With the World Cup starting in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Daily Mail Sport readers have delivered their predictions on England’s chances under Thomas Tuchel—and the results show a split mood: strong belief in “football will come home,” alongside a s
The World Cup is under way in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and Daily Mail Sport readers have been quick to make their feelings clear—especially about England.
As co-hosts Mexico kick off the tournament against South Africa today, attention has immediately turned to whether Thomas Tuchel can help end the country’s 60 years of hurt and deliver World Cup glory for the first time since 1966.
Tuchel set the tone early, telling his players: “We want to be world champions. We want to put the second star on our shirt. It’s very important that we just speak about it straight away. The target of this mission is clear. Second star on our shirt. ” in his first speech to the squad last year—footage published by the Football Association this week revealed.
On the predictor, that ambition has resonated. Daily Mail Sport readers are backing Tuchel and England’s route to the top. with 22.8 per cent selecting England as the tournament winner. The same percentage base points to a belief that the likes of Harry Kane. Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice can carry the burden when it matters most.
Still, it isn’t a clean sweep. A further 21.9 per cent of readers predict an England quarter-final exit. It would be the second successive time they go out at that stage after losing to France at Qatar 2022. and it would also mean an eighth quarter-final elimination in 17 World Cup appearances for England.
The numbers sharpen the tension. A total of 18.4 per cent believe England will fall in the last-16, while 16.1 per cent are optimistic that Tuchel can match the performance of Gareth Southgate, who led the Three Lions to the semi-finals at Russia 2018.
Hope isn’t dominant everywhere, though. A heart-breaking final defeat is predicted by 10.5 per cent of readers. while 7.3 per cent—among the least optimistic—expect England to crash out in the last 32. Only 3 per cent go as far as predicting England will fail to advance from the group stage. where they face Croatia. Ghana and Panama.
Those split predictions mirror how readers see the wider title race.
When asked who will lift the World Cup on July 19 in New York, France tops the list. Quarter expecting France to win the trophy next month—24.6 per cent in the overall winner vote—leaving England second on 22.8 per cent. That would mean France would reach a remarkable third successive World Cup final. having won in 2018 in Russia before losing to Argentina on penalties at Qatar 2022. Didier Deschamps—who coached France in both finals and captained their 1998 World Cup-winning team—will lead the country into a major tournament for a final time as manager.
After France and England, Spain are backed by 18 per cent, making them third favourites. Spain enter the tournament as the reigning European champions after beating England in their Euro 2024 final. Portugal follow with 9.5 per cent of readers backing Cristiano Ronaldo to win the World Cup for the first time in his sixth and final appearance.
Argentina are next on 8.3 per cent, while Brazil—managed by Carlo Ancelotti—are backed at 8.1 per cent.
Outside the leading group, Germany sit at 2.0 per cent and the Netherlands at 1.2 per cent. Scotland. held up as an outsider with 0.8 per cent. still has a slice of belief behind it: that number comes with readers backing the Tartan Army for a stunning triumph. Every other nation is backed by less than one per cent.
The tournament winner vote also ties back to those big-name legacies. Lionel Messi is expected by just over eight per cent of readers to get his hands on the trophy again in the United States, where he now plays.
Just over eight per cent also believe Argentina will become the first back-to-back champions since Brazil. who achieved the feat by winning in 1958 and 1962. A similar number of readers—just over eight per cent—expect Brazil to triumph in North America again as they did when the United States last hosted in 1994.
Whether England can convert that belief into silverware, or whether the familiar heartbreak returns, is set against a tight margin of reader expectation: 22.8 per cent believe in a title, but 21.9 per cent are ready for the quarter-final to bite again.
Daily Mail Sport’s Riath Al-Samarrai will respond to readers’ predictions in the comments at 4pm.
World Cup 2026 predictions England Thomas Tuchel Harry Kane Jude Bellingham Declan Rice France Spain Portugal Argentina Brazil Didier Deschamps Euro 2024 final Spain vs England
England got this, football will come home or whatever.