England’s World Cup 2022 squad odds: Who will be on the plane to Qatar?

We know the stage, the dates and the nations who will be competing in the 2022 World Cup. What we don’t know is the players. Gareth Southgate has just one month to decide which England stars will make his 26-man squad for Qatar 2022.

The heartache of Euro 2020 is now a distant memory and all eyes will be on the World Cup in the hope that England can go one step further and get their hands on a trophy for the first time since 1966.

The seeds of a successful side have certainly been sown by Southgate. He has now led the Three Lions to a World Cup semi-final and a European Championship final. If you have a penchant for patterns, the next logical step in that sequence is for Harry Kane to be holding the Jules Rimet Trophy aloft next year, right?

Unfortunately, the beauty of football is such that it rarely sticks to a pattern; it’s the unpredictability that makes sport unique. Even in just a month a lot can change. Between Russia 2018 and Euro 2020 a lot also changed. Think of how different the two squads were in such a short period of time. It’s entirely likely we could see such a difference one again.

The likes of Declan Rice, Jack Grealish, Kalvin Phillips, Tyrone Mings, Mason Mount, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Reece James, Jadon Sancho and Ben Chilwell were all tournament debutants in 2021 with most now established names in, and around, the England camp.

So, will there be another gem who bursts onto the scene in the coming weeks? Will the likes of Conor Gallagher and James Maddison push on and improve on the caps they’ve already gained? Will Trent Alexander-Arnold continue his Cafu tribute act and establish himself as first choice right back for the normally pragmatic Southgate? Or, can the likes of James Ward-Prowse or even Harvey Elliott shine so much that they can’t be ignored? And what of the likes of Tammy Abraham, Jarrod Bowen and fast-starter Ivan Toney?

There are many ifs and buts ahead of the nation’s Middle Eastern venture, but how are the odds looking at this moment in time for England players, aspirants and youngsters alike to make Southgate’s 26-man squad for the World Cup in 2022? After all, we’re not far away now…

Goalkeepers (via Sky Bet)

• Jordan Pickford 1/33
• Aaron Ramsdale 1/20
• Nick Pope 1/20
• Dean Henderson 4/1
• Sam Johnstone 20/1
• Jack Butland 33/1
• Freddie Woodman 66/1
• Alex McCarthy 66/1
• Joe Hart 80/1
• Etienne Green 80/1
• Karl Darlow 80/1
• Josef Bursik 80/1
• Fraser Forster 80/1
• Lee Nicholls 100/1
• Tom Heaton 100/1

Jordan Pickford became only the second goalkeeper in European Championship history to keep five clean sheets in one tournament, after Iker Casillas, while he saved two penalties in England’s final shootout with Italy in 2021. Although he has never really hits the same heights with Everton, he looks like a lock to be in Gareth Southgate’s squad in November. Arsenal keeper, Aaron Ramsdale also looks near certain to join him, but who will be the third choice for Southgate?

Defenders

• Kieran Trippier 1/25
• Eric Dier 1/20
• Ben Chilwell 1/12
• Harry Maguire 1/12
• John Stones 1/12
• Luke Shaw 1/12
• Trent Alexander-Arnold 1/6
• Conor Coady 2/7
• Ben White 2/5
• Kyle Walker 1/2
• Marc Guehi 6/5
• Fikayo Tomori 5/4
• Joe Gomez 7/4
• James Justin 3/1
• Ryan Sessegnon 4/1
• Kyle Walker-Peters 5/1
• Reece James 5/1
• Tyrone Mings 10/1
• Chris Smalling 12/1
• James Tarkowski 12/1
• Dan Burn 14/1
• Trevoh Chalobah 16/1
• Tyrick Mitchell 16/1
• Max Kilman 18/1
• Aaron Cresswell 20/1
• Ezri Konsa 20/1
• Matt Targett 20/1
• Adam Webster 25/1
• Lewis Dunk 25/1
• Luke Thomas 25/1
• Rico Henry 25/1
• Rob Holding 25/1
• James Tavernier 33/1
• Ben Mee 50/1
• Harry Toffolo 50/1
• Craig Dawson 66/1
• Calum Chambers 80/1

England’s situation at both centre back and left back almost seemed set in stone following the Euros, with the likes of John Stones, Harry Maguire, Ben Chilwell and Luke Shaw all seemingly immovable. However, last season, Fikayo Tomori put his name firmly in the frame following his Serie A title win with Milan, while Marc Guehi had an outrageous debut campaign for Crystal Palace. Ben White also impressed at Arsenal, while the likes of Craig Dawson and Chris Smalling were named in the ‘Team of the Tournament’ for the Europa League and Conference League respectively. Versatile defender James Justin has also received debut caps in recent months, so he may be one to watch, while Tyrick Mitchell has thrust his name into the frame.

The situation on the other side of the pitch remains equally precarious. Reece James suffered a recent knee injury which has plunged his World Cup hopes into doubt, while Kyle Walker has been nursing a groin issue that has kept him sidelined since the Manchester Derby at the start of October. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kieran Trippier have both been continuing to play for Liverpool and Newcastle respectively with distinction, so are currently looking like Southgate’s two likely choices.

Midfielders

• Declan Rice 1/33
• Mason Mount 1/33
• Phil Foden 1/33
• Jude Bellingham 1/33
• Bukayo Saka 1/33
• Jack Grealish 1/16
• Jordan Henderson 1/8
• James Ward-Prowse 5/6
• Kalvin Phillips 10/11
• James Maddison 13/8
• Conor Gallagher 3/1
• Ruben Loftus-Cheek 3/1
• Harvey Elliott 7/2
• Eberechi Eze 8/1
• Anthony Gordon 10/1
• Harvey Barnes 14/1
• Jack Harrison 22/1
• Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall 22/1
• Jacob Ramsey 25/1
• Curtis Jones 28/1
• Fabio Carvalho 28/1
• Joe Willock 28/1
• Morgan Gibbs-White 28/1
• Emile Smith-Rowe 28/1
• Marcus Edwards 33/1
• Dwight McNeil 40/1
• Jesse Lingard 40/1
• Lewis O’Brien 40/1
• Oliver Skipp 40/1
• Dele Alli 50/1
• Flynn Downes 50/1
• Ryan Yates 50/1
• Harrison Reed 50/1
• Sean Longstaff 66/1
• Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 80/1
• Harry Winks 80/1
• Lewis Cook 80/1
• Josh Dasilva 100/1
• Adam Wharton 100/1

You certainly can’t claim England don’t have any quality in the middle of the pitch. Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount and Phil Foden would like a word if you do… All four looks like near certainties to be in Qatar but there’s only so many seats on the plane and who joins them could still be a mystery that Southgate has yet to solve.

Does James Ward-Prowse’s ability from set plays make him a real asset in the final 26 or is he a luxury that England can’t afford? Will Harvey Elliott, Eberechi Eze or Jack Harrison force themselves into the plans of the England management team? There are, perhaps, more questions in the midfield than anywhere else and the man who has to find the answers is running out of time.

Forwards

• Harry Kane 1/33
• Raheem Sterling 1/33
• Marcus Rashford 1/6
• Tammy Abraham 1/3
• Jadon Sancho 2/5
• Ivan Toney 1/2
• Jarrod Bowen 6/4
• Callum Wilson 4/1
• Dominic Calvert-Lewin 8/1
• Ollie Watkins 20/1
• Danny Welbeck 33/1
• Demarai Gray 33/1
• Dominic Solanke 33/1
• Patrick Bamford 33/1
• Callum Hudson-Odoi 40/1
• Danny Ings 40/1
• Eddie Nketiah 40/1
• Jamie Vardy 50/1

The landscape up front for England has changed slightly in recent months. Harry Kane is still vital to the front line but the players around him have all, in some way, struggled to maintain their lofty positions in the England set up. Raheem Sterling suffered from being one of many diamonds in the Man City squad and is enduring a similar fate at Chelsea, firing a blank in each of his last seven games for club and country. Marcus Rashford has dipped and now picked up form under Erik ten Hag, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been a victim of injury and a terrible year for Everton, though he recently returned to score against Crystal Palace.

Two players have emerged as genuine options though; Jarrod Bowen and Tammy Abraham have been in incredible form for their clubs. Bowen was linked with a move to Liverpool in the summer whilst Abraham has excelled at Roma, scoring 17 times last season in a very competitive Serie A. It would certainly be a brave man to ignore the form of players who are scoring consistently, not least Ivan Toney, who is fourth only behind Erling Haaland (17), Harry Kane (10) and Aleksandar Mitrovic (nine) in the Premier League’s early Golden Boot race.