Emile Heskey names his England XI for DR Congo and backs France to win the World Cup

Emile Heskey has backed England to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup and named the team he would play against DR Congo.

Speaking exclusively to The Football Historian Emile Heskey was speaking on behalf of World Cup betting site 888sport, the former Liverpool, Leicester City and England striker believes Thomas Tuchel should not rip up the side.

Heskey said: “I would probably stick to the same. I would definitely have Bellingham in there. Rice, if fit, would come back in.

“So you’d only have one No.10, as opposed to Bellingham and Rogers, but I like Morgan Rogers a lot, to be honest with you. But I’d probably play one in there.

“I’d play Marcus Rashford on the left, I’d play Saka on the right and obviously Kane up front.”

On the defence, Heskey said he would largely stick with the same back line, but suggested Spence could come in at right-back if Quansah is unavailable.

“I would stick with the same,” he added. “But if Quansah's injured, I’d probably put Spence in there, Nico at left-back and then the same two centre-backs.”

The key call is Rashford and Saka as wingers, with Rogers coming out in place of Rice.

Heskey admitted he likes Rogers, but would only play one of him and Bellingham in that advanced role.

Heskey backs France to win the World Cup

On his World Cup winner, Heskey hasn't changed his mind. He picked France pre-tournament and says their performances have only strengthened that view.

“I picked France early and I haven’t changed my mind on that, to be honest with you,” he said. “It’s probably solidified it, these games that we’ve seen.

“When you look at France and you look at who’s been the best right winger in Europe, it’s probably been Olise. He hasn’t played right wing in this tournament. He’s played No.10, he’s played No.8, and I was thinking, ‘What?’

“But he still looks great and France look wonderful. Dembele, in first game, was so-so. Now he’s decided to turn up and score a hat-trick. They’ve got so much firepower. But not just that, at the back they’re quite solid.

“So for me, it’s them.”

Heskey did add one warning: “But then you can never count out Messi and Argentina because he’s doing bits,” he said.

Mbappe for Golden Boot and Player of the Tournament

Heskey believes the Golden Boot race could come down to Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, but eventually chose the Frenchman.

“It looks like Messi at the minute, doesn’t it?” he said. “I don’t know if anyone could stop him, but I think it will be between Messi and Mbappe.

“I think Mbappe will definitely be looking at Messi’s record, knowing that he’s probably got one more World Cup, and be looking to challenge that. So you know what, Mbappe.”

If Mbappe finishes as top goalscorer, Heskey also expects him to be the tournament’s best player. “Well, if he’s getting the goals, I’ll have to say Mbappe.”

Surprise team: Canada

For his surprise team, Heskey picked Canada.

“They’re quite aggressive going forward and they’ve got an aggressive manager. I’m going to go Canada, they might shock some people.”

How far will England go?

Heskey is sticking with his pre-tournament England prediction: semi-finals.

“I’ve always said semi-finals and then see where we go from there,” he said. “I still say that. I’m still happy with that.

“We had a little bit of a challenge against Ghana. Ghana were fantastic for me. They did exactly what they needed to do. Everyone’s saying certain stuff about England, but what are Ghana thinking?

“I’ve been like that, because I’ve come from Leicester. You go into the game and you draw with the top team, you come in that changing room and you go out for a beer after, because it means so much.

“You’ve got to remember, we are a nation that everyone wants to beat. I still think we will do well and get far.”

So there you have it. France to win it, Mbappe to score the goals, Canada to surprise people and England to reach the semi-finals.

Which, for England fans, sounds just about hopeful enough to get carried away - and just realistic enough to still leave room for a national inquest if another tournament passes without the ultimate prize.

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