England's impressive start to the Nations League is helping ease the pain of their World Cup exit, with Thomas Tuchel's side beginning to build momentum towards a home European Championship in 2028.
Harry Kane scored twice in Tuesday's 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic at Wembley, taking England's tally to 14 goals across four Nations League matches.
It was also a historic night for the captain, who equalled Peter Shilton's England men's record of 125 appearances.
The turnaround comes after Tuchel faced intense criticism for his defensive approach during England's World Cup semifinal defeat by Argentina. The Three Lions surrendered a late lead in a 2-1 loss to Lionel Messi's side in Atlanta, extending the country's wait for a major trophy beyond 60 years.
England began their 2026/27 Nations League campaign against world champions Spain and, despite losing 3-2, produced encouraging signs.
Kane missed a penalty with England leading 2-1, an opportunity that could have helped inflict Spain's first competitive defeat in more than three years.
Tuchel has consistently maintained that England are building on their World Cup progress rather than beginning another rebuild.
"There was a bit of criticism and scepticism around, but I said we don't start new," Tuchel said after the victory over the Czech Republic.
"We played some high-level competitive football in the World Cup. Now we move to the next step."
Kane and Jude Bellingham were central to England's run to the World Cup semifinals, often producing decisive moments despite a series of inconsistent team performances.
Both have again played leading roles in the Nations League, but England's attacking threat has been strengthened by the outstanding form of Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka.
Gordon scored the opening goal against Argentina in the World Cup semifinal before being substituted, while Saka remained unused on the bench. Given their current performances, those decisions have come under even greater scrutiny.
Tuchel now appears to have settled on a formidable attacking quartet of Kane, Bellingham, Gordon and Saka as England begin looking towards Euro 2028, which will be staged across the UK and Ireland.
England have reached the final of the past two European Championships but have not won a major tournament since lifting the World Cup on home soil in 1966.
Time is becoming increasingly important for Kane, who will turn 35 shortly after Euro 2028.
The Bayern Munich striker's double against the Czech Republic took his England record to 91 international goals, but Kane insists team success remains far more important than individual milestones.
"I made it clear from earlier in my England career that to win a trophy with England would be the biggest honour of my career and any of our careers," Kane said.
"It's been too long since we've won it. I think the fact that we've been extremely close over this recent period has made it even more of a target and made us want to taste it even more."
Tuchel's options across the pitch also appear stronger than they were only a few months ago.
Declan Rice's withdrawal from the September and October internationals created opportunities for Arsenal teammate Myles Lewis-Skelly and Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, with both impressing in midfield.
Jordan Pickford also faces increased competition for the number one position after Tuchel selected James Trafford for the opening two matches against Spain and the Czech Republic.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has made an impressive return at right-back after missing the World Cup squad, while Lewis Hall has excelled on the opposite flank. Hall has also rekindled his partnership with former Newcastle teammate Gordon on England's left side.
England are already well placed to reach the Nations League quarterfinals in March, but next month's trip to Spain should provide a clearer indication of how much progress Tuchel's team have made.
The Three Lions have won only six of their past 16 matches against teams ranked inside FIFA's top 10, contributing to criticism that they struggle to reproduce their best football against elite opposition.
Four Nations League matches have provided goals, emerging talent and renewed optimism.
The challenge for Tuchel is now to prove England can deliver the same level against the world's strongest teams. If they can, the dream of finally ending their long wait for a major trophy at Euro 2028 will begin to look increasingly realistic.
