Gareth Southgate heads into Friday’s World Cup draw believing England can win the tournament – but admits they will have to be “close to perfect” to triumph in Qatar.
Confidence, experience and belief have all grown in the Three Lions squad thanks to the run to the semi-finals at the 2018 World Cup and reaching the final of Euro 2020 last summer.
Southgate accepts his team are “there to be shot at” but that they have a right to rate their chances.
He said: “We have said to the team this week, ‘if we can get to a semi-final, we can get to a final, and we did. If we can get to a final, we can win’. That’s clear.(Independent)