How Europe views England’s chances at 2026 World Cup - No 'superstar' despite Harry Kane form, 'surprise' Cole Palmer, Phil Foden snubs
Updated 12/06/2026 at 17:41 GMT+1
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It's that time again. The World Cup is on the horizon, and for England, a first major tournament under Thomas Tuchel awaits.
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And there is no shortage of talking points for England as they prepare for the new-look, bolstered 48-team event taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Squad selection is perhaps the primary point of contention. Questions have been raised over the omissions of the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Adam Wharton.
But Tuchel has emphasised the importance he places on how England function as a team, rather than the players' reputations as individuals - opening the door for the likes of Elliot Anderson, Morgan Rogers and Nico O'Reilly to make their World Cup debuts.
And how might England cope with the stifling conditions in North America? As it was at the Club World Cup last summer, the heat is likely to be a big factor this year.
Indeed, temperatures are forecast to be up at over 35 degrees Celsius when England take to the field for their group-stage opener against Croatia.
TNT Sports gauged the thoughts of European experts to see how fans from countries such as Spain, France, Germany and Italy view England's chances at this year's World Cup.
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Do you think England are favourites for the World Cup?
Having reached back-to-back European Championship finals, with semi-final and quarter-final runs under Gareth Southgate, questions linger over whether Tuchel can build on the momentum set by his predecessor.
The German, whose CV in recent years boasts winning the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea and a Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich, played down his side's credentials as one of the favourites this summer.
"No, we're not the top favourites,” he told reporters. "We can't be because we haven't won it for so many years. There are proven winners in the tournament with more success.
"We compete, we dream big and we know what it takes. Responsibility is on the effort and that is where the focus is.
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"We see ourselves as competitors and challengers. We want to go all the way but I don't think we are the heavy favourites."
Opta's supercomputer, meanwhile, has given England an 11.2% chance of taking the trophy, making them third among the favourites to win the tournament behind Spain (16.1%) and France (13%).
But what is the vibe across Europe?
Aurelien Gourdon, Eurosport France: "Most people in France see England as one of the favourites, but very few consider it the first of them.
"Spain and France are seen a bit ahead, mostly due to their recent results at the World Cup and the Euros. England is also quite seen as a disappointing team in big tournaments."
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Jorde Ordas, Eurosport Spain: "There isn’t a clear-cut group of favourites for the upcoming World Cup. This means that perhaps we should be talking about title contenders, and England should definitely be on that list.
"The team’s youth and their strong performance at the last Euro 2024 mean they are in good form heading into this World Cup, although there is still a long way to go before they can win the title."
Davide Bighiani, Eurosport Italy: "We cannot consider England as the No. 1 favourite.
"They are for sure among the four or five teams that could reach the final four spots, but we would put as favourites the reigning European champions Spain and the ever-formidable France - teams that historically know how to manage the psychological weight of the final stages."
Marc Hlusiak, Eurosport Germany: "No, I don't consider the English to be favourites for the title. Sure, England is always among the contenders, and if they hit a winning streak, the title is certainly within reach.
"However, I don't think their squad has enough depth. To me, the real favourites are France and Spain."
Who do you think is the best player in the England squad and why?
Despite the notable omissions, there is no shortage of big names in Tuchel's squad.
Harry Kane is arguably the most in-form striker in world football, netting 61 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions for Bayern in 2025/26.
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England's chances could well hinge on whether he can bring his domestic form into the World Cup, while Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka look set to hold down roles in Tuchel's side after leading Arsenal to their first Premier League title since 2003/04.
And what about Jude Bellingham? The 22-year-old had his share of injury troubles during the recent campaign, as he missed out on much of the end of England's qualifying campaign and his Real Madrid team failed to truly compete for silverware.
But his quality is beyond doubt - despite Tuchel indicating the midfielder will have to fight for his starting spot.
Tuchel was asked whether Bellingham has a fight on his hands to nail down his place in the side, to which he replied: "Yes, he has.
"He is one of the starters, he knows he is one of the starters, but we have 14 or 15 potential starters.
"These roles can always change, but at the moment I think there are like 14 or 15 proper starters and Jude is one of them."
Aurelien Gourdon, Eurosport France: "Harry Kane's season speaks for itself. He was also seen as one of the biggest threats in the Champions League semi-final against PSG.
"He is the absolute star, followed by Jude Bellingham in most people's opinion. Bellingham is not the most criticised player in Real Madrid. But Harry Kane remains far ahead."
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Jorde Ordas, Eurosport Spain: "Perhaps the big news for England is that they don’t have a superstar, but they do have some excellent players who could well end up becoming superstars during the World Cup.
"In terms of name recognition, Jude Bellingham is perhaps the most high-profile player, but his season at Real Madrid wasn’t quite as dazzling as his previous ones.
"When it comes to goals, Harry Kane is a formidable threat, and a good tournament could see him among the contenders for the Ballon d’Or."
Davide Bighiani, Eurosport Italy: "If you speak about 'best player', the first name I say is Jude Bellingham.
"While Harry Kane guarantees the goals, Bellingham is the true universal world-class talent. The leadership and maturity he has developed at Real Madrid allow him to dictate and dominate midfields on the grandest stage.
"How fit is he? This is the real question."
Marc Hlusiak, Eurosport Germany: "Harry Kane is arguably the best striker in the world right now. His record of 61 goals - including 14 in the Champions League - and 7 assists in 51 games for FC Bayern speaks for itself.
"Depending on how the World Cup goes, he could even be my favourite for the Ballon d'Or. Otherwise, I view Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, and Declan Rice as the team's "best players," though Bellingham, in particular, is rumoured to have had issues with Tuchel."
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Were you surprised by the players left off the list? Did Tuchel make a mistake?
Take a look at the players left out of England's 26-man squad and you realise you can compile a starting line-up which certainly looks competitive.
With the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, Adam Wharton, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, there are excluded players who enjoyed hugely successful seasons domestically - and the likes of Palmer, Foden and Harry Maguire all have experience of England's deep runs at major tournaments.
TNT Sports expert Martin Keown felt it was a "risk" to omit Maguire, and that it was a "big call" to leave out the likes of the Manchester United defender, Alexander-Arnold, Foden, and Jarrod Bowen.
Only time will tell whether Tuchel's bold decisions will pay off, with Croatia, Ghana and Panama to come in the group stage.
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Aurelien Gourdon, Eurosport France: "Trent Alexander-Arnold was not a surprise, as it was known that Tuchel had not much counted on him these recent years. But Phil Foden and Cole Palmer definitely were.
"It seems to many that this team will lack creativity without these two. Personally, I would say Tuchel's arguments on the matter have been quite convincing.
"He prepared his World Cup methodically and has had arguments to justify his choices which seemed pretty logical.
"Didier Deschamps has voluntarily left some players at home in the past to build a better team, with a certain success for France. Therefore, many commentators here respect the idea that picking the best players does not necessarily make you a better team."
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Jorde Ordas, Eurosport Spain: "In Spain, the absence of some of these players has come as a surprise.
"TAA may not have had his best season in Madrid, but Palmer and Foden were tipped to lead the England team in the near future, and their absence will be a major blow for them – and we’ll see if it is for England too."
Davide Bighiani, Eurosport Italy: "Yes, for sure. Leaving out Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and Trent Alexander-Arnold has genuinely shocked football fans, not just in the Premier League but across Europe.
"Tuchel is right in betting on the group rather than only individuals, but sometimes you need pure talent to win some games."
Marc Hlusiak, Eurosport Germany: "Yes. The names Palmer and Foden, in particular, were very surprising. If something goes drastically wrong, that might well become a topic of discussion."
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