The Underdogs are Rising and the Favourites are Stuttering - A Blessing or a Warning for Tuchel and England?

The Underdogs are Rising and the Favourites are Stuttering - A Blessing or a Warning for Tuchel and England

We are almost a week into the World Cup, and already we have seen some surprises. Some of these results include Brazil being played off the pitch by Morocco, Belgium drawing with Egypt, and the biggest one of them all being Cape Verde holding Spain to a goalless draw.

The question now is: can England be the side that stops this trend? They have their opening game on Wednesday in a repeat of the 2018 World Cup semi-final against Croatia. While England are not overwhelming favourites for this game, they will still be considered the stronger side and will be expected to win. So, can they?

As we've seen, some of the top sides in the world have struggled in their opening games. This might worry some England fans as they prepare to begin their World Cup journey. Can Croatia continue the trend and cause England to drop points?

Based on recent form, England just edge it, having lost only once compared to Croatia's two defeats. However, Croatia's losses came against two of the best teams in the world, Brazil and Belgium. That should give them some confidence heading into this match.

Welcome back to the #ThreeLions squad, @TrevohChalobah! 🤝

— England (@England) June 16, 2026

There is one important thing to mention when looking at this topic: no team in the last 24 years that went on to win the tournament managed to win every group-stage game. You only have to look at the last World Cup to see that sides that start slowly can still find success. Argentina lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in their opening match in 2022 before going on to win the tournament.

It is not surprising that these sides are stumbling slightly, with many players having just finished long seasons and some key players being rested. For England and Thomas Tuchel, it is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, these results show that even the biggest teams can be stopped. On the other hand, they also serve as a warning that England cannot afford to underestimate any opponent.