There is admiration for Gareth Southgate and his team across the globe but most experts do not see them going on to win the World Cup in Russia

Italy

In the last 25 days we learnt that this World Cup is like Eric Cantona crossed with Mario Balotelli crossed with a 1970s Mick Jagger. It is disrespectful to authority. Unpredictable. Maybe the craziest tournament, ever.



Being a football expert, I thought England were too young, too unexperienced, too predictable in their 3-5-2 lineup to do well in Russia. So I bet against them in their games against Colombia and Sweden (the later no doubt influenced by an Italy-playoff complex) and watched on as I got both predictions completely wrong.

To the delight of every English fan, I am not going to change my policy ahead of the semi-final. I know Harry Kane is the best striker in the competition, Dele Alli a shining star and Jordan Pickford an underrated keeper, but I admire Ivan Rakitic and Luka Modric too much not to think Croatia are slight favourite. So, can England win the World Cup? Sure they can. Will they win the World Cup? Probably not.

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Luca Bianchin (La Gazzetta dello Sport)

France

Next to the other three teams in the semi-finals, England cannot compare in terms of technical ability, control, experience and attacking flair. Instead they are well organised, tough to beat, competitive and certainly one of the best around for scoring goals on set pieces. They are also learning fast for a such a young squad and now know now they can win games on penalties, which could prove useful against Croatia.

However, the easy part is over for England – their only real test so far has been Colombia – and the question now is whether or not, with the heat well and truly on, they can beat Croatia and go all the way. My answer? Probably not. I predict a France versus Croatia final.

Patrick Urbini (France Football)

Germany

England impressed me even before this World Cup with their success at Under-17, Under-19 and Under-20 level, so much so, in fact, that I flew to St George’s Park to discover the secret to the country’s success. The former Germany and Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann accompanied me and after the trip we both felt strongly that something special was happening in the country.

England have strong, young players who play refreshing football and, in that sense, the squad reminds me a little of Germany’s at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. They too reached the semi-finals before losing against Spain, the eventual winners. England face Croatia, a team also full of experience, so it will not be easy, but England have four things to their advantages: they showed against Colombia that they can win a penalty shootout; they showed against Sweden that they can win in a routine, professional manner; they have the best striker in the world in Harry Kane and they have a really impressive goalkeeper. So they could go all the way.

Christian Falk (Bild)

Spain

England’s success in Russia might look like chance to some, but it is not. Gareth Southgate has clearly worked hard to build a team that has a well-organised and structured defence; a midfield that is based more on work than creativity and a forward line which is fantastically efficient.

It is a young team that still finds it hard to be patient with the ball but make up for that with very good work on set plays and has a big advantage over Croatia: their legs. After two consecutive periods of extra time, will Zlatko Dalic’s men be able to keep up with the pace of the young Englishmen? It’s very possible they will not be and tThat is why England could well get to the World Cup final and well go on to win it.

Juan I Irigoyen (El Pais)

Brazil

England have a great chance of winning the World Cup – in four years’ time. Gareth Southgate has made a lot of progress as head coach, developing an exciting team that is enjoyable to watch and quite Brazilian in their style; a gifted goalkeeper, attacking full-backs, a classic defensive midfielder, a pair of strong wingers, and a player in Raheem Sterling who has the talent to represent the Seleção right now.

But England have also shown during this tournament that they can be really nervous in their play, holding onto the ball for too long and not passing confidently. They have also engaged in acts of simulation that would make even Neymar embarrassed.

That is England’s problem – they lack conviction in their style of play and this is why I can’t see them winning the World Cup this year. But if they stay on the path they have been travelling under Southgate they can definitely do so in Qatar in 2022.

Sérgio Luz (Globo)

Argentina

When it comes to England and sports you close your eyes, remember the smell of humid grass and remember it is the nation where football was born. It is also a nation that has gone 52 years without winning the World Cup and is desperate do so again. Can they do so in 2018? Well nothing lasts forever, not even droughts. Years of watching great players perform in the Premier League have clearly had an affect on the national team with the most clear one being that England no longer play like they used to. The current team is more interesting and dynamic, and in that sense they have betrayed themselves, as Spain did a decade ago.



The players also appear to be mentally stronger and it could be that more than anything else that carries them past a strong Croatia team and into the final.

Sebastián Fest (La Nacion)