Former Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry has thrown his full support behind England, declaring the Three Lions capable of lifting the FIFA World Cup 2026 trophy after their dramatic run to the quarter-finals.

Speaking to Lyllo Casino, Barry was effusive in his praise following England's thrilling 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in the round of 16 — a result he admitted surprised him in its intensity.

"I must admit, I thought the conditions being spoken about so much and going further into the tournament would result in players being tired, so I was probably expecting fewer goals and less action. It was great to watch and see the other side of it, the goals, the incidents, and so many talking points."

Barry was particularly moved by England's resilience after being reduced to ten men, adding that the character shown by the squad made him proud.

"Overall, I'm just proud to be English when you see the lads fight until the end with 10 men. I'm absolutely buzzing for the boys to go into the quarter-finals. That sort of victory makes you believe England can win the World Cup."

Tactical flexibility impresses Barry

The former England international highlighted the team's tactical intelligence as a key factor, noting how they confounded Mexico's expectations from the very first whistle.

"Tactically, the way they mixed it up was impressive. Watching closely for the first 10 minutes, Mexico would have been ready for a real high press, but the boys just went with the long ball."

Barry also drew a sharp distinction between the current squad and the England sides he represented during his playing days, pointing to a stronger sense of unity within the group.

"This England squad is different to the ones I played in, 100%. It feels like there is more togetherness now."

Quarter-final showdown with Norway

England's win sets up a mouth-watering quarter-final clash against Norway in Miami on Saturday night. The winner will advance to the semi-finals, where either Argentina or Switzerland awaits.