Do you look at the Three Lions as being a world power on the international stage? At the moment I see England as being a team that all the big teams respect but at the same time look to beat on the way to glory not as a fellow contender.
Maybe. Historically, they deserve respect, perhaps, because they were the first to develop and market the game as we know it today. Presently, they're a QF team on the level of Mexico, Ivory Coast, and Ghana. Do they deserve respect as a very good side? Yes. Do they deserve to be called a "world power"? Perhaps not.
They are currently ranked # 4 in the world....so if they're not a 'world power' then only three other countries are....
England NT is always among the world powers in Football. They had some up and down moments (like others with more or less)
They are a good team that in their best day could beat anybody and on their worst can lose to anybody as well. Second tier national team top 20-30 in the world. []__[]
Except home World Cup (66) and home Euro (96), England could win only 3 matches against REAL 'World Powers' - once France and twice Argentina. All in group stages. In Play-offs, England could eliminate only these teams: Soviet Union, Ecuador, Denmark, Belgium, Cameroon and Paraguay. It would be very weak result of "World Power"...
[Also an odd statement because England finished 3rd at the '68 ENCs and had a solid run at the '70 WC as well IMHO...]
I agree with the thought that on their day, they are very good, but they can also be very mediocre. That said, I think top 20-30 is an underestimation. Top 10-15 more likely. Basically a team that has good odds of making it to the round of 16 in the World Cup, and might make it to quarters if it goes great for them.
I'm sorry but England isn't a "Powerhouse". Maybe in 66 and in 90s they had a pretty solid team. But if we compare England to every "big" team in the world, they really look weak. All the other great nations actually beat stronger teams in tournaments. Also Engla nd squad gets old, don't have that great young players like they had in late 90s. I definetly don't see a Powerpuff England in the next 3-10 years. Lol But anyway, England is still one of the best teams in the world, but just one of many good nations in the world. But when it comes to the crunch they more likely lose
Not a powerhouse, but in the second tier of teams. The top tier atm consists of Spain, Germany, possibly Argentina. Our tournament record is not great, but in qualifying we are often very good - We haven't lost a Euro qualifier since 2007, a world cup qualifier since 2009 (last match of the group having already qualified with 9/9 wins) and since 2011 we have beaten Spain, Italy and Brazil in friendlies. When it comes to tournaments we are very good at making it out of groups and actually rarely lose to the big teams - Draws against Italy and France in 2012, Portugal in 2006 and 2004 etc etc. We are not among the teams expected to win a competition but to say we are at the level of Ghana, Mexico and Ivory Coast is pretty laughable considering we are a consistent QF team and the other teams mentioned struggle to ever make it past R16.
Italy and Brazil are definitely on that group also. But qualifiers in Europe are not that tough, and friendlies are friendlies I agree it's not Ghana, Mexico or Ivory Coast, and Mexico is also ahead of the 2 African Nations and more in line with Portugal. England are unique like France and the Dutch, you never know what team might show up to play, either a really good one or a really bad one. Those 3 teams even when they look bad you know it's going to be hard to beat them and that they could beat you at any time. But they'll never be considered straight contenders before a WC. Currently Germany, Brazil, Italy are the permanent contenders. Spain is on the rise (having won 3/4 tournaments) and Argentina is on the decline (no wins since 1993). But it takes 1 bad WC for Spain to become France during 2002 and 1 good tournament for Argentina to become the best team in the history of the known universe and beyond. Whatever happens, by the time the next world cup rolls around, the contenders will be Brazil, Germany, Italy + somebody that had just won in Brazil.
I'm English and like heck are we! lol... Regarding our current team, we only have one world class player (Rooney). Gerrand and Lampard are getting on, and Walcott has potential but is not world class. Historically, we sneak into the top ten all time great international teams, but Brazil, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Argentina are ahead of us. Yes we've won the World Cup, but have always done rubbish in the European Championships. Our best ever showing in it was when we hosted it in the 90s. Our main claim to being a global footballing force is our league. It's arguably the richest, has the best players, some of the biggest world clubs and arguably the best all-time record in European competition.
They are one of the "big" nations which I would consider as Argentina, Brazil, England, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Holland and Portugal. However England seem to have less of a chance to go further than the rest of them in major tournaments. To rank them among other teams like Mexico, Ghana and Ivory Coast isn't accurate really, England's squad is comfortably better than theirs.
England taught the world football but now certain parts of the world teach them how to play the game properly now, so no they are not a powerhouse but they are top of the mid tier group of countries which is still something to be proud off. I mean hell England arent even powerhouses in Europe also Holland is better they been to the finals in 1974, 78 and 2010 and semi's in 1998 and they also won the European championship in 1988 and got semi's in 76, 92, 2000 and 2004 How many people here were born when England won the world cup, exactly that is old news man, hell I am getting embarassed as I was 6 years old in 1986 and that is far too long for a country like Argentina
England haven't got to a major final since 1966. England haven't beat one of the elite teams of international football (Brazil,Italy,Uruguay,Germany,Holland or Argentina) in the knockout stages of the knockout stages of the Euro or World Cup since 1966. So no,they clearly are not a top international team.Just because the English media likes to think England is a major player in International football doesn't make it true.
[Countdown starts now until someone starts posting links to articles/features in The Sun or another "red top" to illustrate what horrible international football jingos the English are... & ]