10 big-name pundits predict England’s 2026 World Cup: Neville, Carragher, Keane, Rooney… | OneFootball

The 2026 World Cup is upon us. As ever, plenty has been said about England‘s chances of going all the way in North America.

Some legendary former England internationals, as well as big-name managers and one-time adversaries, are among the leading members of the punditocracy that earn their keep chatting football. But which of them will be made to look daft in the coming weeks?

We’ve rounded up 10 big-name pundits and how they’ve assessed England’s chances of World Cup glory.

Gary Neville

“I’m never arrogant enough, Roy, not to think quarterfinals is par for England. When you think about Italy aren’t even here,” Neville said on the Stick To Football podcast.

“Quarter-final can be par if you lose against a great team, or some form of freak…

“To use the golf analogy: Par is quarters, I think for England, gotta be par, Birdie is semi-finals, Eagle is final, Albatross is winning it. I’m telling you, you’re talking about a hole-in-one on a par four. Or a two on a par five.

“If England win it, honestly, it’s a freak. Honestly, you’re talking about something that happens like once in a blue moon.”

Ian Wright sounded aghast, asking “Are you saying we’ve got no chance?”, to which Neville responded:

“In 10 days time, we’ll be England fans and we’ll be saying ‘absolutely we can win it, no problem’, but do you honestly believe sitting here now that ‘we are going to win this tournament?”

Ian Wright

“…I think we’ve got a good chance, especially with Harry Kane up front”, was Wright’s response.

“That’s what I believe.”

Ever the optimist, Wrighty.

Jamie Carragher

“I don’t think we’ll get there,” was Carragher’s verdict.

“I think if England got to the semi-final, I think they’ve done brilliant.”

Similar to Neville, Carragher cited gaps in the squad and the difficult conditions as key reasons that England won’t go all the way to the final.

“In terms of individually, the centre-backs… That’s where I go back to what a lot of the squad is. What you’d call really good Premier League players,” Carra continued.

“You go back to when you had Rio and John Terry. It’s not just that they were great players. They’re playing in the Champions League every week, every season.

“Talking about Marc Guehi, who went to Man City in January, so the majority of his career at a good level – Crystal Palace, really good, did well at City – and Ezri Konsa – won the Europa League – but it’s not coming up against that level of player, week after week, season after season.

“And it’s just that’s what we’ve got, that’s the best of what we’ve got, it doesn’t mean they’re bad players.”

Roy Keane

“Do I see England winning the World Cup? Absolutely not,” says Keane.

“Do you know what? When I looked at the squad and particularly defensively, I’m not convinced.

“And I don’t want to see any stats from anybody say, ‘Oh, they’ve done this in the last two years’ or whatever.

“Some of these games in the qualifying campaigns have been quite easy, but I just don’t see it come a crunch game in the quarter to the semi-finals, whether they’re chasing the game or defending it.

“The defenders… I’m just not convinced. It’s the centre-halves that would be worrying me. Imagine playing France and the game’s getting stretched… I don’t know.”

Gary Lineker

‘The Rest Is Football’ host, who famously won the Golden Boot at Mexico ’86, strikes a tone that can be described as cautiously optimistic.

“I quite like the way Saka has returned to form at the end of the season,” Lineker told reporters at a Netflix press event last month.

“Saka’s had his injuries, but I also look at some of our players and I think, especially the ones with spells out, normally you look at our players – particularly from the Premier League – and they look a little bit knackered.

“But a lot of our star players have had spells out whether it is Saka, Harry Kane has been rested quite a lot, the players playing abroad like Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford, both have been out quite a bit but also played in recent times and are looking fit and really strong. That could help us.”

“When it’s your team you can be more critical, but the one thing we all want is to do the damn thing and win it,” he added.

“It would be glorious, I think. I was five when we won it and have zero memory, so I would love it to happen in my lifetime. I think it will be tough this one, for lots of reasons, but I don’t think it is impossible. I think we’re with an outside shot.”

Micah Richards

“When you look at our starting line-up, I think we have a really good chance,’ Richards told The Metro.

“But I feel everyone has to play to their best of their capabilities. In some other teams you might be able to carry someone. Kylian Mbappe might not do the work off the ball but on the ball you know he will come up with that moment of magic.

“With England at times, too many players have been playing in their shell. Jude Bellingham has had those big moments, but who else? We need more players like that with personality to say “this is our time”.

“I’ll always be confident of England getting to the semi-finals but they all need to be at their best – if one of them is off, no, I don’t think it comes home.’

Alan Shearer

“I think with the talent that we have… success, I guess, is winning,” Shearer told reporters at a press event.

“But when you think about who you’re going up against, Spain or France or Brazil or Argentina, maybe Portugal, I just think as you go deep into the tournament, (there will be) squads better than England.”

“If we defend really well and Harry can do what he’s done, then we have got a live chance of winning it. If we’re going to go deep, then Harry has to fly.”

Joe Hart

“England,” the former Three Lions No.1 responded when asked for his pick of who’ll lift the trophy for the BBC.

“But I am not actually that bothered whether I am right or wrong. I just like to back my people and I want England to do it.”

Wayne Rooney

“England and Spain will make the final, and hopefully England will win it,” the former England captain predicted in the same BBC round-up.

“I’m going with Kane to get the Golden Boot.”

Thomas Frank

The former Tottenham manager is one of seven BBC pundits that believe England will lift the trophy in New Jersey next month.

“To win the World Cup you need individual quality, and England have definitely got that. Their midfield is very strong and if they can put the right defence together it is strong enough.

“They have a real chance. The team will be well structured because Thomas Tuchel is a top coach, plus they have experience in these tournaments and I am sure they will get their togetherness right because they seem to have some fantastic characters and leaders in the group.”