Is It Really coming home?

As we all ready ourselves for an alcohol-drenched summer of jam-packed beer gardens, sun-glared projection screens and mid-week hangovers, everyone is asking the same question:

Is this the year we finally break that decades-long curse and win the World Cup?

For many of us, the World Cup is, put simply, the best thing there is, every four years - an opportunity to purge weeks, months, years of built-up frustration and disappointment. The relentless drama captivating even the most ardent agnostic.

So after sixty years of hurt,  yes sixty, could this be the summer we finally 'bring it home'?

England has been here before. So many times. Yet always come up short. But, this year, as the 2026 FIFA World Cup gets underway across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, something feels different...

England head into the competition as third favourites with the bookmakers, behind Spain and France, and with one of the most settled squads they have taken to a tournament in years. A lot of these players know what it takes to reach the final throes of these major tournaments, and that could prove to be invaluable this summer. 

Jordan Pickford starts his fifth consecutive tournament as first choice in goal, and has the best shootout record of any England keeper in history.

In midfield, Jude Bellingham will unnerve any opposition with a goal threat from deep that is unmatched, while Declan Rice anchors the midfield with his reliable defensive nous and world-class distribution.

Bukayo Saka provides creativity and directness on the wing, and Harry Kane — who has just won the European Golden Boot for the second time in three seasons at Bayern Munich  — leads the line with his customary lethal efficiency.

But let's talk about Harry for a second, our 'ace' in the pack. England's record scorer is in astonishing form, and showing no signs of slowing down.

At Bayern Munich he became the fastest player this century to reach 100 goals for a team playing in one of the big five leagues (managing it in a frankly ridiculous 104 matches) and with England he has 78 goals in 112 appearances, one more than Pelé finished with Brazil. Dare I say it, but it seems his experience at Bayern has arguably made him an even better striker.

And then, of course, we have knockout specialist Thomas Tuchel at the helm. When Mark Bullingham, FA chief executive, unveiled Tuchel as England manager, he said they'd appointed someone who "gives us the best possible chance to (win) the next men's World Cup."

Tuchel has already won the Champions League with Chelsea and consistently delivers results on the big stage. He is a brilliant tactician and guided England through a perfect qualification stage where they remained unbeaten and didn't concede a single goal. 

Let's just take a moment to digest this --

Never before has a European team gone through World Cup qualification - playing at least six matches - without letting in a goal. It is a record to fire hope, and one which sends a very clear message -- 

England are, whisper it, genuine contenders. 

Strap yourselves in...