By Thomas Reynolds
Last Updated: 4th July 2018
William Hill’s twitter home for everything World Cup related is #ItsComingHome
and while football may not be returning to its spiritual source in Russia, England’s inspired run through the tournament means hope is growing by the day that it will be home where it belongs very shortly.
Having traded at 16/1 prior to a ball being kicked, Gareth Southgate’s side are now just 7/2 to win the World Cup , second only to Brazil in the betting.
With the Three Lions on the perceived easier side of the draw and facing Sweden in the quarter finals, David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and the Lightning Seeds’ famous words have never seemed more believable. #ItsComingHomeeven has it’s own emoji.
#ItsComingHome because England have finally won a penalty shootout
Scarcely believable though it may still seem, England finally ended their run of three losses in World Cup penalty shootout when they held their nerve to best Colombia in the round of 16.
#ItsComingHome because the final seems like a plausible aim
England’s inspired decision to lose their final group game against Belgium, has resulted in them being placed on much the easier side of the draw.
Brazil, France or Belgium will only need to be worried about should we make the World Cup final and Sweden, Russia, or Croatia don’t inspire anywhere near the same levels of self-doubt. Quite the opposite they seem beatable.
#ItsComingHome because Harry Kane is the golden boot favourite
One of only four players to score more than 30 goals in Europe’s top five leagues last season, along with Lionel Messi, Benfica’s Jonas and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, England are in possession of centre-forward in a different stratosphere to the ones available to Roy Hodgson at Brazil 2014.
From 16/1 to be outright top goalscorer pre-tournament, he’s now 4/11 favourite after scoring six times in his first three matches in Russia.
