England face old World Cup opponents Croatia in their first match of next year’s tournament after a draw that gave them a potentially dangerous route forward if they advance.
Croatia, which beat England in the 2018 World Cup semi-final, is 10th in the FIFA rankings and is a dangerous tournament operator, but not the force it was. Coach Thomas Tuchel will be optimistic that his team will emerge from a section that also includes Ghana and Panama.
England will be one of the tournament favorites as they try to end the long wait for a major men’s trophy dating back to the 1966 World Cup, but if they win their group they will have to do it the hard way to make history.
If they advance to the round of 16 having won their group, they would potentially face co-hosts Mexico at Mexico City’s famous Estadio Azteca if they had also topped their group and won a round of 16 match. Mexico is ranked 15th in the world, so it will be a threat. It would also be a difficult task fueled by the raw emotion and color of an entire nation behind their team in a hostile atmosphere.
If England reach the quarter-finals, there is the tantalizing (not to say extremely difficult) prospect of facing Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil.
One factor working in England’s favor is that their first match against Croatia is on June 17, giving them extra time to prepare and take into account pre-World Cup friendlies, as the tournament begins with Mexico playing South Africa on June 11.
But with the World Cup draw completed, Tuchel can now start making plans to fulfill the sole mission of his appointment on an 18-month contract: winning the World Cup.
