ENGLAND may have their fair share of critics but their record in qualifying tournaments speaks for itself.
The Three Lions head to the World Cup in Russia on the back of eight wins and two draws to sit eight points ahead of second place Slovakia.
And their unbeaten record stems back to just under eight years ago when they suffered a 1-0 defeat in Ukraine as Rob Green saw red.
It was a team that included the likes of Carlton Cole, Gabby Agbonlahor and Emile Heskey.
39 qualifiers later and England remain unbeaten.
They have won 30 of those matches, drawn nine and have kept 28 clean sheets.
And their goal difference stands at plus 85 with 100 goals scored and just 15 conceded.
But in truth their record has just papered over the cracks which are glaringly obvious when it comes to the major tournaments.
Since that defeat to Ukraine, England crashed out of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa in the Round of 16 thanks to the 4-1 drubbing of Germany.
Two years later England were unlucky not to reach the semis when they lost on penalties to Italy.
That was the closest the Three Lions have come to the last four since 1996 when they failed in the Group Stage at the Brazil World Cup in 2014.
And in 2016 England suffered an embarrassing defeat to Iceland in the Round of 16.
If England’s performances during the recent qualifying campaign are anything to go by, then Gareth Southgate’s side will be home before they know it in Russia.
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