Former Germany manager Jürgen Klinsmann believes England have an in-built fear of winning major trophies.
Sir Gareth Southgate’s side twice came agonisingly close to winning the European Championship in 2021 and 2024, but lost in the final to Italy and Spain respectively on each occasion.
There were moments in both games where victory was in their grasp, but Klinsmann says there is an innate instinct to retreat.
“There’s something in the decisive moment, like the Euro finals, that makes them scared of themselves, because once they get in close to actually win their final, being right there, there’s something that triggers in their brain saying, ‘Oh, no, we cannot do it’,” the former Tottenham striker told the Men In Blazers Media Network.
“It doesn’t give them the real belief to say, ‘Let’s do it now.’
“They go up, then they go in a lower gear and they just start to defend instead of just finishing off the game and scoring another goal.
“If you want to win a World Cup you have to risk. You’re not going to win a World Cup by defending only. That’s maybe where England is lacking.
“The last little piece is if you are up 1-0, you’ve got to score the second goal and close it off.”
Klinsmann has managed Germany, United States and South Korea — finishing third in the 2006 FIFA World Cup with the former.
Things might be different next summer as they attempt to win the 2026 edition in North America — with Klinsmann’s compatriot Thomas Tuchel in charge.
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Tuchel has spoken about “putting a second star on the shirt” and there is an overwhelming expectation for England to be challenging to win the tournament.
Klinsmann, who helped inflict misery on England with Germany in the 1990 World Cup and Euro ’96 semifinals, accepts there has at least been a shift in mindset.
“It’s actually a progress in England,” he added. “Now they are actually saying, ‘We are going to get there, we want to win the World Cup’.
“When I still played they never believed in winning the World Cup. And now they reach high because they have an exceptional team.”
