Ex-England World Cup star and former Leeds United and Middlesbrough FC defender Danny Mills' Three Lions prediction
FORMER England World Cup defender Danny Mills believes the Three Lions have got their work cut out to progress beyond the semi-finals of this summer’s tournament.
Thomas Tuchel's side completes its preparations for the competition with a friendly against Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday evening.
Despite England losing only twice in 12 matches under Tuchel - winning nine - Mills is not confident about the nation's prospects of reaching the July 19 final.
Since winning the competition in 1966, England have reached the semi-finals twice - in 1990 and 2018 - while bowing out at the last-eight stage five times (1970, 1986, 2002, 2006 and 2022).
Mills was part of the side who lost to Brazil in the quarter-finals in '02. He was an ever-present with five appearances that summer.
On the country's prospects this time around in North America, the ex-Leeds United and Middlesbrough full-back - capped 19 times by England in total - told The Yorkshire Post: "It's going to be hard, I would expect England to get to a quarter-final, maybe a semi-final. If they go on from that, then fair play, but I think it'd be a big, big ask.
"Thomas Tuchel's biggest problem is he doesn't know what his best 11 is. A lot of players are out of form for me.
"A lot have had a lot of injuries this season. Normally, going into a tournament, you can name nine of the starting 11; at least eight normally with there being a slight debate around two or three others.
"I think at the moment, you can probably name four or five definite starters and the rest is up in the air.
"What always makes me laugh in this country is when people go 'Oh, we're favourites.'
"Yes, that's because we live in England and the bookmakers are in England. If you go to France or Spain or Argentina, I think you'll find that they're the favourites, absolutely, in the competition.”
Mills was speaking at a Kirkstall VETS playing session highlighting the benefits of Arthrosamid, a hydrogel injection that aids ex-professional players and retired athletes across all sports.