Jose Mourinho, who has returned to Real Madrid as head coach, has named England among his favourites to lift the FIFA World Cup 2026 trophy — though he acknowledges the weight of expectation has historically held them back.

Speaking on the Beast Mode On Podcast, the Portuguese manager pointed to England's rich generation of players as the foundation of his longstanding belief in the team.

"I always say England [will be in contention to make the final]. I look to the players, and we come from that generation, [Frank] Lampard, [Steven] Gerrard, [John] Terry, [Rio] Ferdinand, [David] Beckham. Since then, I always say England, and then it doesn't happen, but I always say England."

England are currently competing in Group L, where they opened with a 4-2 win over Croatia before drawing 0-0 with Ghana. They face Panama in their final group stage fixture.

Penalty pressure and media burden

Mourinho pointed to penalty shootouts and mounting media pressure as the twin forces that have repeatedly derailed England's deep tournament runs. He recalled their elimination in Euro 2004, when Portugal knocked them out on penalties.

"When you lose on penalties you are speaking about details… Penalties are just little clicks."

The 62-year-old also highlighted the unique burden England's players carry compared to other nations, arguing that media scrutiny amplifies fan expectations to an almost unmanageable level.

"I believe they have more pressure than anybody else in relation to the media. And the media, at the end of the day, they influence the people a lot — in this case the English fans. Expectation. Responsibility. They couldn't cope with it."

Despite that history, Mourinho insists his faith in England has never wavered. "They always had good coaches. They have another good coach again. I always think they can [win the World Cup]," he said.

Mourinho back at Real Madrid

Mourinho's return to the Bernabéu comes after a successful spell at Benfica. He has signed a three-year contract with Real Madrid that runs until 30 June 2029 — reuniting him with the club he first managed 13 years ago.