While it wouldn't be fair to describe this as a golden generation for England, it did feel like a massive chance to win a World Cup.
Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka at the peak of their powers, and Elliot Anderson arriving at the tournament on the back of an excellent season with Nottingham Forest.
England never made it easy for themselves, not helped by Rice and Saka struggling for fitness, with Reece James spending time on the sidelines, but the semi-final exit to Argentina -- particularly the manner of it -- was galling, with the Three Lions left licking their wounds once again.
The Euros in 2028 represents another big opportunity for silverware, particularly with England likely playing most of their games at Wembley.
But what will the squad look like? There were question marks around many of Tuchel's defensive selections for his World Cup squad, and while the likes of Rice, Saka and Bellingham all still have time on their side, they already have a combined 1,200 games in their legs.
The biggest concern will be up front. Kane has now played 750 senior games, and while he's looked after himself well, he has struggled with recurring ankle injuries in the past and on the brink of turning 33, his participation in the next Euros can't be taken for granted let alone the next World Cup.
Throughout their history, England have been blessed with top class forward options. There's been an unbroken line of succession from the 1980s from Gary Lineker, to Alan Shearer, to Michael Owen, to Wayne Rooney to Kane.
It's worth noting that after the 2014 World Cup, Kane was on the fringes of the Tottenham side after a series of hit-and-miss loan spells in the EFL, but his predecessors all looked destined for the top from their teenage years, and things are starting to look a little barren.
Below, we look at who England's long-term successor to Kane could be.
Anthony Gordon
The move to Barcelona -- and the fee involved -- surprised many as Anthony Gordon waved goodbye to Newcastle. His place in England's starting XI wasn't assured heading into the World Cup, vying for game time with Marcus Rashford, and he actually lost his place before winning it back with his excellent cameo against DR Congo.
Gordon has been deployed as a centre forward for Newcastle, and while his pace makes him an option for the role, he's much better out wide and is unlikely to ever be more than a last resort.
Jude Bellingham
While not a natural centre forward, Bellingham has often been England's most advanced player throughout the World Cup owing to Kane's tendency to drop deep.
It would be a different task asking Bellingham to lead the line, but his ball carrying ability, pace, strength, finishing and box-crashing instincts mean he may be an option.
Phil Foden
Again, not a natural centre forward, but Phil Foden has been used as a false nine on occasion. His intricacy and passing in the final third have made him a star player at Manchester City, and his 19 goals in the 2023/24 season, en route to the PFA Player of the Year, demonstrated his eye for goal.
Of course, Foden has work to do just getting back in the England squad, having not been selected for the World Cup.
Liam Delap
Given what's gone before him, Liam Delap would be a sizeable downgrade as England's starting centre forward. However, he was courting the attention of the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United in the summer of 2025 after an impressive season with newly promoted Ipswich Town in which he scored 12 times.
Delap isn't the classic goalscoring number nine, but is more the battering ram, target man type, whose physical presence can disrupt defences, and he's been capped at youth level from England under-16s to under-21s.
The Manchester City academy graduate disappointed in his debut season at Chelsea, and it remains to be seen how he'll fare under Xabi Alonso, but if the Spaniard can get a tune out of Delap, he may find himself earning a first England call-up.
Tyrique George
Right now, it's extremely hard to make a case for Tyrique George getting anywhere near the England side, given he's scored one goal in his league career but, like Delap, he's made plenty of appearances at youth level.
George has found appearances tough to come by at Chelsea and will now get an opportunity with Everton, and as far as he seems from the England side now, he's perhaps just as far as Harry Kane was in 2012, four years before his first tournament appearance for the Three Lions.
Brian Madjo
A speculative inclusion perhaps, and about as speculative as the £12m Aston Villa paid to bring Brian Madjo to the club. Watching Madjo playing at youth level is reminiscent of the videos of Romelu Lukaku playing at a similar age, standing at 6ft4in and towering above his competitors.
Interestingly, Madjo signed for Villa in January but will have to wait until next January to make his debut, with FIFA deeming the move an international transfer, despite Villa's claims that him representing England at youth level and being born in London should make him eligible to play now.
It will be a while before we see more of Madjo, but four years is a long time in football, and he may well end up representing England at senior level.
