Don’t laugh, but England (and Belgium) have made the biggest shout for a WC triumph
Related Story: Kane rescues England in 91st minute with brace to defy obstinate Tunisia Related Story: Lukaku brace helps Belgium shake off slow start against Panama
The football world outside the British Isles loves to bag out England as a perennial World Cup choker, a rabble of overpaid, overhyped footballers on the verge of being found out by cannier opponents.
In a complementary vein, Belgium is often seen as a brilliant collection of footballers and an incredible team in theory, only to find out at some point during World Cups the game is in fact played on grass, not on paper.
And yet after an incredible even first round of matches in Russia, it is England and Belgium that have firmed as the biggest claimants to a tangible tilt at World Cup glory.
External Link: SBS The World Game tweets GOAL! 91st minute! Kane puts England ahead!
Granted, Colombia and Poland have still to play their opening matches (against Japan and Senegal respectively), but the Colombians and Poles stand more as the bookies' outsiders, rather than tournament frontrunners.
Indeed, the heavily-backed favourites of Brazil, Germany, Spain and Argentina have all fluffed their lines after one match, while France was more than fortunate to come away with all three points against a battling Socceroos side.
Whether the results that went England and Belgium's way was enough to impress every naysayer is a matter for debate. Belgium eventually overcame lowly Panama 3-0 after being held goalless in the first half, while England nearly failed to find the breakthrough against Tunisia before Harry Kane's late winner.
But you know what? It's hard to break down teams that sit back to defend, frustrate and eat up time. Just ask Germany, Argentina and Brazil — those you would ordinarily take more seriously for World Cup favouritism — given how they fared in their opening matches.
Argentina's 1-1 draw with fairytale factory Iceland is a case in point. A country of roughly 300,000 people has produced a team that can not only go on an incredible run at Euro 2016, but also hold Lionel Messi's La Albiceleste to a draw thanks to a tried and tested defensive tactic of sitting deep and frustrating your more vaunted opposition.
Iceland is a team with several players (as well as their coach, a full-time dentist) who had to seek permission from their employers outside of football for permission to play at the World Cup in Russia. Argentina had 72 per cent possession in that game, yet their players found hardly any space.
If the defensive tactic can help the Icelandic minnows smite the world, you can bet other teams with more resources are going to give it a go too.
External Link: SBS The World Game tweets Incredible goal for Mertens!
Belgium found a way to open up Panama, coming via a Dries Mertens wonder goal which opened the floodgates for Romelu Lukaku's brace to wrap up a 3-0 win.
Similarly England, which started like a house on fire before being pegged back against Tunisia, found its winner in a 2-1 victory thanks to sheer persistence and fresh legs.
Youth and Southgate's management something different
England looks to be a different animal in the Russia tournament from World Cups past. Before, England had an overreliance on overpaid stars who were often made to look good in the Premier League by seasoned, foreign teammates.
The star midfield pairing of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard famously never functioned on the big stage, Wayne Rooney took an age to score his first-ever World Cup goal, and players' positional inflexibility meant England would time and time again be found out by more technical and savvy opponents.
That's without even mentioning the cliques and siege mentality that ran rife through so many England camps. Now, coach Gareth Southgate has torn up England's rule book, emphasising youthful players with pace and creative flair, while building a more trusting relationship with the UK's notorious football media.
The first signs in the early stages against Tunisia were encouraging, with England letting off six shots on target in the first half alone.
Belgium, meanwhile, has managed to keep a core of phenomenal talent cloistered together in the hopes that 2014's frustrating showing will blossom into a golden flourish in the 2018 World Cup.
The attacking talents of Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne, Yannick Carrasco and the imposing Lukaku are immense threats, while at the back they can call on stellar names like Vincent Kompany, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen.
For all we know, the likes of France, Germany, Brazil and Spain could come good in their second matches and get their show on the road ahead of a run deep into the knockout stages.
Spain, after all, famously lost its first game against Switzerland in the 2010 event before sweeping the rest of the field to its maiden World Cup triumph, and the aforementioned nations will be banking on similar fortune.
But as far as first-mover advantage is concerned, the perennially teased and tormented England and Belgium have each put a big hand up in Russia, and you'd be hanging on to old taunts if you refused to take them seriously.
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