‘It’s going to be a hard task for England to win the World Cup – we have a chance like everyone else, but every player has got to be on it, you can’t afford to carry anybody’ Paul Gascoigne assesses England’s World Cup chances

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Gazza turned out 57 times for England during his career

Paul Gascoigne
Gascoigne helped England reach the last four of the 1990 World Cup (Image credit: Getty Images)

England will head stateside next summer looking to end what will then be 60 years of hurt at the 2026 World Cup.

No Three Lions side has come close to ending this drought that Sir Bobby Robson’s Italia 90 squad, who lost a semi-final penalty shootout to West Germany on an evening that has gone down in England folklore.

Paul Gascoigne was front and centre of the Three Lions’ efforts that summer, as he announced his arrival on the world stage as one of the planet’s most gifted and creative players, even if that tournament did end with him mopping up his tears following his semi-final yellow card.

Gazza on England’s World Cup 2026 hopes

Thomas Tuchel, Head Coach of England, pose on the red carpet prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 05, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Thomas Tuchel will lead England at the 2026 World Cup (Image credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

These days, Gascoigne admits he doesn’t watch much football now, but will tune in when Thomas Tuchel’s side are in action?

“I’ll probably watch the World Cup, but not every game,” he tells FourFourTwo.

Paul Gascoigne playing for England against Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the 1990 World Cup

Gazza won 57 England caps (Image credit: Alamy)

England reached their first World Cup semi-final since 1990 at the 2018 World Cup, with two European Championship final appearances following under Gascoigne’s former team-mate Gareth Southgate, so will this be the tournament that sees them finally get their hands on silverware again?

“We’ve been saying that since 1966 – we got close when Chris Waddle hit the post in extra-time in 1990,” he adds. “But you’ve got France, Portugal, Germany, Brazil and Argentina.

“It’s going to be a hard task for England to win the World Cup – we have a chance like everyone else, but every player has got to be on it, you can’t afford to carry anybody.

“It was a shame for Gareth, he’s a great guy.”

Gareth Southgate celebrates after England's win over Switzerland on penalties at Euro 2024.

Southgate led England to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 (Image credit: Getty Images)

Southgate stood down following the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain and was succeeded by former Chelsea boss Tuchel, who must get past Croatia, Ghana and Panama in the group stage this summer.

The draw was one of the trickier outcomes England could have got, but like many England fans, Gascoigne’s optimistic outlook is laced with realism.

Paul Gascoigne: Eight (published by Reach Sport) is on sale now in print, ebook and audiobook

Joe Mewis
Joe Mewis

For more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown.

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