England have made it no secret that they are hunting history in North America, in what is their first major tournament under Thomas Tuchel.
The Three Lions hired the German coach, a proven winner, with one task in mind: ending 60 years of hurt by winning the World Cup this summer.
Outside the 1966 win, England’s long history on the sport’s greatest stage has been a story of heartbreak, disappointment and near-misses.
But even so, it remains the pinnacle for fans of the national team, many of whom may well consider themselves experts on our trials and tribulations at the World Cup.
Think you know your England men’s World Cup history? Radio Times brings you 25 facts that may just prove you wrong…
1. England did not enter the first three World Cups
The Three Lions were absent from the 1930, 1934 and 1938 as they were not a member of FIFA at the time.
They entered for the first time in 1950, when Brazil were the hosts.
2. England have failed to qualify for the World Cup three times
England have only missed three since – West Germany 1974, Argentina 1978 and USA 1994.
They have qualified for the other 17 tournaments, including World Cup 2026.
3. England have won the FIFA Fair Play Trophy on three occasions
England won the award, which is given to the team with the best disciplinary record (red and yellow cards), at the 1990 and 2022 tournaments as well as sharing it with the hosts at France 1998. Only Brazil (four) have won it more.
“Three-time winners of the FIFA Fair Play Trophy, you’ll never sing that…”
4. Gerry Hitchens was the first player to represent England at a World Cup while playing overseas
The forward was plying his trade in Serie A, for Inter Milan, at the time after moving from Aston Villa in a £85,000 deal in the summer of 1961.
Hitchens earned seven caps for England in total, scoring five times. The sort of goals to game record that even Harry Kane would be proud of.
5. Tuesday’s game will be the first meeting between England and Ghana at a World Cup
Croatia and Panama are familiar foes from recent tournaments but England and Ghana’s meeting at the Boston Stadium will be their first at a World Cup.
The pair have only met once previously, a 1-1 draw in a friendly at Wembley in 2011 when Fabio Capello’s side were denied a victory by Asamoah Gyan’s late equaliser.
6. Michael Owen is England’s only winner of the FIFA Young Player Award
The award was only introduced in 2006, with the winners at tournaments between 1958 and 2002 decided by a global fan vote.
An 18-year-old Michael Owen announced himself on the world stage at France 1998, becoming England’s youngest player and goalscorer at a World Cup.
7. England have failed to make it past the group stages three times
We all remember 2014, when England slumped to an ugly early exit without winning a game, but that wasn’t the only time they failed to make the knock-out stages.
The Three Lions suffered the same fate in Brazil 1950 and Sweden 1958.
8. England’s first World Cup game was a 2-0 victory over Chile
England announced themselves at the World Cup in style, beating Chile 2-0 in Rio de Janeiro.
But it all went downhill from there as they lost their next two games and didn’t qualify for the knock-out stages.
9. England’s biggest victory came against Panama at World Cup 2018
Cast your mind back to the summer of love. Gareth Southgate is helping the nation fall back in love with their football team and England put six past Panama in their biggest victory at the tournament.
Given Thomas Tuchel’s front-foot approach, it does feel as though that record could be broken in North America this summer – potentially even against the same opposition in their final group game.
10. Only three players have ever scored a hat-trick for England at a World Cup
Harry Kane became the third player to score a hat-trick for England at a World Cup in the Panama thrashing.
The list to achieve the fear reads: Kane, Gary Lineker and Geoff Hurst. Some front three, that.
11. England scored more goals at World Cup 2022 than at any other
Gareth Southgate critics look away now. The complaint often levelled at the former boss was that his teams were too negative but England’s two highest scoring World Cups – 2018 (12 goals) and 2022 (13) – both came during his tenure.
Piling on the goals against Panama in 2018 and Iran in 2022 certainly helped those tallies but they all count.
12. Harry Kane needs one goal to move above Gary Lineker as England’s top scorer at World Cups
Kane’s brace against Croatia has moved him level with Gary Lineker on 10 goals at World Cups.
Given his form this season, it would be a shock if the England captain didn’t add to his tally further and move clear in the standings at this summer’s tournament.
13. Jordan Pickford and John Stones could make their own history at World Cup 2026
Kane isn’t the only player in Tuchel’s squad that could break a record this summer.
Jordan Pickford (13) and John Stones (12) are both approaching the record for England appearances at a World Cup, which is held by Peter Shilton (17) and could go beyond it if Tuchel’s side go deep.
14. Three Englishmen have refereed World Cup finals
William Ling (1954), Jack Taylor (1974), and Howard Webb (2010) have all had the whistle in World Cup finals. That puts England joint with Italy as the nations that have provided the most final referees.
Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor are the two English referees at this year’s tournament.
15. Just one of Wayne Rooney’s England goals was scored at a World Cup
One of the finest players that English football has ever produced, Wayne Rooney notched up 53 goals during his long international career – with only Kane scoring more.
But it never quite clicked for him at the World Cup, where his only goal came in a 2-1 defeat to Uruguay in 2014.
16. Peter Shilton shares the record for the most clean sheets at the World Cup
No goalkeeper has kept more World Cup clean sheets than Peter Shilton, who achieved the feat 10 times across the 1982, 1986 and 1990 tournaments.
However, his record was matched by former France and Man Utd shot-stopper Fabian Barthez in 2006.
17. England have faced Germany and Argentina more than any other teams at a World Cup
England have played the pair five times respectively at World Cups. They have had the better of Argentina, winning three times, but come off worse against Germany (one win, two draws, two losses),
It’s no surprise then that if you asked fans who the Three Lions’ greatest rivals are, these two are likely to be mentioned most.
18. Brazil have beaten England most at World Cups
The five-time winners are the most dominant team in World Cup history and that stretches to England as well.
Selecao have won three of the four games between the pair at the tournament, most recently a 2-1 victory in the 2002 quarter-finals.
19. Jordan Pickford is the first England player to wear the No.1 at three different World Cups
Jordan Pickford has been England’s first-choice goalkeeper through the 2018, 2022, and 2026 tournaments.
It speaks to his consistency, and perhaps lack of challengers, that he has moved clear of Gordon Banks, Peter Shilton, and David Seaman, who all wore the shirt at two World Cups.
20. Sir Walter Winterbottom is the only manager to lead England at more than two World Cups
Sir Walter Winterbottom was in charge of England at the 1950, 1954, 1958 and 1962 tournaments.
Alf Ramsey, Bobby Robson, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Gareth Southgate all led the Three Lions into two World Cups.
21. England have scored more than 100 goals at World Cups
Before a ball was kicked in North America, England’s goal tally at World Cups stood at 104.
Their stat line coming into this summer’s tournament was: Played – 74, Won – 32, Drawn – 22, Lost – 20, Goals for – 104, Goals against – 68.
22. Stanley Mortensen was England’s first goalscorer at the World Cup
England centre-forward Stanley Mortensen wrote his name into the history books when he found the net 28 minutes into their first-ever World Cup game, a 2-0 win against Chile at Brazil 1950.
23. England have never beaten USA at the World Cup
England’s record against the 2026 co-hosts is rightly a source of embarrassment.
In three attempts, the Three Lions have failed to win a single game against the nation that call the sport ‘soccer’ and even lost to them at Brazil 1950.
24. Bryan Robson is the scorer of England’s fastest World Cup goal
It took Bryan Robson just 27 seconds to find the net against France as England won their 1982 opener 3-1.
Robson’s strike is the fourth-fastest goal scored at a World Cup ever.
25. England have never lost to an African opponent at the World Cup
England have beaten Senegal, Cameroon, Egypt and Tunisia at World Cups – and drawn against Morocco, Nigeria and Algeria.
Let’s hope Thomas Tuchel’s men can extend that record against Ghana on Tuesday night.
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