Jamie Carragher says he cannot bring himself to dream of England lifting the World Cup and the Three Lions' chances of ending their 60-year wait for the prestigious trophy are 'remote'. The former England and Liverpool defender made the bleak prediction after Thomas Tuchel's side scraped past DR Congo 2-1 in the round of 32 on Wednesday.
England's narrow escape against DR Congo
England had looked on the brink of an embarrassing exit at the round of 32 stage, with DR Congo holding a one-goal lead after Brian Cipenga's seventh-minute opener in Atlanta. Harry Kane and Co looked disjointed and lacking in ideas going forward, that is until Tuchel made a double change on the hour-mark as Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka replaced the ineffective Marcus Rashford and Noni Madueke. Fifteen minutes on and it was Gordon who provided the assist for Kane's towering header to make it all square, setting up a tense finish at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. With extra-time beckoning, Kane delivered again when his country needed him most, working himself space on the edge of the box before unleashing an unstoppable effort into the roof of the impressive Lionel Mpasi's net.
Carragher's realistic assessment
'After scraping into the round of 16, we must be realistic and accept that our chances of winning the World Cup are remote,' Carragher wrote in his column for The Telegraph. 'With Kane in such form, there is still the slimmest hope. Without him, we would be flying home already.' Carragher also argued Kane should win the Ballon d'Or based on his past 12 months, but noted that in a World Cup year, the award typically goes to the star player of the winning nation. 'If Argentina retain the cup, Messi will win the Ballon d'Or. If France win the competition, one of their key men will get it. Kane's Bayern team-mate Michael Olise is a strong contender, and even though by Kylian Mbappé's standards he has had a frustrating year with his club, that will be forgotten when judged against his fantastic World Cup displays.'
Tuchel saved by Kane's greatness
Carragher believes Tuchel was 'saved' from humiliation by one of the 'true greats' in Kane. 'Whatever happens to England from here, Thomas Tuchel is one of the best managers of his generation. And yet there he was, 15 minutes from ignominy. One of the true greats saved him, because that's what World Cups are about – the most gifted coming up with these majestic moments.' According to Carragher, Kane has now proven beyond doubt that he is England's greatest ever centre-forward, surpassing the likes of Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker and Wayne Rooney. 'Nothing stirs my blood in football more than a brilliant player with the strongest character and mentality, defying expectations. This is why I have loved watching Kane as much in the second half of his career, when he has been forced to reinvent himself playing deeper, as when he was a more traditional number nine. A few years ago the question was asked as to where Kane stood in the list of great England strikers, alongside Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker and Wayne Rooney. He has blown those arguments away. His double on Wednesday reaffirmed that he could still deliver when his country most needs it, rather than slowing down like most strikers in their 30s.'
Tuchel's praise for Kane and team spirit
After Kane's second-half heroics in Atlanta, Tuchel likened Kane and the striker's Golden Boot rivals to 'sharks' sniffing out 'blood' in the opposition. 'They're all sharks. If they smell blood, they come and score,' the German explained. On England's performance as a whole, Tuchel said: 'Things stayed difficult but this team did not accept a defeat. It makes me very proud because they did what was necessary. They showed up and we got a deserved win, even if it was a late one.' The former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss added: 'It just shows you the level of determination and the level of belief and also the level of focus. And it fits into my narrative that I didn't feel the weight on their shoulders. We played with exactly the right attitude and we trusted our spirit.'
What's next for England
England's victory secured their place in the last 16, where they will face co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca on Monday. A potential quarter-final contest against Brazil or Norway awaits after that. Despite the narrow escape, Carragher remains cautious about England's prospects, citing mixed performances up to this point.
