WEYMOUTH manager Jamie Wells is backing England to go all the way and lift the World Cup later this month.
The Terras boss may be preparing his own side for the start of the new season, but with England set for a quarter-final showdown with Norway this evening, he is firmly behind the Three Lions.
Asked by the Echo about England’s chances of lifting the trophy on July 19 in New Jersey, he said: “You’d like to think so, and I hope so.”
There has been plenty of discussion around England’s performances in the United States and Mexico, with some questioning Thomas Tuchel’s squad selection ahead of the tournament. However, confidence has grown among fans and pundits following England’s progress to the last eight.
An impressive second-half display in their opening game against Croatia helped quiet early criticism, despite notable omissions such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer from the 26-man squad that travelled to their base in Kansas City.
A frustrating draw with Ghana and an unconvincing win over Panama raised fresh doubts, with some wondering whether the wait for major tournament success would continue.
But England have found form at the right time. In the knockout stages, they came from behind to beat DR Congo before producing a thrilling five-goal victory over Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium on Monday morning.
The determination and resilience shown in that performance, combined with standout attacking displays from Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon, have sparked belief across the nation.
For Wells, though, England’s progress has never been in doubt.
He added: “There is always a lot of talk about how England play and whether they’ve played well, but from my position that’s irrelevant. Football is about winning and that’s what England are doing, so hopefully it’s coming home.”
England have arrived in Miami for their showdown with their Scandinavian counterparts with several players out injured.
Reece James is unlikely to have recovered in time from the hamstring injury that has kept him out of the last three games, while Jordan Henderson broke his arm during the post‑match celebrations in Mexico City.
Declan Rice is also suffering with a sickness bug, while Marc Guéhi is another injury doubt and faces a late fitness test.
To make matters worse, Jarell Quansah is banned for two matches after his red card at the Azteca Stadium, leaving England short at right-back again, with Djed Spence likely to come back into that role.
England also have concerns over several players walking a disciplinary tightrope, with the threat of suspension should they progress.
Nico O’Reilly, Bellingham, Rice and Guéhi are all one yellow card away from missing any potential semi-final, with captain Harry Kane also among those already booked in the knockout stages.
Kick-off against Norway in Miami is at 10pm BST, with the winners facing either Argentina or Switzerland in the World Cup semi-final.
