Former England striker Heskey urges fans to take it easy and stay positive the Three Lions can win the 2026 World Cup
The former England striker, Emile Heskey, believes that the performance of the Three Lions will improve as the tournament continues and he is still confident that they will still win the World Cup.
After winning the first match against Croatia, England surprisingly drew with Ghana and beat Panama 2-0, raising doubts about their first major trophy since 1966.
Thomas Tuchel’s side face DR Congo in the round of 32 tomorrow evening and while Heskey is reluctant to put his points on the goals, he believes England’s attack means they have a chance.
He told 101 Great Goals, via World Cup betting site 888sport: “From the games England have played so far, I wouldn’t say the will to win the World Cup, but that’s not how major tournaments work. They will get better as the tournament goes on and they will face tough opponents.
“Definitely they can improve the way they played in the first half. They scored a few goals in the first game against Croatia, then they failed to score in the first 45 minutes against Ghana or Panama.
Playing center right back ‘not good’ for England – Heskey
Tuchel has received criticism for his team’s formation. Having already looked a little brighter in the full-back positions, he opted to replace the injured Tino Livramento with Chelsea midfielder Trevoh Chalobah.
And with Reece James injured, Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah had to fill in at right back against the Panamanians.
Heskey, who played 62 games for England from 1999 to 2010, said: “It’s never good for full-backs to fill in for full-backs.
“But tournament football is different from club football. Thomas Tuchel doesn’t pick a team for a 38-game season, he’s only looking at five games to get out, and that’s a different puzzle. What’s important for Jarell Quansah, when he starts any playoff game at right back, is that he has players around him to help make sure he’s in the right place.
“Quansah was caught a few times against Panama in one-on-one situations, but he needs help in those situations from his midfielders and his defender.”
Heskey defends England coach Tuchel over team selection
One charge against Tuchel is that he placed too much emphasis on good character over playing ability when selecting his squad, with Newcastle’s Dan Burn a classic example, but Heskey says it is important to have a stable squad in the long run.
“It is 100% important that when you are in a big competition, you have good actors in the team,” he said. “You will be out for a long time – if England reach the final, that will be six weeks from their first pre-tournament friendly.
“As an international player in a major tournament, you’re together 24/7. You need teammates who can pick you up, who can make you laugh, who will keep you honest but who will also tell the truth when things don’t go well. You need all kinds of players in your dressing room if you’re going to be successful and ultimately get where you want to go, in the end.”
Heskey backs England captain Kane to come good
The captain of England, Harry Kane, has scored three goals so far but missed a good chance to win it against Ghana, shooting from six meters away.
Heskey says there should be no worries about the Bayern Munich star, adding: “We know all we need to know about Harry Kane – he’s a very good goalscorer. He knows where the goal is, and every chance that comes up, he’s expected to score. The reason many were surprised by his late miss against Ghana is because he’s used chances for us.
“As the competition goes on, he will have to see how the games open up and where he can find space. That may be dropping back to take the ball from the midfielders, or spending more time in the box. But he is a very smart player, he will see that for himself.”
