England vs Congo: Dispelling Doubts

England secured their spot in the Round of 32 with a top finish in Group L, earning 7 points. Under the guidance of coach Thomas Tuchel, the Three Lions are displaying a strong and pragmatic approach. With a world-class lineup, England is expected to have little trouble facing Congo.

The Three Lions' performance in the group stage was not considered explosive, but the German tactician's team always knows how to finish off opponents at crucial moments. Facing a less-favored opponent like Congo is an opportunity for England to assert their status as a top contender for this year's title.

England's team in this World Cup is very unpredictable. The Three Lions haven't unleashed their full strength yet, but they maintain a balance between attack and defense under Thomas Tuchel. They can play exuberantly, as in their opening match against Croatia, but also switch to a pragmatic, efficient mode, as shown in their games against Ghana and Panama.

England's style may not fully convince their fans, but a positive fact before entering the Round of 32 against Congo is that coach Thomas Tuchel has not lost an official match with the Three Lions yet.

In their last 10 matches, the Three Lions scored 26 goals, averaging 2.6 goals per game. Thomas Tuchel's side has only failed to score once, showing consistent chance creation against various types of opponents.

England is ranked 4th in the FIFA world rankings and boasts one of the most expensive squads at the 2026 World Cup. In contrast, Congo is ranked 61st and squeezed through as one of the best third-placed teams. The African representative's overall squad value is also extremely modest.

The squad depth and experience give England a certain advantage. However, the Three Lions have reason to be concerned as they have not won any matches against African representatives in their last two encounters.

Congo has also shown remarkable resilience in this World Cup. After a impressive 1-1 draw with Portugal despite trailing, the African side secured a 3-1 victory in the decisive match against Uzbekistan to reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time.

Coach Sebastien Desabre's team advanced as one of the best third-placed teams, finishing the group stage with 4 points and a goal difference of +1.

Congo's squad includes players currently in the Premier League, such as Tuanzebe, Masuaku, Wissa, and Wan-Bissaka. This helps Congo understand England's personnel and playing style, allowing them to devise a suitable strategy. For this match, Congo's main hope rests on striker Yoane Wissa, who has scored 3 goals so far in the tournament.

But compared to England, Congo is clearly a small fish facing a European giant. Captain Harry Kane, who has scored 3 goals in this tournament, is also a key hope for the English side in this match.

In the victory over Panama, Kane scored the goal that sealed a 2-0 win, becoming England's all-time top scorer in World Cup history with 11 goals. If he scores against Congo, Kane will match Geoff Hurst's record of 4 goals in the knockout stages, leaving him just two goals behind the legendary Gary Lineker.

The Three Lions' superior possession-based play is further enhanced by the speed and penetrating ability of wingers like Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford. This will be a test for Congo's disciplined defense.

However, England's playing style still has some hurdles to overcome. The draw against Ghana in the group stage revealed struggles in finding ideas when facing deep, well-organized defenses with numbers behind the ball.

The match between England and Congo will take place at 23:00 on July 1. In the context of the 2026 World Cup producing several shocking results, the Three Lions cannot afford to be complacent.

Expected starting lineups for both teams
England: Pickford, Spence, Guehi, Konsa, O'Reilly, Rice, Anderson, Madueke, Bellingham, Rashford, Kane.
Congo: M’Pasi, Kayembe, Mbemba, Tuanzebe, Wan-Bissaka, Moutoussamy, Mukau, Noah Sadiki, Bongonda, Mbuku, Wissa.