The Ultimate Guide to England’s World Cup Match Ups – Group L

Key player: When you think of the current Three Lions squad, you think of captain Harry Kane. The poster boy, and rightly so. He is the current favourite to win the Ballon d’Or is on course to break more records with Bayern Munich this season.

As the best striker in the world, Kane is clearly his country’s biggest attacking threat, but is also the best passer in the squad. He has had his doubters at previous tournaments, but appears to have reached an even higher level this season.

One to watch: For the reasons above, it would be extremely easy to pick Kane again. But Cole Palmer is my pick. Injuries have hampered the Chelsea talisman’s season, and his starting spot under Thomas Tuchel is far from secure. But, he is only the second Englishman to score in a tournament final in the modern era, and already has a string of standout moments under his belt for the Blues. Is this the summer Palmer announces himself to the world?

Form: Under Thomas Tuchel, England won nine of 10 World Cup qualifiers, with their only blimp coming in a 3-1 defeat to Senegal at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground.

It was the only time England conceded throughout the entire qualification period, with Tuchel’s tactics at times criticised for sacrificing attacking intent for rearguard reliability. Big wins over Wales, Latvia and Serbia in the second half of qualification suggest the handbrake was relaxed, but there may still be question marks heading into the tournament.

Manager: Thomas Tuchel has rightly earned himself a reputation as one of world football’s most exciting and innovative coaches. He earned his first managerial role with Mainz shortly before his 36th birthday, and has a list of Europe’s biggest clubs on his CV.

After replacing Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund, where he won his first trophy, league titles followed at Paris Saint-Germain, before guiding Chelsea to Champions League success. A one-year spell with Bayern Munich followed before a surprise appointment by England in late 2024. His contract has already been renewed beyond Euro 2028.

He is a departure from predecessor Gareth Southgate in terms of tactics and temperament. Southgate, while never shying away from controversial topics, was a calm presence outside and inside a stadium. Tuchel, meanwhile, can be outspoken and perhaps more loose-tongued; take his comments about Jude Bellingham last year as an example.

But his trophy record speaks for itself, and few would doubt he is capable of ending 66 years of hurt.

How far will they get? Anything less than a semi-final berth would be considered a big disappointment for fans and the Football Association, alike. This England team has got used to reaching semi-finals and finals.

However, this World Cup will be tougher than ever. A possible route to the final includes facing Mexico in Mexico City, Brazil in the quarter-finals, Argentina in the semi-finals and France in the final. Suddenly a final-four berth may feel like a huge achievement.

Key player: Even though Croatia will turn to Andrey Kramaric for the goals – he scored six of their 26 during qualifying – it is still tough to look beyond Luka Modric, even at the age of 40, as their key player this summer. He still plays 90 minutes almost every game for AC Milan and he prepares for his fifth World Cup. The opening group game against England will be his 20^th World Cup appearance, with only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo boasting more appearances.

One to watch: Luka Vuskovic is one of the hottest properties across Europe after a stunning season on loan at Hamburg. Tottenham own the teenager and will be desperate to keep hold of him, in light of reported interest from Barcelona and other European giants. A big World Cup will make that a whole lot tougher.

Form: A blistering qualifying campaign saw them book their ticket to USA, Mexico and Canada with ease. The standout result was a 5-1 win over closest challengers Czechia, which put them in full control of their group early on. They have plenty of pedigree at recent World Cups, but will have to be at their best to come close to matching those returns this summer.

Manager: Zlatko Dalic has been in the job for nine years, and is preparing for his third World Cup with Croatia. He masterminded a World Cup final in his first tournament, in 2018, and guided Croatia to third in 2022. Will it be a case of third time lucky for Dalic?

How far will they go? After bronze and silver medals at the past two World Cups, Croatia will have plenty of belief they can make the world sit up and notice again. If they are to do that, they will need their younger generation, which includes the aforementioned centre-back Vuskovic, midfielder cousins Luka and Petar Sucic and forwards Marco Pasalic and Igor Matanovic, to step up. Colombia could be their first knockout-stage opponent, with Portugal or Spain up next before the quarter-final stage. It looks like a very tricky route to glory.

Key player: Antoine Semenyo has gone from strength to strength over the past 18 months, and is now primed to make a statement at the tournament. The Chelsea-born Manchester City winger was part of Ghana’s squad at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but has since grown into one of the most eye-catching talents in European football. Will be imperative to Ghana’s success, starting with navigating a route out of their group.

One to watch: Caleb Yirenkyi is a 20-year-old tipped for a bright future, after taking a less-than-usual route to the Ghana national team. Having impressed at the Right To Dream academy in his homeland, he was picked up by Danish club Danish Nordsjælland in 2024.

Within 18 months, only recently out of his teens, he has established himself in the first-team setup in Farum and with Otto Addo’s Black Stars squad. At the time of writing, he has eight caps to his name, and will get significant minutes at the tournament.

Form: Ghana confirmed their World Cup spot with two qualifiers to spare, topping their CAF group with eight wins and one draw from 10 games. The Black Cats have found their feet again – and restored some pride – after missing out on the recent Africa Cup of Nations.

Head coach Otto Addo has brought through the next generation of talents, including defender, Jonas Adjetey, midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi and forward Abdul Fatawu, who all contributed during qualifying and will be looking to make a name for themselves on the biggest stage.

Manager: Otto Addo is enjoying his second spell in charge of the Black Stars, and his second World Cup. A win over South Korea in the 2022 group stage was not enough to advance, but Addo will have designs on the knockout stage this time around.

The 50-year-old is a popular figure in his home country, combining his extensive tactical experience to playing in European football, with a traditional African passion on the touchline. But, improvements will be expected in an expanded tournament that offers more pathways to the knockout stage.

How far will they go? Ghana should get out of the group, thanks in part to the expanded format, but will face immediate tough tests to venture any further. Portugal or Spain will likely lie in wait early in the knockout stage, and it will only get tougher form there. A quarter-final spot is realistic, but also a real challenge.

Key player: There are more experienced heads in the Panama team, but none perhaps as key as Amir Murillo. A right-back with an eye for goal, Murillo will be in key to organising the defence, as well as starting attacks down the flank, feeding the likes of Jose Fajardo and Ismael Diaz.

One to watch: Plenty will be expected from Jose Cordoba. The Norwich defender may be a number of years junior to the likes of Eric Davis or Amir Murillo, but has established himself as a regular for his international side at the age of 24.

Has developed into a tough-tackling centre-back for the Canaries, having cut his teeth in Bulgaria. Expected to be very busy against superior opposition, so will have plenty of opportunity to impress.

Form: Panama are at a World Cup for just the second time in their history, and face a familiar foe in England, who beat them 6-1 in Russia in 2018. It was another long road to punch their ticket, but their improvements during the eight years between tournament appearances has been notable.

They finished as runners-up in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup, before a quarter-final berth in 2025, and reached the quarter-finals of the Copa America in between. They are currently ranked 33rd in the FIFA world rankings, which is their second-highest ranking in history, after landing in 29th in 2014. Wins over Guatemala and El Salvador in November sealed their spot, and will be hoping to turn heads this summer.

Manager: Thomas Christiansen has been in charge since 2020, with Panama his first role in international management. It may be a name familiar to some, as he spent less than one season in charge of Leeds between 2017 and 2018.

He endured a tricky start, including a tough qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup, but now looks to be moulding a squad and culture to produce longer-term success by bringing through younger talent while letting the more experienced heads lead the way.

How far will they go? Panama’s time at the tournament is likely to be short-lived. Even earning a single point from their three group games would be considered a huge achievement. A positive performance against Ghana in their first group game will set the tone for their tournament.