It doesn’t look like the end of the English era, which is emphasized by the age profile of the current line-up.
We may not know who will be the manager in 2026 and the academy talent pipeline will bring us new heroes, but there is a backbone within this team that could lead England to the next World Cup.
Picking a team for the future is a dumb message, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try.
Jordan Pickford
Pickford will turn 32 before the start of the next World Cup, but obviously that matters less to goalkeepers. Aaron Ramsdale is the obvious other option (turning 28), but Pickford has the gloves for now and will keep them until at least Euro 2024. Dean Henderson could skyrocket on this list depending on what happens when he leaves Manchester United, while Stoke City’s Josef Bursik, who currently plays for the under-21s, has a high rating, but he is only 23 years old.
RhysJames
Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier may have retired from the international scene in 2026, but the English right-back’s assembly line continues to run. The late Spence, Tino Livramento and Ben Jonson will do well, but obviously it will be a battle between James, who was injured in this tournament, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is rarely used in it. Let’s say James as it is.
Tyreke Mitchell
Left-back is one position where a relative veteran can be retained, with Ben Chilwell turning 29 and Luke Shaw nearly 32 – Chilwell is clearly an option. But at the age of 23, Mitchell’s breakaway move from Crystal Palace is imminent, and he could prove to be an offensive, overlapping option on the left wing to fend off the right flank and allow the left to drift in the center and deep.
Fikayo Tomori
England will certainly have no choice but to review their defense over the next three years. Among centre-backs returning home on Sunday, Eric Dier and John Stones will be 32, while Conor Coady and Harry Maguire will be 33. Tomori is obviously the next taxi who has both international and Champions League experience and will be 28 years old. When will the next World Cup be? Now he has to break through to the European Championship.
Ben White
This is clearly a risky choice until we know the full reason for his elimination from the tournament at the World Championships. The initial diagnosis was “personal reasons” but then word came of a falling out with assistant coaches Steve Holland and White, who had flown to Dubai to join Arsenal the morning after England’s departure. These events could have had a lasting impact on an international career, but White is clearly capable enough. Keep an eye out for Levi Colville if he can quickly find regular time at Brighton and Chelsea’s Trevo Chalobah.
Declan Rice
He’s a good tackler, he’s incredibly positional and disciplined overall (three yellow cards in 34 games), he’s becoming a more progressive passer and ball carrier at club level and he’s totally dedicated. Rice’s next era begins with his upcoming move to a Champions League club, but he could very well captain that side at the next World Cup.
Jude Bellingham
It’s all about the rise of this remarkable young man and midfielder that Bellingham won’t be the same age as Phil Foden until the next World Cup starts. Development is never linear and a return to the Premier League will add further pressure, but there is nothing at Bellingham to indicate they cannot capitalize.
Conor Gallagher
When England is in a tight spot, this is a belligerent tiger-like midfielder who can run back and forth to put out fires and create danger if he wins the ball in the opposition’s half, but with the energy to do the same until then as long as the edge of the edge to make our own box. Gallagher isn’t exactly the right person, but at 22, he’s probably the most like England until someone younger comes along. I’m not stupid enough to choose a name… come on: Darko Gyabi, who joined Leeds from Man City in a deal with Calvin Phillips, or Adam Wharton, who is playing his first professional season with the Blackburn Robbers.
Phil Forden
Nothing stands in his way anymore. Foden has implicit confidence in Pep Guardiola, as well as Gareth Southgate, and could potentially play in one of three positions on this team. Guardiola chose to manage Foden’s workload to avoid long-term burnout issues; England will certainly feel the advantage. In 2026, he will be 26 – maybe even better than now.
Bukayo Saka
The attacking midfielder/winger position is by far the most difficult to choose from one World Cup cycle to the next. This proves the age of Foden and Saki in this tournament. According to the same scheme, we are looking for 17 and 18 years old. Or Saka can just keep improving, continue to thrive at club level, and at 25 years old, reach the next World Cup with more experience, ups and downs.
Harry Kane
See here: Ideally, we wouldn’t be dependent on Kane in 2026. He will be 33 and has played an incredible amount of football. His talent, in particular the coordination of the game and the passing of the last man, may have weakened a little or a lot by this point. But there are no obvious replacements other than Marcus Rashford becoming a clean centre-forward, England playing a fake No. 9 or breaking through (and there are a few obvious options in the Under-21s and Under-19s). So this will be Kane’s last fight.
New generation
Here are some players currently under 22 who could play a major role off the bench in 2026.
- Harvey Elliott – Constantly growing and regularly receiving minutes from Liverpool.
- Taylor Harwood Bellis He is enjoying his time at Burnley and could play in the Premier League next year if Man City extend his loan.
- Cole Palmer “Guardiola keeps him close, which, like in the case of Foden, portends good results.
- Noni Maduke – Only 20 left and a fixed cost in PSV. Selling Cody Gakpo will only raise Madueke’s profile.
- Charlie Patino – The same age as Bellingham, personifying the incredibly rapid rise of Jude. Must take chances at Arsenal or leave.