Since England won the World Cup in 1966, they have not been back to another men’s final, appearing in only two semi-finals in 1990 and 2018 in their closest attempts at repeating the feat.

So, as the 2026 World Cup approaches, on the 60th anniversary of that famous Wembley win, should England have won more tournaments with the talent and resources at their disposal? And can Thomas Tuchel finally end the wait this summer?

In the second episode of The Independent’s World Cup podcast, sports writers Lawrence Ostlere, Miguel Delaney and Kieran Jackson discuss which past tournaments England could have won, why they’ve underdelivered and whether the neurosis of 60 years of hurt can ever be overcome.

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