England travel to North America for the 2026 World Cup with more optimism than they have carried into a tournament for years. Anyone thinking about a World Cup 2026 bet will find a squad with real depth, an in-form Harry Kane as captain, and a qualifying campaign that was as close to perfect as any England side has managed.
The last man to take England to a World Cup and come home with the trophy was Sir Alf Ramsey, who guided the Three Lions to a 4-2 victory over West Germany at Wembley in 1966. Six decades and countless near-misses later, England supporters are still waiting. Here is a look at the last five managers entrusted with ending that wait and how each one fared.
Thomas Tuchel (2025 to present)
Tuchel was appointed in October 2024 and took charge from January 2025. Those looking at football odds today will find England among the tournament favourites after a qualifying campaign that saw them win all eight matches without conceding a single goal. They became the first European nation to book their place at the tournament, with Kane scoring nine goals in that run.
His only defeat across the first ten games was a 3-1 friendly loss to Senegal, and the 11-game competitive winning streak was the best in England's history. The foundation is there, so whether he can build on it at the tournament itself is the only question that matters now.
Gareth Southgate (2016 to 2024)
Confirmed as permanent manager in November 2016, Southgate took England to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where Croatia beat them 2-1 after extra time. At the 2022 tournament in Qatar, France eliminated them 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
He also reached the final of Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, losing both to Italy and Spain. Four consecutive major tournament semi-finals or better across 102 games was an achievement no England manager before him had matched. He resigned in July 2024.
Sam Allardyce (2016)
Allardyce lasted 67 days as England manager, the shortest tenure in the role's history. He was appointed in July 2016 following the departure of Roy Hodgson and won his only game in charge, a 1-0 World Cup qualifier away to Slovakia in September 2016.
Shortly after, a newspaper sting operation recorded him apparently offering advice on how to circumvent FA transfer rules, and he left by mutual consent. He was also caught mocking and making derogatory comments about Hodgson and Gary Neville. The FA concluded his behaviour had been inappropriate and he left by mutual consent.
Roy Hodgson (2012 to 2016)
The 2014 World Cup in Brazil was the defining moment of Hodgson's tenure, and not in a positive way. England lost to Italy and Uruguay in the group stage, drew with Costa Rica, and went home with one point in their worst group-stage exit since 1958.
Euro 2016 brought a 2-1 defeat to Iceland in the round of 16, and Hodgson resigned that night. Across three major tournaments, the record was as poor as any England manager in the modern era.
Fabio Capello (2008 to 2012)
Capello qualified England for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa without much difficulty, but the tournament itself was a low point. A 0-0 draw with Algeria was booed off, and Germany beat them 4-1 in the last 16.
He remained in charge through qualifying for Euro 2012 before resigning in February, four months before the tournament started, after a dispute with the FA over the removal of John Terry as captain.
Sven-Goran Eriksson (2001 to 2006)
England's first foreign manager reached the quarter-finals at both the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea and the 2006 tournament in Germany, losing on penalties on each occasion. England beat Argentina in 2002 before Brazil knocked them out, and Portugal eliminated them after a goalless quarter-final in 2006.
Across five years, England lost only five competitive matches and climbed to fourth in the world rankings. Eriksson had arguably the most talented England squad in a generation and never got past the last eight. He left after the 2006 tournament ended, having already agreed terms on departure.