Chris Sutton: England “nowhere near their best” — but he still backs them to reach the final

England have been “nowhere near their best” at the 2026 World Cup — and Chris Sutton still fancies them to reach the final. That is the double-edged verdict from BBC Sport’s football expert as the tournament reaches the last four, with Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium, near New York City, now just one win away. Sutton’s assessment is blunt about the performances but generous about the outcome: England have been the side producing big moments rather than big displays, helped along by what he calls “a pretty gentle draw so far”. In knockout football, that combination has taken plenty of teams all the way.

What Chris Sutton actually said about England

Sutton’s words leave little room for spin. “In the other half of the draw, England have not been anywhere near their best,” he told BBC Sport. “Instead, they have been the team who have produced big moments to get through matches, and have been helped by a pretty gentle draw so far.” The sting is followed immediately by the compliment: he believes they still have a great chance of going all the way.

It is a familiar England story. Tournament football rewards teams who find a way, not teams who look the best doing it. Sutton is essentially saying England have been effective without being convincing — a description that will feel entirely accurate to anyone who has watched the run to the semi-finals.

France vs Spain: the tie Sutton calls the real final

On the other side of the bracket sits the match Sutton rates above everything else. “The semi-final between France and Spain should be the final based on what I’ve seen,” he said. His breakdown is sharp: “Spain are the best footballing side in terms of the way they play and control games, while France have the firepower and the flair.”

That framing sets up a classic contrast — Spain’s positional control against France’s ability to hurt you in a heartbeat. For England, the outcome matters enormously. Whichever side survives that collision arrives at MetLife Stadium as the neutral’s favourite, but also with the physical and mental toll of a genuinely elite 90 minutes, or more, in their legs.

Why big moments beat big performances in knockout football

Sutton’s criticism of England contains an accidental compliment. The teams that win World Cups are rarely the ones who dominate every match; they are the ones who score when it matters, defend the crucial 10 minutes, and convert their one clear chance. England have done exactly that, repeatedly, to reach the last four.

The risk is obvious. Against France or Spain in a final, moments alone may not be enough — those sides create more of them and punish more ruthlessly. But a semi-final is a different problem, and England’s route to Sunday still runs through a half of the draw that Sutton himself concedes has been kinder than the other.

The road to MetLife Stadium

Sunday’s final takes place at MetLife Stadium, near New York City, with four teams left standing. England are 90 minutes from a place in it, carrying Sutton’s endorsement despite his critique of the performances.

For England supporters, the message from BBC Sport’s expert is oddly reassuring: you do not have to play well to win a World Cup, you have to keep winning. Whether that holds against a France or Spain side in the final is the question the next week will answer.

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