Last World Cup: Quarter-finals Best results: Champions (1966) FIFA ranking: 4th Record in qualifying: 8 wins, 0 loss, 0 draw Putting aside friendly losses to Senegal and Japan, England had a perfect eight wins and zero goals conceded in their World Cup qualifiers under Thomas Tuchel, even with what appears to be a mediocre defence. The former Chelsea manager wants his players to bring English Premier League dynamism to the international stage, but it remains to be seen whether they will struggle with end-of-season weariness
and the heat in North America. Besides skipper Harry Kane, they have big-name attackers in Jude Bellingham, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze, although they have looked unconvincing at times this season. Their Group L opener against Croatia should set the tone for their campaign. Last World Cup: Did not qualify Best result: Group stage (2018) FIFA ranking: 34th Record in qualifying: 7 wins, 0 loss, 3 draws With just one previous World Cup appearance and two goals scored, Panama are rank outsiders even
if they have familiarity with the group matches held in Canada and the United States. Against stronger teams, they tend to set up with a defensive back-five like they did when they reached the 2024 Copa America quarter-finals. Panama will need a mighty team effort not to finish bottom of the group, and will look to their skilful attacker Adalberto Carrasquilla for inspiration up front. Last World Cup: Group stage Best result: Quarter-finals (2010) FIFA ranking: 73rd Record in qualifying: 8 wins, 1 loss, 1
draw Ghana made up for their failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations by making it to their fifth World Cup. The Black Stars also have a chip on their shoulder, as they missed out on becoming the first African side to make it to the semi-finals in 2010, following Uruguayan Luis Suarez’s deliberate handball. In April, Otto Addo was replaced by the experienced Carlos Queiroz, who has led Portugal and Iran at four World Cups. He inherits a team with seasoned
attackers such as former Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew, Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo and Athletic Bilbao’s Inaki Williams, and are said to possess a useful set-piece threat. Last World Cup: Third Best result: Second (2018) FIFA ranking: 11th Record in qualifying: 7 wins, 0 loss, 1 draw Described as overly defensive and over-the-hill, Croatia have shown no signs of letting up by finishing second and third in 2018 and 2022 respectively under Zlatko Dalic. Many of their key attackers and midfielders such as Ivan Perisic,
Andrej Kramaric, Mateo Kovacic and Ante Budimir are at least 32, while 2018 Golden Ball winner Luka Modric is already 40, but they have that fierce Balkan never-say-die spirit that has helped them reach the semi-finals thrice in their six appearances. Younger guns Josko Gvardiol and Josip Stanisic help keep things tight at the back, and teams with strong defences typically go far in the knockout rounds. PLAYER TO WATCH – HARRY KANE (ENGLAND, 113 CAPS, 79 GOALS, 19 ASSISTS) Growing up in a Tottenham
Hotspur-supporting family, Harry Kane was inspired by Brazil’s Ronaldo to become a striker. However, he had a bit of a slow start in his youth when he was released by the Arsenal academy, and was unsuccessful at a Spurs trial before they finally took him in after he impressed playing for Watford against them. Still, he had to fight his way through to the first team as he was sent on loan to Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich City and Leicester City before he got his
big break with Tottenham in the 2013-14 season and went on to become the English Premier League’s second all-time top scorer with 213 goals, behind only Alan Shearer’s 260. With the Three Lions, he also blossomed to become their all-time top scorer, earning the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup as England finished fourth, and now has more than 500 career goals. A lack of trophies in north London forced him to look for opportunities elsewhere and he moved to Germany out of respect
for his beloved Spurs. Concerns over how England’s greatest goalscorer may go downhill after moving from the Premier League to the Bundesliga have proven unfounded as the 32-year-old is in the form of his life, taking less than three seasons to become one of Bayern Munich’s top 10 scorers of all time. He is clearly the world’s best striker now – someone who guarantees goals while leading the line selflessly with the ability to operate in a deeper role – as he is finally rewarded
with the league titles, in the form of two Bundesliga crowns, his talent deserves. Unfortunately, Kane has no choice over the national team he represents, and needs the rest of his team to step up if they are to end a collective 60 years of hurt to ensure “football’s coming home”.
World Cup 2026, England, Croatia, Harry Kane, Group L, Panama, Ghana, Carlos Queiroz, Otto Addo, Luka Modric, Adalberto Carrasquilla, Josko Gvardiol