José Mourinho Backs England and Thomas Tuchel to End World Cup Drought at 2026 Tournament

José Mourinho has once again identified England as one of his primary picks to lift the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy in North America, reaffirming a long-held view despite the country’s repeated failures to convert promise into silverware at major tournaments.

Speaking on the Beast Mode On podcast, Mourinho — who recently returned to club management as Real Madrid‘s new head coach — offered his assessment of the tournament’s leading contenders. “I always say England,” he stated plainly, before acknowledging the pattern that has followed his prediction. “And then it doesn’t happen, but I always say England.”

The 63-year-old drew a direct line between England’s current generation and the decorated players he managed and faced during his earlier career in the Premier League. “We come from that generation — Lampard, Gerrard, Terry, Ferdinand, and Beckham. Since then, I always say England,” he explained, pointing to a sustained period of elite domestic talent as the foundation for his continued belief in the national side.

Mourinho also referenced the strength of the Premier League as a broader indicator of England’s international potential. “Apart from Barcelona, Bayern, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain, the best players are in England,” he argued, citing recent European successes for Arsenal, Crystal Palace, and Aston Villa as further evidence of the league’s standing on the continental stage.

On the subject of England’s persistent disappointments — including penalty shootout exits at the 2018 and 2020 editions — Mourinho pointed to pressure and fine margins rather than a fundamental lack of quality. “When you lose on penalties, you are speaking about details. Penalties are just little clicks,” he said. “I believe they have more pressure than anybody else in relation to the media. They couldn’t cope with it.”

Despite that history, Mourinho expressed confidence in the current setup under head coach Thomas Tuchel, who took charge of the England national team in January 2025. “They always had good coaches. They have another good coach again. I always think they can win the World Cup,” he said.

England’s squad for the 2026 tournament includes Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham, who is among the most prominent players at the competition. Mourinho, now managing Bellingham at club level following his appointment at the Bernabéu, will be watching the tournament with particular interest as several of his key players feature across competing nations.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico — the first edition to feature 48 nations. Among the headline storylines surrounding the tournament is Cristiano Ronaldo’s participation, with the Portugal captain having scored in a record sixth World Cup, while Kylian Mbappé has become France’s all-time leading scorer and Vinícius Júnior continues to be a central figure for Brazil. Lionel Messi, the reigning world champion with Argentina, also remains a major presence at what may be his final World Cup.

England, under Tuchel, are among the favourites to challenge deep into the knockout rounds, though the Three Lions have not won a World Cup since their sole triumph on home soil in 1966.