Jose Mourinho may be Portuguese but he has revealed that he thinks England have a great chance to take the World Cup by storm. He will no doubt be keeping an eye on how his star players Rashford, Lingard, Young and Jones get on with their national team.
He said ‘England have a good group of young but experienced players. All of them play in the best domestic competition in the world in the Premier League.’ He then added ‘So I think yes, I think they can do it.’
England are pretty far down in the pecking order when it comes to the favourites to win the World Cup but Jose Mourinho is a man that knows his football. He knows what it takes to win big trophies and the kind of players and team that are capable of winning at the biggest stages. So when someone of his experience backs England, it is worth taking notice.
Strongest league in the world
The Premier League is undoubtedly the strongest league in world football. English teams might not have fared too well in the Champions League in recent years, as the Spanish teams have dominated but their domestic league is a two-horse race most seasons, unlike the highly competitive Premier League.
Five English teams made the Champions League knockout stage
The Premier League had five strong teams reach the knockout stage of the Champions League this year in Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. With the exception of Maguire and Vardy (Leicester City), Welbeck (Arsenal) and Loftus-Cheek (on loan at Crystal Palace), every other outfield player has played in the Champions League this season. Perhaps this experience and the intensity of the Premier League season will for once be a huge help to England rather than a hindrance.
England may not have many players that would be described as ‘world-class’ but they seem to have a good team spirit this year, with less pressure in the lead up to the tournament. If some of these players can replicate their club form at the World Cup then The Special One could be right and the Three Lions could be roaring their way to victory in Russia this summer.
