Rio Ferdinand: England have a “good chance” of lifting World Cup

Dubai: For a man who was named in three World Cup squads for England, few understand the weight of expectation better than Rio Ferdinand, and despite the nation's past near-misses and missed opportunities, the former defender believes this summer's squad has every reason to be optimistic about its chances of success.

In the space of eight years, England have reached two European Championship finals as well as a World Cup semi-final and quarter-final, and while those campaigns have ultimately ended in heartbreak, Ferdinand believes this could be the summer the Three Lions finally get over the line and lift football's biggest prize.

Speaking on this summer’s tournament, the 47-year-old said: “I can’t wait, I’m going to be in America the whole tournament and I’m looking forward to watching all the games out there.

“The great thing for England this tournament is that they have a manager in Thomas Tuchel who has won. He knows what it takes to win, so hopefully with the players we’ve got we can get the job done.”

For Ferdinand, now a resident of Dubai, representing England was always the pinnacle of his career.

Capped 81 times by his country, the six-time Premier League winner spoke about the immense pride that comes with pulling on and England shirt, but stressed the importance of balancing that emotion with composure on the pitch.

“I had a great experience playing for my country,” explained Ferdinand.

“If you get a chance to play at a tournament for your country, it’s one of the best feelings in the world but you’ve got to make sure you don’t let the emotion of it take over and you take the opportunity whilst it’s there.”

Having experienced the highs and lows of tournament football himself, Ferdinand knows better than most how fine the margins can be on the biggest stage.

The furthest he reached with England at a World Cup was the quarter-finals, a reminder of the frustration that has so often accompanied the national team since its one and only World Cup triumph in 1966.

Yet rather than viewing those past disappointments as a burden, Ferdinand believes they can be a strength. With several experienced players in the squad having already navigated the heartbreak of near-misses at major tournaments, he feels their leadership can help guide the younger members of the group through the pressures of a World Cup campaign, giving England every chance of finally turning promise into silverware.

“A lot of the players in the squad know what it’s like to reach a final and how it feels to lose, so it’s about not repeating that and going that one step further.

“There are experienced players in the squad that are winning things with their clubs and they will help the younger lads who come in, I think England have a good chance.”

England begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against Croatia on 17 June at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, kicking off their Group L journey.