This World Cup could use a deep run from England

Open this photo in gallery:

Entering this World Cup, England did a few things it never does which boiled down to one thing – pragmatism.

Several national teams are better (as proven by outcomes), but none is better known. We’re not just talking football. We’re talking all sports.

This is great for David Beckham’s marketing prospects as he approaches his senior years. It’s less great for anyone trying to pick out the best roster from within the world’s most successful league. Everyone everywhere has an opinion on it. Those opinions tend to coalesce into a monolithic belief. Any coach who goes against it is climbing a waterfall.

Having run into a wall at recent tournaments, England turned to the only sort of person who isn’t taking pointers from England fans – a German.

Thomas Tuchel’s innovation wasn’t tactical. It was public relational. Instead of picking the all-star team everyone agrees he should pick, Tuchel picked the team he liked best.

Cathal Kelly: Outmatched all over the field, Canada needs a miracle to beat Morocco

“My job is not necessarily to select the 26 most talented players,” Tuchel explained. It’s a heresy in many places, but an especially wicked one in a culture as celebrity-focused as England.

When people got upset over his choices – including some passed-over players – Tuchel delivered the verbal equivalent of a shrug. No coach anywhere appears to care less what anybody thinks of him.

On Wednesday, at about 1 p.m. ET, this new way of thinking looked as if it was about to blow up in England’s face.

Facing DR Congo – not exactly a rep team for the Premier League – England went down early. Then it ran into a goalkeeper so hot he was steaming. You could already see the ripples in the water – Tuchel being fired before he had a chance to quit; the national press in a blood frenzy; all of English football doing what institutions in that country do best these days – come publicly apart.

Then Harry Kane ambled onto the scene. Kane is an unlikely English hero. He’s not exactly movie-star good looking. When he talks, he sounds like he’s gargling marbles. The man moved to continental Europe for work. Willingly.

But Kane does what so many English stars of the recent past could not. He delivers.

Down 1-0 and frenetic with anxiety, Kane was the only point of steadiness in the English attack. Shortly before the half, he was tripped by the Congolese ‘keeper inside the area. Diving, the referee signalled. Kane is not a diver. He got up, looking more offended than upset. Video replay didn’t see anything wrong. Play on, so Kane played on.

After the break, anxiety had become panic. One of the great upsets in World Cup history was in the offing. Then Kane came floating into the area and headed a crossed ball into the corner of the net.

The entire game to that point had been played at 1.5-times speed. Ten minutes later, both teams were flagging. But not Kane. The ball came to him just outside the area. He skittered wide – too wide for most players, even the best ones. But Kane was able to pivot his body and launch a rising shot back across the face of goal. The Congolese ‘keeper got his hand on it, but couldn’t tap it out. It was his only mistake of the day.

Social media abuse of players, coaches and officials on the rise at the World Cup

Next up for England – Mexico at the Azteca, where they almost never lose. That will be a game for the ages.

A few of the titans have already fallen here. Netherlands was a mild surprise. Germany was a big one. But everyone knows those programs have their issues. There were reports out of Germany that team captain Joshua Kimmich asked four teammates on the field to the take the sixth penalty in the game they lost. Kimmich had already taken his. All four demurred.

Only Jonathan Tah – a defender who had never taken a competitive penalty before – put his hand up. He missed by a mere one or two boat lengths.

Germany is not the Germany you may remember. People were surprised, but not shocked.

Open this photo in gallery:

However, England is always England. Just ask England. Doesn’t matter what it’s done before, or how many times it’s blown up in its hand. Next time is the time.

For obvious reasons, I’m not rooting for them. But one has to admit – the World Cup is lesser when England is eliminated from it. More so than any other nation, it wants it so bad. The need is tangible. It makes the disappointment when it finally does fall apart so much sweeter.

But in the Round of 32? No, this is far too early. What’s the point of that?

It’d be written off as a freak accident. They had the better chances, didn’t they? Some powerful force was clearly working against them. Not FIFA. God. One of his HQs is in Italy, isn’t it? Need we say more?

This should be much harder for them. It’s starting promisingly – a win against the in-game odds led by their most talismanic player. Kane tied and then surpassed Pele in World Cup goals all-time during the game. Spirits could be higher, but not much.

In a perfect world, they beat Mexico next. Maybe it’s also a come-from-behind job. Maybe the ball bounces in off the back of Kane’s head as he’s being hit by a wrench thrown from the stands. Something dramatic.

Then it’s off to the quarters and Brazil. They can take Brazil, who currently look like the world’s best beer-league team. Then it’s Argentina. That’s unwinnable. But they win it! How? You’ll have to see. It’s incredible. The whole nation goes football bananas. Who needs Europe? They’ll start their own common market. It’s coming home for real this time.

They head to the final, their first since ‘66, one they are absolutely guaranteed to win and lose on penalties to Canada. Scene.