Home of football statistics and historyEngland will round off their 2026 campaign with a pair of testing 2026/27 Nations League fixtures against Croatia (H) and Spain (A) in mid-November.
The Three Lions produced a series of impressive performances during the last international break to put themselves in pole position to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Bettors who enjoy playing the astronaut game on the 1xbet website may feel that England are worth backing on the associated sportsbook at odds of 9/2 to win the Nations League next summer.
However, the exciting slots game undoubtedly offers them a much better chance of securing a winning return than wagering on the Three Lions.
England’s lack of cover for Kane is an issue
England have failed to win silverware since claiming the 1966 World Cup on home soil, and it would be a brave move to back them to snap that streak in the Nations League.
Their reliance on striker Harry Kane is a major issue. The Bayern Munich star has scored 91 goals in 125 appearances for the Three Lions, highlighting his importance to the team.
Manager Thomas Tuchel has yet to find a suitable back-up for Kane, with options such as Ollie Watkins and Dominic Calvert-Lewin largely failing to impress at international level.
There have recently been calls for Middlesbrough striker Will Lankshear to receive an England call-up. He has scored 15 goals in 16 appearances in all competitions this season.
Tuchel has previously said that he would never rule out picking players not in the top flight with their clubs, but he should resist the temptation to select Lankshear.
The Boro forward was part of the England Under-21 squad last month, and his development would be better served by continuing at that level.
Lankshear may eventually demonstrate that he can be a suitable long-term replacement for Kane, but fast-tracking him into the senior squad would be a mistake.
Boro striker still has plenty to prove
Comparisons with Kane are inevitable given that Lankshear was previously on Tottenham Hotspur’s books before he signed for Middlesbrough last summer.
His positional sense and uncanny ability to hit the target are the hallmarks of a top-class striker, but the sample size is far too small to be definitive.
Lankshear scored just 12 goals in 47 appearances during a loan spell with Oxford United last season, but he has clearly improved since joining Boro.
However, the 21-year-old needs to demonstrate that he can score regularly in the Premier League before being touted for a call-up to the England squad.
Plenty of players have scored goals for fun in the Championship before struggling to make their mark in the top-flight. Lankshear must show that he can step up.
Bullying defences in the second tier with Middlesbrough is a different challenge to facing seasoned international players in the Nations League.
Allowing the young striker to focus on his game at club level and gain experience with England’s Under-21 side is a far more prudent approach.
The last Championship outfield player to receive an England call-up was Wilfried Zaha in 2012, and he ultimately flattered to deceive during his career.
If Lankshear can fire Middlesbrough into the Premier League and then continue to score goals at that level, his claims for an England call-up would be undeniable.
Potential long-term replacements for Kane are extremely thin on the ground, so Tuchel must resist the temptation to throw Lankshear in at the deep end.
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