One more misstep, and England are out of the World Cup. With all the jokes at their expense, it does rarely happen to see them knocked out in the group stage but after losing to both Italy and Uruguay, England don’t just need to beat Costa Rica on the final match, but for other results to go their way before we even get into the whole goal difference situation.

Head to head is meaningless, goal difference is everything. England lost both their matches by a goal so are currently at -2. For a team with two losses, that is as good as it gets. But obviously, everything doesn’t just depend on them beating Costa Rica on their final match of the group stage, but for results in the two other matches they’re waiting on to go their way.

It comes down to Italy beating both Costa Rica and Uruguay. Only then, if goal difference is favorable, and of course if England beat Costa Rica as well, can the English side move on to the next stage from second place. Anything else that happens: A draw or a Costa Rica win, and England are out.

The last time England failed to make it out of the group stage in a World Cup was in 1958. In 1982 they made it into the second group stage, which means they did qualify from the first one. However, in 1990, 1974 and 1978 they didn’t even make the competition, so things could have been worse.

Image: Source