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England are one of the most famous and storied soccer nations in the history of the sport.
Many of the biggest clubs on the planet and the most famous players of all time hail from the country, widely recognised as the birthplace of the game.
However, this has not always translated into success in international competitions. In fact, it rarely has.
Here's a breakdown of England's complicated history with the World Cup.
2026 WORLD CUP HQ: Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup tickets
How many times have England won the World Cup?
England's only World Cup triumph came when they lifted the Jules Rimet trophy as hosts in 1966
Geoff Hurst became the first man in history to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final as Alf Ramsey's side beat West Germany 4-2 after extra time at Wembley.
England World Cup history
The 2026 run marks England's fourth semifinal appearance. The Three Lions have not reached a final since their 1966 triumph.
England lost on penalties to West Germany in the 1990 semifinals, while Gareth Southgate's resurgent side were beaten 2-1 by Croatia in extra time at Russia 2018.
England did not compete at the World Cup until the 1950 World Cup, where they lost 1-0 to the United States in the group stage - a result still considered one of the biggest upsets in soccer history.
*2026 tournament ongoing
Will England win the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
With key figures from their deep tournament runs under Southgate still remaining, England have the calibre of players to take the final steps under Champions League-winning coach Thomas Tuchel.
Captain Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have been their driving force in North America and are each among the very best players on the planet right now. The Round of 16 win over Mexico at a fervent Azteca has a strong claim of being England's best World Cup knockout win of the past 60 years.
This pedigree must be set against the quality of sides they must still face: Argentina on one last mission for their talisman Lionel Messi and Spain, who outclassed England in the final of Euro 2024.
Dom Farrell
Dom is a senior content producer. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies. Dom has covered major football events on location, including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively, along with numerous high-profile Premier League, Champions League and England international matches. Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside.
Source: Sporting News
