Gary Neville says England’s second-half performance against Croatia represents their best football of the World Cup so far, adding that the team showed strong attacking and controlling qualities after halftime. However, Neville does not believe that performance is enough to change his overall view of the tournament’s favourites. He maintains that France, managed by Thomas Tuchel, still have the strongest claim to be considered favourites for the competition.
Across the reports, the focus is on Neville’s assessment that England’s level of play improved markedly during the match, implying a more convincing display than earlier phases of the tournament. At the same time, he separates match-specific performance from wider tournament prospects, suggesting that even a standout England showing does not automatically place them or their immediate opponents above France in the overall ranking of contenders.
The coverage is consistent in describing Neville’s stance: England’s performance is praised, but France is still viewed as the team to beat.
