By Lori Ewing
MANCHESTER, England, June 5 (Reuters) - Former England captain Alan Shearer believes the current side can compete with the best at the World Cup but does not expect them to win it, saying key factors must fall into place for a serious challenge.
Shearer, who led England at the 1998 World Cup and remains the Premier League's all-time top scorer, said the squad had the talent to compete but might fall short against stronger teams in the latter stages.
"I think with the talent that we have…
success, I guess, is winning," Shearer told reporters on Friday. "But when you think about who you're going up against, Spain or France or Brazil or Argentina, maybe Portugal, I just think as you go deep into the tournament, (there will be) squads better than England."
He said England's hopes would hinge on defensive strength and the form of captain Harry Kane.
"If we defend really well and Harry can do what he's done, then we have got a live chance of winning it," he said of the Bayern Munich striker, who topped the Bundesliga scoring charts for a third straight season with 36 goals. "If we're going to go deep, then Harry has to fly."
Shearer also urged patience with manager Thomas Tuchel, saying he must be allowed to shape the squad in his own way and make big decisions, even if they proved unpopular.
"He might have left some better players out but in terms of harmony, he felt he was better off going with the players that he chose," Shearer said. "He has to be allowed to do that."
He pointed to the controversy around Paul Gascoigne's omission from the 1998 squad as an example of how selection debates could dominate build-up, stressing that performances on the pitch were what mattered most.
Squad management would also be crucial, particularly in what are forecast to be soaring temperatures.
"When you go back to (the 1994 World Cup in the U.S.), you used to see players baking," he said, noting improved awareness of player welfare, including water breaks, larger squads and increased substitutions.
"I don't expect Harry Kane to play every minute of every game," Shearer added. "If England are winning comfortably, I don't think our manager will care about Harry getting a hat trick. He'll get him off and try and wrap him in cotton wool for the next game."
The expanded World Cup will feature 183 Premier League players, up from 133 in Qatar, with 40 of the 48 nations represented by players from England's top flight.
Asked about the impact of the Premier League season, Shearer said "it probably doesn't help," citing the number and intensity of games, as well as climate differences at the World Cup.
However, he added that England's recent experience in reaching the latter stages of major tournaments, including finishing runners-up to Spain at the 2024 Euros, could be beneficial.
He said the scale of the Premier League’s influence would again be evident at the tournament.
"Because of the finances involved, the players involved, the coaches involved, the stadiums, the atmospheres," he said. "I've been lucky enough to travel around the world and I do think everyone looks at our league and is very jealous… that's why we're so very well represented in terms of the number of players.
"We're fortunate we've got the best league in the world here in the Premier League in England."
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; editing by Clare Fallon)
