Read for 5 minutesKolkata28 June 2026 12:09 PM IST
Over the years, England have entered the World Cup with a so-called golden generation. With the local media hype machinery building them up before every tournament, expectations surrounding the Three Lions have always been sky-high and, at times, quite unfairly so.
But more often than not, England have failed to make it to the big stage as countless so-called golden generations have fallen on their swords. The early stages of the 2026 edition suggest that they are setting their fans up for yet another bitter disappointment.
England’s performance, especially in the first half, lacked a game plan when trying to break down their opposition. While the structure is not as bad as previous versions, there is a lack of clarity with bigger challenges ahead. It remains to be seen how they will fare later in the tournament against an elite team that can hurt with counter punches.
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England had nine shots on goal in the first half against Panama on Saturday, with just two on target. In the second 45 minutes, they attempted eight shots, including four on target, with two goals scored.
Against Ghana, with just three of 19 shots attempted, all in the second half, the Three Lions had to wait until the 57th minute for their first shot, which found its way past the opposition goalkeeper. The same discomfort has plagued some star-studded teams at this World Cup – an inability to unlock a stubborn defence.
They only scored in the first half of the group stage match against Croatia, where Harry Kane scored the first goal in the 12th and 42nd minutes from the penalty spot.
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However, what will give coach Thomas Tuchel some comfort is England’s ability to push forward in the second half, with players showing glimpses of brilliance that might help pull the rabbit out of the hat.
England’s performance, especially in the first half, lacked a game plan when trying to break down their opposition. (AP Photo)
Against Ghana, captain Harry Kane, who was a peripheral figure for most of the first half, had a golden chance to score the winning goal in the fag-end of the second half, but ended up off his lines. Against Panama, he made no mistake and headed in Jude Bellingham’s perfect cross in the 67th minute to overtake Gary Lineker to become England’s top goalscorer in World Cup history. Bellingham, a creative powerhouse for England, had already broken the deadlock in the 62nd minute with a half-volley from Bukayo Saka’s corner.
Kane and Bellingham have been the driving force behind the England team, scoring the lion’s share of their goals and pulling England out of the mud on a few occasions. After playing second fiddle to Anthony Gordon in the first 2 matches, Marcus Rashford has also provided a bright spark in attack whenever given a chance. Against Panama, his first start of this World Cup, he was one of the few England players to test the opposition goalkeeper in the first 45 minutes.
The old adage that attack is the best form of defense may now apply to England, with a defense that has looked vulnerable and exposed at times due to injuries to Reece James and now Jerel Kwansah, which survived by the skin of its teeth against Panama, where a late Jose Fajardo strike was ruled offside.
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In the last 32, they play DR Congo, a team that eliminated a Portugal side that featured two UCL-winning midfielders in Bruno Fernandes and Joao Neves and Vitinha, as well as an ageless-looking Cristiano Ronaldo. “It’s an aggressive approach that we take. You want to defend each other. But the tournament starts again in the knockouts. Now we gather our strength and energy. We build our team spirit and belief. We will go forward, the bigger the games, the bigger we will be,” Tuchel said after the group match against England in Panama. Against the Congo, they would have to eclipse the size of the Empire State Building if they had the chance.