As England prepare to jet off to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, it’s fair to say there are more question marks than full stops for Gareth Southgate’s side. An indifferent run of form in 2022 has left many wondering whether Southgate has taken England as far as he can, and it’s fair to say the Three Lions have plenty to prove in the Middle East.

It’s vital that England make a good start to the tournament if they are to exorcise the demons of their disappointing Nations League campaign. Iran will be their first opponents, and from looking at the England v Iran odds, the Three Lions should have an easy time of things at the Khalifa International Stadium.

However, Iran should not be taken lightly. ‘Team Melli’ are World Cup regulars, having missed just two editions of the tournament since 1998, and they are one of Asia’s most competitive teams, with three Asian Cup titles to their name.

Iran have demonstrated some good form of late, not least an impressive 1-0 win over Uruguay in a friendly in September, and England should underestimate them at their peril. 

The Three Lions haven’t always had the best record in opening matches at World Cups, but the importance of getting off to a good start is clear.

Indeed, you could argue that England’s 2018 World Cup campaign could have gone very differently if Harry Kane hadn’t popped up with a late winner against Tunisia in Volgograd in their first game. 

That seemed to give England a real boost, and from there they went on to hammer Panama and ultimately reach the semi-finals of the competition. If they had been forced to settle for a point against Tunisia, the pressure would’ve been on from the start, and the media scrutiny would’ve been much more intense.

Ahead of this year’s tournament, England are already under the microscope. Since reaching the final of the Euros, there has been a notable drop-off in form, and many are wondering whether Southgate and co. will be able to reverse that slide under the pressure of performing at a World Cup finals. 

In many ways, this World Cup will be the greatest test yet of Southgate’s managerial capabilities. In previous tournaments, there hasn’t been a lot of expectation on England, particularly at the 2018 World Cup. Now, having reached the business end of consecutive major tournaments, the pressure is on to go one better and deliver the trophy.

That said, it’s hard to escape the feeling that England have missed their opportunity. At both the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020, the draw opened up kindly for the Three Lions, and they are unlikely to get a better chance to win a major tournament. 

That’s why a strong start against Iran is so important, as it just might trigger the memories of those good runs in Russia and at the Euros. England will need to harness the power of those good past results if they are to rise out of the mire and back into the international spotlight.