Regardless of whether it is a World Cup or a Euro, the England manager is always left with selection headaches. You can’t satisfy everyone. While England perhaps didn’t have the squad depth, world ranking, or the mentality to reach the latter stages of competitions 25 or 30 years ago, this is a trend they have bucked over the last few Euros and World Cups.

Not only have they overcome these mental hurdles, won penalty shootouts, and reached the finals of these competitions for the first time in decades, but they now have squad depth and variety at every position.

The smallest decisions can have a profound effect on the tournament’s overall outcome, and can be the only difference between winning and losing a final; the stakes couldn’t be higher. So, who are some of the players who could force their way into the squad at the final hour and potentially navigate England to their first major trophy in 60 years?

Is It Finally Coming Home?

It feels as though the last few major tournaments England have been involved in, the bookies have had them right in with a chance of winning. I remember in the early 2000s, when, despite all the talk of a Golden Generation, England were always behind the pace, especially compared to Italy, Brazil, and France.

While we’re a long way from the start of the tournament, and a lot can change between now and next July, including injuries and off-the-field issues, the current odds have England as 2nd favourites, behind Spain, who beat them pretty easily in the Euro 2024 final.

The format of the next World Cup, expanded to 48 teams from 32, has opened the door for smaller teams to cause an upset, but we’re doubtful we’ll see teams from outside South America or Europe competing for the Jules Rimet trophy. It’ll make it a more entertaining and global spectacle, though.

What Do The Odds Say?

England is around 6/1 at the moment, and while this might sound like pretty high odds as far as gambling markets are concerned, you’ll find them at better odds in comparison to some of the teams who are lower down the pecking order. Australia’s betting odds are much lower, for instance, at around 500/1.

While 6/1 would be pretty enormous odds in casino gaming, they’re not bad for an outright market that is still quite a while away. Those who play at an Australian online casino will understand that many conventional casino games have fixed odds, while other gambling games can be more of a moving target, changing based on variables.

Again, online casino odds are more rigid; however, they do share some similarities. As you can see in the link below, promotions and giveaways are commonplace in both types of betting markets. However, using the current market as an example of whether ot not England could end their 60-year drought might not be the most effective way to break it down, at least not yet.

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Tuchel’s Strategic Headache

Despite the quality and depth of English talent, there are plenty of players who do not gel, and others who have egos that can cause problems in the dressing room. The players who are on the fringes of the team include Everton duo Jarrad Branthwaite and Jack Grealish, both of whom are unlikely to bring these issues into the England camp.

Either way, Tuchel has stated he will be contacting players he is leaving out to explain his reasons, but the Everton duo will be hoping any phone call they get from the manager will be him telling them they’re on the plane.

They would certainly be more grateful to be on the plane than the likes of Bellingham, whose behaviour is becoming a real concern for Tuchel.

However, Tuchel often finds himself opting for players who are playing in the Champions League against Europe’s top clubs, which is why we could see the likes of Saka and Rashford, and even Anthony Gordon, get ahead of Grealish. Still, it is an area of the field where England is perhaps at its strongest.

Despite the manager usually aiming for players who are performing at the highest level of European competition, Jordan Pickford is a shoo-in for number one. It has solidified his place as England’s most reliable man between the sticks. It’d be very unusual to see him dislodged from this position. It’ll be the wings where the German will have his biggest selection headache.

Still, depending on form, we could see players like Trent, Adam Wharton, and Kobbie Mainoo all miss out as well, but the picture will become clearer as we reach the tail end of the domestic season.

Who Will Be Victorious?

It really is hard to look past Spain, given how dominant they were at Euro 2024, not to mention that many of their stars from that team have only gotten better in their domestic clubs.

England have a habit of crumbling when it truly matters, which is why they haven’t won a major trophy for 60 years, and 6/1 seems a fair price. It’d be a surprise for England to win the tournament, especially when other countries like Italy and Brazil have a habit of pulling it out of the bag when it really matters – but with a much broader number of teams, next year’s World Cup will have a unique feel and look, and England will be fancying their chances.

Players Who Could Force Their Way Into The England World Cup Squad – Could England End The Drought?