Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez predicts England’s chances of glory at the 2026 World Cup

After topping Group K by winning all eight of their qualifying fixtures, expectations are high in England ahead of the World Cup. Thomas Tuchel’s men booked their place in North America following an impressive campaign which saw them score 22 goals and concede none in clashes against Albania, Serbia, Latvia and Andorra.

And as a result, there is strong belief within the England camp that they can go all the way in their quest to add to their sole World Cup success in 1966, with captain Harry Kane singling out “world class” Tuchel as someone who could make the all-important difference.

“He's done a really good job,” Kane said in November. “Coming in to being England manager is never easy, especially after Gareth who was one of our most successful managers. He's [Tuchel] tried to stamp his own feel into training, into meetings.

“He comes with a lot of enthusiasm. Tactically we are really precise going into every game. He's been building different ideas leading up to next summer. Form now until then there will be more he would like to add. Tactically he has been fantastic.

“He brings a personality, he brings an aura that represents an England manager. Going into a major tournament that is important as well. Other teams know he is one of the best managers in the world and that brings weight as well.”

One man who also believes England have what it takes to lift the World Cup is Portugal boss Martinez, who is well-accustomed to English football having also managed Everton and Wigan Athletic in the Premier League.

Sitting down for a chat with GOAL’s Beast Mode On presenter Akinfenwa, Martinez agreed with Bayern Munich striker Kane that the very presence of Tuchel means England should be considered as one of the “favourites” to win the competition.

The 52-year-old said: “You’ve got a manager [Tuchel] that’s got a neutral way, that’s won the Champions League [with Chelsea], he’s managed at the highest level.

“I always feel that the club competitions prepare the players individually to represent the national teams. 

“The players England have, they get the benefits of the competitive aspect of the Premier League and what they do in the Champions League, these clubs.

“The product is there, the ingredients are there. So I do feel that England are part of that ‘favourites’ group.”

Speaking of a ‘favourites group’, Martinez believes there are several countries who could cause England problems at the World Cup, including one national team that are yet to secure their place at the tournament.

“Argentina, Brazil are two teams that are competitive, they always find a way,” Martinez continued. “Germany, for me in Europe, they are making huge progress under their coach, [Julian] Nagelsmann. 

“Obviously Italy, they are in the playoffs but if they qualify, they will be a team that can go all the way. They’ve got these extremes, they won the Euros [in 2021], then they don’t qualify in either of the World Cups [in 2018 and 2022], either side of the Euros.

"And you have to accept that teams like France and probably Spain now, they are number one in the [FIFA] world rankings, they should probably be the favourites out of anybody just because of their historic past, the belief that their national teams have, the players that have won every single tournament at youth level, and they just won the Euros [in 2024] with quite a distinctive superiority.”

England - alongside Martinez’s Portugal - will find out who they will play at the World Cup when the draw takes place on Friday, 5 December in the United States, with the ceremony starting at 17:00 GMT (12:00 local time).

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