the same considering what both teams have been through lately.
Few English lads saying Mainoo was asked to tog out but he told Tuchel to FO. Make of that what you want.

Don't blame him one bit if he did. Wonder will that win get the dopes back on side with Tuchel or will they still want him gone.

[AustinPowers]

Tuchel's  contract was only  for the WC , but they extended it just before  the tournament .