Declan Rice called it a top performance Thomas Tuchel said he was very proud In the sticky Orlando heat England’s 3-0 win over Costa Rica felt like more than a routine friendly It looked and sounded like a team beginning to believe

Rice Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins provided the goals but it was the collective sharpness that caught the eye England pressed high with conviction rotated fluently in attack and managed the conditions with a maturity that has often deserted them in tournament build ups

Rice spoke afterwards of a side growing into its identity He highlighted the planned rotations with Gordon and Nico O’Reilly and the way England have adapted to the heat That tactical fluidity has been a hallmark of Tuchel’s club success and is now seeping into the national side

Tuchel’s influence is everywhere The German has not been afraid to sideline big reputations in favour of balance and work rate yet the squad appears more unified than in previous eras The so called Brotherhood has replaced the old club cliques with players visibly celebrating each other’s success and substitutes driving standards from the bench

At the heart of it all remains Harry Kane in the form of his life and finally entering a major tournament without injury caveats or tactical debates about his positioning His presence alone gives England a cutting edge few rivals can match while Watkins’ instinctive finish against Costa Rica offered at least a glimpse of reliable support behind the captain

There are still caveats Costa Rica did not even qualify for this World Cup and sterner tests await starting with Croatia England’s recent record against elite opposition in knockout football remains a psychological hurdle France at the last World Cup Spain at the Euros those scars have not fully healed

Then there is the climate and accumulated fatigue from another gruelling Premier League season England insist their sports science programme has cracked the code of heat and recovery but the true examination will come deep into the tournament when legs and minds are heavy

So are England ready to win the World Cup They are as prepared as they have been in a generation armed with an elite coach a world class striker and a squad that finally looks like a team The last step from promise to immortality is the hardest but for once belief does not feel misplaced