Arsene Wenger names World Cup favourites and gives verdict on England breaking major tournament curse in 2026

Gareth Southgate's England failed to claim silverware at Euro 2024, as Spain outclassed them in a final that brutally exposed the difference between nearly champions and definitive ones. That defeat prompted the FA to embrace a change of direction, bringing in Thomas Tuchel. And while the qualifying campaign did not always sparkle, the end product was historic. England not only topped their group but did so perfectly, winning all eight matches and, incredibly, doing so without conceding a single goal. Even the grinding, laboured outings against ultra-defensive sides such as Andorra could not overshadow the seismic statement of a 5-0 dismantling of Serbia, which showed that they are capable of something far more imposing than their doubters expected.

Wenger said: "England are one of the favourites of the World Cup. They are always nearly there. And they have to make the step. They have the quality to win."

Despite praising England’s evolution, Wenger stopped short of placing them at the very summit of the contenders. That honour, he insisted, sits squarely with France. He highlighted an unrivalled depth of elite forwards as the primary reason Les Bleus are a little ahead of Tuchel's troops. 

"By trying to be as objective as possible, I think France are the super favourites. Just for one reason," he argued. "They have more world-class strikers than any other country. To have such a bench and such quality will make the difference."

His reasoning is hard to refute. With Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe leading a cohort that also includes Ousmane Dembele, Marcus Thuram, Randal Kolo Muani, Desire Doue and Hugo Ekitike, France possess an attacking armoury unmatched anywhere in international football. Both nations enter the draw as top seeds, meaning they cannot cross paths until the final. 

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American football icon Alexi Lalas, with 96 caps to his name, offered a typically candid view, balancing admiration with patriotic unease. Lalas conceded that England are "really good" and arguably more finely tuned than at any previous World Cup in the modern era. But with the tournament falling on the symbolic 250th anniversary of America’s independence, he joked that the sight of the Three Lions celebrating a triumph on U.S. soil would be a scenario that needs to be avoided. 

He said: "As an American here, it pains me to say this publicly but England are really good. And they are coming over here next summer to the World Cup, on our 250th birthday. If it is coming home next summer on our shores, we cannot have that. We can absolutely not have that but they are very, very good."

Within the England camp, optimism has grown visibly during Tuchel's early months in charge. FA chief executive Mark Bullingham described Tuchel’s arrival as a jolt of energy that has swiftly permeated the squad.

He said: "Thomas has come in and really hit the ground running brilliantly. You can feel the brilliant energy in the camp and see that the players are really responding well to him. So we’re looking forward to the tournament. We know for European teams it’s obviously going to be hard in the heat, but we’ll do everything we can and we’re looking forward to it."

Many criticised the decision to appoint Tuchel as the manager of The Three Lions, since he holds a German passport. However, given the results in the qualifiers, the FA stands vindicated. And as anticipation builds ahead of Friday’s draw, a familiar question hangs over England’s campaign: whether this is finally the moment the country sheds its decades-long burden and wins a major trophy again. A kind group stage draw will be the first step in that direction.