Country: England
Club Team: Tottenham
Age: 22
England's squad is filled with potential players to watch. Manager Gareth Southgate has opted for youth at all levels of his squad, and in qualifying, England had the third-youngest squad of any team that made it to Russia.
At the heart of that youth is Dele Alli, who will most likely be tasked with the attacking midfield role for The Three Lions this summer. At only 22 years of age, Alli is considered to be one of the best young midfielders of his generation. Since signing for Tottenham in 2015, Alli has won the PFA Young Player of the Year award twice and has registered 40 goals and 33 assists in three seasons.
The ability is clearly there, but leading a nation such as England -- where expectations are often too high -- is a difficult task for any young player. His partnership with fellow Tottenham player and star England striker Harry Kane will provide him with a level of familiarity on the pitch, and their chemistry will be key to England's chances this summer. The upside with Alli is evident. A strong World Cup performance would see his already sky-high stock blast through the stratosphere.
However, a failure in the face of England's expectations can be devastating. For England, the future is bright, and while they certainly have a chance to make a deep run this year, those chances should only increase in the next two World Cups.
With Belgium in their group, our metrics give England just a 26.02% chance of coming out on top of the group, behind Belgium's chances of 72.02%. A second-place finish in Group G would see them face off against likely Group H winners Columbia in the Round of 16. In that match, our numbers strongly favor England, giving them a 62.52% chance of advancing.
Ultimately, we give England a 2.08% chance of winning their first World Cup since 1966. If that is to happen, Dele Alli will need to translate his domestic success to the international level and, in doing so, announce himself as one of the next superstars of the game.
What to Expect: