England World Cup Team Preview | England WC Odds

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CONTENTS

• England Odds: To Win World Cup
• England Path to Final
• England Previous World Cup Finishes
• England World Cup FAQ

England Odds: To Win World Cup

England has perhaps the best chance of winning a World Cup for the first time in decades this winter, and sports betting sites have slashed the Three Lions’ odds so much that now only Brazil and France are tipped to fare better than them.

Head coach Gareth Southgate steered England to a first World Cup semi-final in 28 years back in 2018, and last summer got the team to the Euro 2020 final. Can England go one step further and win a first international trophy since 1966?

Possibly. Sports betting sites certainly think it’s doable – and the England odds suggest we should, at a minimum, see the Three Lions reach the semi-finals. With a team packed with superstars – Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips to name just four – this England unit is perfectly positioned to gun for the World Cup.

What’s more, fear of the penalty shootout hoodoo is now firmly behind this team. Southgate has created a positive camp where players shed their club rivalries and come together for the national cause. There is a pride in playing for England once again – and what would complete the project is a World Cup come the end.

England is +600 to win the World Cup, level with Argentina and Portugal and narrowly behind favorites Brazil and France. The Three Lions should arguably have reached the World Cup final four years ago, but surrendered a lead to Croatia to crash out in the semis. The same fate befell them at the European Championships final to Italy.

So, the big question mark around England is whether they can push that extra yard and win a major tournament. No-one is doubting their credentials as players, but whether they can confidently beat the likes of France and Brazil in Qatar is another issue entirely.

At least with the likes of Kane and Sterling, England has the offensive firepower required to dismantle any team. Likewise, defensively the team is a strong unit. Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw may struggle at Manchester United, but they step up for England. And both Rice and Phillips provide the midfield cover required to handle the world’s best offences.

England Path To Final

England enjoyed a very easy route to the World Cup in Qatar this winter, going unbeaten across 10 qualifying games. England topped European qualifying Group I that featured Poland, Albania, Hungary, Andorra and San Marino. Single ties with Hungary and Poland were the only times England dropped points, and the team won the group to secure automatic qualification.

Pot Draw

England’s high rankings meant the team was seeded for the World Cup draw. This resulted in them avoiding the likes of Brazil, Belgium and Argentina in the group stage.

Group Stage

Indeed, England was drawn in Group B for the World Cup, alongside Iran, USA and Wales. Games between these teams were highly competitive – there are a lot of international relations going on here. England faced Iran in the first game on November 21 and won 6:2. They also won the game against Wales (3:0), and there were no goals in their game with the USA. England finished the group stage in the first place.

Potential Knockout Stage Games

As the winner of Group B, the team faced the second-placed team in Group A for the round-of-16. It was Senegal. They bypassed them (3:0) and England is tipped to play France in the quarter-finals. This will be a big test against the reigning World Cup champions. Win that and a semi-final with Morocco or Portugal could await. And if England reaches the final, it could be against Brazil or Argentina.

England Previous World Cup Finishes

England has a strong history of reaching the World Cup and won the tournament in 1966, when the country hosted. Since then a spectre of that World Cup triumph has loomed over the England team. It was only partially banished by England winning the women’s Euro 2022 tournament this summer. Win the World Cup here and those ghosts can be put to bed. Here’s England’s men’s performances at previous World Cups…

• 1950 – Group stage
• 1954 – Quarter-finals
• 1958 – Group stage
• 1962 – Quarter-finals
• 1966 – Champions
• 1970 – Quarter-finals
• 1982 – Second group stage
• 1986 – Quarter-finals
• 1990 – Fourth place
• 1998 – Last-16
• 2002 – Quarter-finals
• 2006 – Quarter-finals
• 2010 – Last-16
• 2014 – Group stage
• 2018 – Fourth place

England Golden Boot Odds

Odds Provided by bet365 - Subject to Change

England World Cup FAQ

Has England qualified for the World Cup?

Yes. England has qualified for the World Cup and will compete in Group B alongside USA, Wales and Iran.

Why Is the World Cup In November?

The World Cup is being played in November because host country Qatar cannot stage games in the summer, due to high temperatures. Officials opted to reshuffle the global soccer calendar in order to facilitate a winter World Cup.

Will England win the World Cup?

Possibly. England reached the World Cup semi-final four years ago, and the Euro 2020 final. Sports betting sites think England are joint-second favorites to win the World Cup.

Who will score most goals for England?

Harry Kane is expected to score most goals for England at the World Cup. He won the Golden Boot with six goals in 2018.

Is Gareth Southgate a Sir?

No. Gareth Southgate has not been knighted in the UK. However, he is an OBE (Order of the British Empire).

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