Former England international Joe Cole has shared his insights on the national team's prospects at the upcoming 48-team World Cup in North America, emphasising that success may hinge on their ability to master set-pieces. The tournament could be decided by performances at corners and free-kicks, following a Premier League season where dead-ball prowess was a key factor. This comes as FIFA reportedly prepares to tighten regulations on physicality in the penalty area, a tactic notably exploited by Arsenal during their title-winning campaign.
FIFA's Stance on Set-Piece Physicality
Cole commented on FIFA's impending crackdown, stating: "FIFA have come out and said that they're going to be stringent, they're going to be pulling up on things. The referees have lost it in the last two years, and it's allowed for some nonsense to go on, actually." He added that if FIFA returns to normal standards, set-pieces will remain important. However, he cautioned: "But if FIFA don't crack down on it and let it go and it be a free-for-all, then the team that masters the arts best will be in with a better chance. But it sounds like they're going to be a little bit more strict on it, they're always important, most set-pieces."
Restoring Referee Authority
Cole expressed a desire for referees to reclaim control, noting that Premier League set-pieces often resembled a wrestling match. He said: "I think I'd like to see a ref just going, 'I've seen you pull his shirt, mate, that's a foul, let's get on with it.' And then if he does it again, that's a foul. Book him, let's get on with it." He continued: "Then all of a sudden you send someone off for pulling shirts and giving a penalty and we get back to it being very clear, if you hold someone's shirt in the box, you are going to give away a penalty." Cole concluded: "For some of the time this year the referee could have picked one of five fouls to give, so you don't need VAR for that, it's clear as day. I hope we're just refs, just taking control. But the players and the managers have to do their part."
Backing Tuchel's Squad Selection
The conversation then shifted to England's squad selection, which saw manager Thomas Tuchel raise eyebrows by leaving out Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, and Harry Maguire. Cole, who experienced the challenge of fitting top players into a cohesive system during his international career, has backed Tuchel's approach. "We've had our furore about the squad, nobody would have picked the same 26 players, and everyone's got an opinion," Cole said. "I think it's just a case of let's not keep talking about the players that are not there, let's keep talking about the players that are there, and the players that are going to help us win, because we've got so many matchwinners." He added: "I think Thomas has got a style of play, and he's picked a certain type of player who could fit that style. So we know how we're going to play and we know we've got the players who can perform that role, and it's just going to be how well they can execute the plan. And can we get our best players flying? I think we're one of 12 teams that can win it, and things will have to happen."
Joe Cole was speaking to the Press Association as part of his role as ambassador for Enterprise's #OnEveryCorner program, which offers fans in the UK and Ireland a chance to win a car when a corner kick goal is scored. To enter, participants must post #OnEveryCorner and #Sweepstakes and tag @Enterprise on X or visit OnEveryCorner.com from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
