World Cup 2026 Group L preview: Prediction, odds, full team overviews
The Group of Death concept is a casualty of the expanded 48-team field at this World Cup, but Group L may come close.With title hopefuls England along with Croatia, Ghana and minnows Panama, this quartet figures to be a dogfight.The Post previews Group L at the World Cup.Teams listed in predicted order of finish.
* indicates third-place team predicted to advance to the knockout stage.Odds to win the group: -280What you need to know: England’s wait for a major trophy hits its 60th anniversary this summer, and the expectations around this team are to end it.The Three Lions have been on the cusp ever since a semifinal appearance at the 2018 World Cup, making two European finals and losing in extra time in the quarters in 2022, but it’s starting to feel like now or never.
Hiring Thomas Tuchel as manager for this cycle after a highly successful tenure from Gareth Southgate marked a statement of intent.The squad is as talented as it has ever been, with a group of stars including Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice.
The pressure is on.How they play: One of the criticisms of England under Southgate was that it was often boring to watch.That’s less the case under Tuchel.
England now looks more tactically sound and more able to adjust on the fly, while still willing to play a physical game when conditions dictate.Star player: Bellingham is a lightning rod for the English media, and the 22-year-old may make or break England’s tournament, but it’s impossible not to have Kane here.The 2018 Golden Boot winner is still on the short list of the world’s best scorers at age 32, having put forth a domineering 36-goal league campaign for Bayern Munich.
This figures to be his last World Cup with a major role to play for England.World Cup history: Winners on home soil in 1966, England’s general vibe since then has been extreme hype without much follow-through.An epic group-stage crashout in 2014 was the nadir, but since then, England has surged ba...