Who Will Be England’s Key Players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? 

Over the last few years, England have emerged as a global heavyweight once more. For years the Three Lions toiled in the doldrums, famously failing to qualify for Euro 2008 under the Wally with the Brolly – Steve McLaren to you and me – as well as crashing out of both the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and the European Championships two years later. Gareth Southgate’s seven-year reign brought them to the brink of glory once more, reaching a World Cup semifinal in 2018 as well as back-to-back continental finals. 

Unfortunately for him, however, both of those ended in defeat. Italy beat England on penalties at Wembley no less in the 2021 showpiece, before Mikel Oyarzabal’s late winner in Berlin took the trophy to Spain. That, coupled with his pragmatic approach, cost Southgate his job. Now, Thomas Tuchel will take over the reins as the German boss attempts to end 60 years of his homeland’s greatest rivals’ hurt. 

With the expanded 2026 World Cup just 18 months away, online sportsbooks are already pricing up their odds lists. The popular Bodog Sportsbook in Canada in particular has England as contenders. They have priced the Three Lions as a joint +600 favourite alongside Brazil, France, and Spain. And with the players they have at their disposal, that should perhaps be no surprise. 

Jude Bellingham

Former Birmingham City youngster Jude Bellingham is without question England’s most important player, despite his tender years.  He was his country’s self-proclaimed scapegoat for their recent Euro 2024 failure, despite netting important winners against Serbia and Slovakia, with the latter being a stunning 96th-minute overhead kick. At just 23 by the time the next World Cup arrives, he will likely be the heart of his country’s midfield. 

Real Madrid forked out over €100m to take him to the Bernabeu from Borussia Dortmund a year and a half ago, and his development has been rapid. He was the star of the show in the Spanish capital in his maiden season, netting 23 goals in all competitions as Los Blancos romped to a Champions League and La Liga double. This term, he has started a little slower, but six goals in his last six games suggest that he has turned a corner. 

Under Southgate, Bellingham was used in a number ten role playing slightly behind captain and talisman Harry Kane. While that did yield positive results, some suggest that he would be better utilized playing in a deeper box-to-box role like the one that saw him thrive in Dortmund. It will be interesting to see where his new national team’s manager deems his best position to be, but one certain thing is that if England are to win the World Cup for the first time in six decades, they need to get the very best out of their young superstar. 

Bukayo Saka

Bukayo Saka shot to prominence in the build-up to Euro 2020, emerging as Arsenal’s main man despite still being a teenager. He forced more illustrious names like Jadon Sancho out of the reckoning that summer, before suffering the ultimate heartbreak as he missed the decisive penalty in that infamous shootout against Italy. Since that moment though, he has come out firing. 

He was arguably England’s best player at both the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and as well as Euro 2024. By 2026, Saka will be 24, entering the prime years of his career, and will bring a wealth of experience from both the Premier League and international tournaments, with the North American showpiece representing his fourth foray onto the main stage. 

His ability to cut inside and threaten on goal, while also creating overlapping opportunities for full-backs, makes him a nightmare for defenders. HE tore arguably the best left back in the world – Theo Hernandez – apart during England’s 2-1 defeat to France in the most recent World Cup, and expect further dominant displays in 18 months’ time. 

Cole Palmer

While not as established as the likes of Bellingham and Saka, Cole Palmer has emerged as one of England’s most exciting prospects. After a stellar season at Chelsea, where he notched 25 goals in all competitions, he won the Three Lions Player of the Year award. Now, he can look forward to more opportunities under new management. 

With Southgate now out of the picture, Palmer is surely one of the first names on the teamsheet. His technical ability and eye for goal make him an ideal candidate to provide the creativity for the likes of Saka and Bellinghamk to thrive. His stunning equaliser in the Euro 2024 final against Spain demonstrated his knack for delivering in clutch moments, and by 2026, he will have developed even further. 

He is already Chelsea’s best player and the drop-off in the form of Phil Foden, Marcus Rashford, and Jack Grealish surely makes a spot in England’s attacking midfield his for the taking. His adaptability and raw ability position him as one of Tuchel’s main weapons.

Harry Kane

Harry Kane’s inclusion in Tuchel’s 2026 plans is a no-brainer. At 32, he will bring not only goals but also invaluable leadership and experience. England’s captain and all-time leading goalscorer remains a generational talent, capable of dictating the game from the front.

Kane’s deeper role in linking-up play, alongside his clinical finishing, will be crucial for a team likely built on attacking fluidity. His partnership with younger stars like Bellingham and Saka will define England’s attacking blueprint. With the overlapping threats from wing-backs and wingers, he will find himself with opportunities to either finish off moves or create space for his teammates.

The biggest challenge for Kane will be staying fit and maintaining peak performance. Some critics questioned his durability during Euro 2024, and while alternatives like Ollie Watkins or Ivan Toney offer pace and dynamism, they cannot replicate Kane’s unique skill set, provided he can stay healthy and at the top of his game. 

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