World Cup 2018: Why Belgium's show of strength could actually come to benefit England

Coming second in Group G could open up all sorts of possibilities for Gareth Southgate's men

The bad news for England is that Belgium look really rather good. The good news for England is that second place in Group G, should that be their destiny, might be one of the most favourable routes to the semi-finals that a team could hope for. From there, you’re on your own.

Because ultimately, Belgium have taken control of Group G.

With two comfortable wins under their belt they are overwhelming favourites to win it considering they would need just a draw against England unless the Three Lions put Panama to the sword by a record score.

But it turns out that England may be best served after all by finishing second in Group G and benefitting from the sort of lucky draw that occasionally pops up at these tournaments but is impossible to plan for. By the time England and Belgium face off in Kaliningrad next week we will know the exact situation as it is the final group game of any at this World Cup and the jigsaw puzzle will have all but two of its pieces filled in.

In all likelihood, Germany’s defeat to Mexico makes it very hard for them to finish first in their group and opens up the possibility of a round-of-16 humdinger between the defending world champions and Brazil in Samara.

It sounds more like the sort of fixture that should be a World Cup final, but instead it will be two teams with the loftiest ambitions playing a do-or-die game for the right to face the winners of Group G – this group – or the runners-up from Group H, which could legitimately be Poland, Senegal, Japan or Colombia at this stage.

Whichever of the four you face next, the prospect of a quarter-final against the World Cup favourites or the World Cup winners is daunting for two teams that haven’t tasted success of their own either in a long time or at all.

Coming second in this group might open up all sorts of possibilities though.

Like Germany in 2002, who reached the World Cup final after a barely-believable knockout run of opponents – Paraguay, USA, South Korea – there is a chance for one of England or Belgium to play a Group H team and then the winner of (probably) Mexico or Sweden against Switzerland.

Win that one and you’re in the final four. From there you’re a slice of luck – a deflection, a stupid red card, a penalty – from the World Cup final.

Then you’re 90 minutes from immortality.

Belgium might well beat England this week and they might well top Group G. But if that is a cloud you see on the horizon then look more closely at its lining; it may not even be silver, it may be solid gold.

It’s good to be good but sometimes it’s better to be lucky.