2026 World Cup: England in search of benchmarks despite victory against Panama
By OnzeActu · · 3 min read
England continues its journey at the 2026 World Cup in pain: despite a victory against Panama and qualification for the rest of the tournament, glaring shortcomings persist, particularly at the right-back position, due to a series of injuries and strategic choices contested by Thomas Tuchel.
England validated their ticket for the next round of the 2026 World Cup after a not very reassuring victory against Panama. A performance which illustrates a worrying dynamic for Thomas Tuchel's men, undermined by a series of injuries to a key position: the right lane of defense.
At the heart of the problem, the forced replacement of Jarell Quansah, used as a right back even though he does not play in this preferred position. Injured and cautioned during the match, Quansah completes an already long list of right-backs absent (Tino Livramento, Reece James) since the start of the tournament. Djed Spence, fourth choice for this position, was called upon, while Ben White could have claimed the place if not for his own injury.
These setbacks are not entirely due to bad luck according to some observers: Thomas Tuchel, in search of clarity in his choices, persists in not calling on the most obvious option, Trent Alexander-Arnold, although renowned for his quality as a center and his offensive creativity. A notable absence which weighs on the construction of the Three Lions game, often considered sterile.
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On the field, England relied on the slaughter of Jude Bellingham, who ended up bringing Panama down. But the content offered remains bland; the team struggles to win matches and owes its salvation to a feverishly solid defense despite the absences. The Panamanian offensives, notably through Jose Luis Rodriguez, thus put to the test an English defense that was not very calm.
In this context, executives like John Stones, historically valuable, remain absent through injury, while others, such as Jordan Henderson and Dan Burn, appear more to supervise the group than to revolutionize the game on the field.
Forced to make endless trips to the United States and installed in a base camp decided before even knowing the calendar, the English seem to be paying for a lack of anticipation in the management of the competition. Tuchel's choices, frozen for months, have not evolved in the face of uncertainties, leaving offensive talents behind (Alexander-Arnold, Adam Wharton, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Morgan Gibbs-White).
After two unconvincing performances, England will absolutely have to question themselves if they hope to go further than what their current level suggests. Quansah's injury could even force Tuchel to review his defensive plans again. A puzzle which, for the moment, weighs much more than the mathematical reality of the ranking.