Man Utd legend Wayne Rooney names his three 'favourites' to win the World Cup

Former England and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney (Picture: Getty)

Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney rates England as one of the three ‘favourites’ to win the World Cup .

The Three Lions are one of the bookmakers’ favourites to win the tournament after several near misses under former boss Sir Gareth Southgate .

Southgate’s England reached back-to-back European Championship finals, losing to Italy on penalties in 2021 and suffering a narrow defeat to Spain in 2024 .

England also went deep in two World Cups during Southgate’s tenure, reaching the semi-finals in 2018 and the quarter-finals in the last tournament four years ago .

Many pundits have tipped England to go at least one better in the United States under Thomas Tuchel and lift the World Cup for the first time in 60 years.

Rooney insists England are one of his three ‘favourites’ but also gives a major chance to France and Spain.

France reached the World Cup final in Qatar before suffering a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Argentina .

England boss Thomas Tuchel (Picture: Getty)

Spain, meanwhile, go into the tournament as the reigning European champions, having beaten England in the 2024 final in Berlin .

‘I think you have to look at Spain, France and England,’ Rooney told BBC Sport . ‘I think they’re probably favourites for this World Cup.

‘I think England and Spain will make the final, and hopefully England win it.’

The 48-team tournament started on Thursday (Picture: Getty)

Ex-England defender Conor Coady is also hopeful Tuchel’s side can go deep in America, adding: ‘I truly believe England have a real chance.

‘We have the best striker in the world in my opinion, a player of his calibre with the confidence he has and the bit between his teeth to win something with England is a scary thought for other countries.

‘My other team is Germany, I think they have a very good manager in Julian Nagelsmann and can always see them getting to the latter stages.

‘My dark horse is Senegal, I know the AFCON ended up in difficult circumstances but the way they played in Qatar and then at AFCON really impressed me, they have some top quality players and are used to winning.’

Meanwhile, former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud does not view England as one of the two ‘strongest teams’ at the World Cup.

‘For me the two strongest teams are France and Spain,’ said Giroud, who has been announced as one of BBC Sport’s pundits for the World Cup.

‘But will they meet each other in the final or before? That will be the question.

‘One of the African teams can be the surprise team. Maybe Ivory Coast, Senegal or Ghana – they are all dangerous teams on their day.’

England kick-start their World Cup campaign against Croatia on Wednesday night, before two more group games against Ghana and Panama.

Argentina are the World Cup defending champions after beating France on penalties in the 2022 final in Qatar .

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