ATLANTA -- The Great Britain team travelled to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in hope. They had their own expectations of what success would look like: potential gold medal contenders in Jonathan Edwards, Kelly Holmes and the rowers. Three or so weeks after they arrived, the team returned home in ignominy. It was rock bottom -- they won just one gold medal, their worst return since 1952. Atlanta had sprung a trap, and Great Britain stepped straight into it.
Thirty years on, there's a similar danger facing Thomas Tuchel's side in a World Cup round of 32 match in this same city. There's public expectation and confidence England should beat Congo DR by a couple of goals on Wednesday at the spectacular Atlanta Stadium. But expectation is one thing, achieving what you've set out to do is an altogether different task. To book England's spot in the round of 16, Tuchel must marry preparation with astute selection to get the expected result. Nothing can be taken for granted. Not in this graveyard of British sporting hopes.
Back in 1996, Chris Boardman's preparations for the Atlanta humidity saw him take his exercise bike into his bathroom at home and whack the shower up as hot as it could go. This lot in 2026 have had all manner of scientific wizardry behind them to cope with the humidity. If England melt in Atlanta it won't be for lack of funding or preparation, or the heat for that matter, given they are in an air-conditioned stadium. But for all the meticulous planning, there are still several questions facing Tuchel and this England team, with the predominant one being just what his best team is.
The main issue is on both sides of the pitch. Across the three matches so far, there have been nine different combinations on the right and left flanks, between fullbacks and wingers. There have been moments where it has gelled, but there have been other disjointed combinations.
Right-back is a real issue for England. When fullback Tino Livramento was injured on the eve of the World Cup, Tuchel called up centre back Trevoh Chalobah. He said that would free up Jarell Quansah to focus more as being back-up to Reece James. James' hamstring issues are well known, but he got through the first and second match. But it was after the 0-0 draw with Ghana that his hamstring started to tighten up.
"No-one could see that coming," Tuchel said.
Quansah started at right-back against Panama but was forced off after 63 minutes with an ankle knock. When asked about whether he was concerned about these injuries in one specific position, Tuchel said: "Naturally. Of course, we have another injury in the position... it is our job to find solutions."
Those knocks leave England with just two fit fullbacks: Nico O'Reilly and Djed Spence. O'Reilly will start against Congo DR, while it'll likely be either Spence (predominantly a left-back) or Ezri Konsa (a centre-back) starting at right-back. It's suboptimal.
Whatever Tuchel does there will have a knock-on effect on who starts at centre-back against Congo DR. If Konsa shifts to right-back, then John Stones would likely be partnered with Marc Guéhi.
England's defence has looked vulnerable this tournament. They conceded twice against Croatia and were incredibly lucky to escape conceding a penalty against Ghana when Konsa scythed down Prince Kwabena Adu. Against Panama, the opposition had joy unpicking the space between Quansah and Konsa on the right of England's defence. It needs to be shored up, or else Yoane Wissa will have acres of space to punish England.
As you move higher up the pitch, it's not clear who England's first-choice left winger is, while Bukayo Saka is managing his Achilles problems and is a little off his explosive best. Noni Madueke started against Croatia and Ghana, while Saka got the nod for Panama. Neither of them have really locked that right forward position down. You expect Tuchel will give Saka as much time and space as he needs to get himself back to 100% but equally, England need him.
On the other wing, Anthony Gordon started against Croatia and Ghana, with Marcus Rashford in his usual super-sub role. Rashford got the nod to start against Panama and caused all sorts of mischief on the left wing but just lacked the end product. Rashford probably has the edge here, but again, it's a murky picture.
Much like the last two outings, England can expect to have a lot of the ball on Wednesday. Congo DR had 25% possession in their 1-1 draw with Portugal, 34% in their 1-0 loss to Colombia and 58% in their final group match in their 3-1 win over Uzbekistan, where they were pre-match favourites. In matches where they're the underdogs, like Wednesday's game, they'll defend compactly and look to frustrate the opposition.
England struggled against low blocks like Ghana and had trouble breaking down the higher Panamanian line in the first-half of their eventual 2-0 win last Saturday.
Picking the right midfield combination is key here. The likelihood is that Tuchel reverts back to the trusted trio of Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham. Bellingham has been England's standout player at this World Cup, while Rice was rested for the Panama match and Anderson has played all three.
The man who has been surprisingly absent of any minutes so far is Kobbie Mainoo. Wayne Rooney said on the BBC this week he'd like to see him start, but it's unlikely.
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"I'd go with Declan Rice sitting, and I'd go with Mainoo and Jude Bellingham," Rooney said. "Mainoo can give you a bit of both, but in tight areas, that's Mainoo's biggest strength -- his feet in tight areas, and then he has got a little pass. I think he's the only one who is capable of doing that in those tight areas."
There's a tonne of advice out there for Tuchel, but he'll ignore it all in his "bubble," as he calls it. On Tuesday evening, Tuchel carried out his final pre-match press conference. There he outlined the threats that Congo DR pose and predicted a physical encounter.
Apart from Quansah and James, everyone else is available. Now it's just down to how you piece it all together and avoid another dreadful day in Atlanta for sport back home.
"It doesn't matter what people think the game should be, or the FIFA rankings," Tuchel said. "We will answer the questions while the game is in play. We need freedom, to be calm and ready to perform. I think we are. We'll see if I'm right."