John Terry Names England’s 4 ‘World-Class’ Players at the World Cup

Writing has always been Josh's way of expressing his deep enthusiasm for sports, and this new path allows him to bring a fresh and honest perspective to his work.

He also gains valuable experience as a volunteer match reporter for the Loughborough Foxes WFC. Covering live events has helped Josh improve his storytelling skills and given him a closer insight into the game. Sign in to your GiveMeSport account John Terry has never been shy about sharing his opinions, and his verdict on England's World Cup squad was vintage Terry. Blunt, confident, and guaranteed to get people talking.

The Champions League winner has shared his thoughts on numerous occasions on a range of topics. He’s been outspoken on how he doesn’t even think Lionel Messi is the greatest Argentine player ever, let alone the best footballer ever, and during Enzo Maresca’s short-lived reign at his beloved Chelsea, he criticised the Italian’s tactics and his habits surrounding squad rotation.

The highest-paid English footballers in the world have been listed, including Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka.

Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored alongside Simon Jordan, the former Chelsea captain made a bold claim: That only four England players are truly world-class. It’s a take that's sure to get the conversation going among fans of the Three Lions.

The quartet Terry did single out represents the spine of what England should be built around this summer. Jude Bellingham has been described as a generational talent who hadn’t even turned 20 before he became one of the best midfielders in the world. Declan Rice has developed into exactly that too, a commanding box-to-box force whose influence over Arsenal's Premier League title win and Champions League final run has been nothing short of impeccable.

Would the former Three Lions skipper make a combined XI?

Reece James, when fit, offers a level of quality at right-back that few nations in the World Cup can match, often working in an inverted role and getting involved with the attack in a way that few players can do, whilst displaying strength and discipline when called on defensively.

And Harry Kane, for all the noise around England's system and how they’re predicted to set up, remains one of the most lethal finishers England has ever produced. Terry described his importance when responding to Morgan’s question over how reliant the Three Lions are on the Bayern Munich man:

“If he gets injured we are in trouble, regardless of his goals, he’s a big presence and the captain of our side.”

“I think we have the best striker in the World Cup, and I firmly believe he’ll be the top scorer in the World Cup”

The elephant in the room, though, is Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka. When pressed by both Morgan and Jordan on why Saka didn't make his world-class cut, Terry's reasoning came down to his end-of-season output, suggesting the winger didn't quite hit the levels expected of someone in that bracket, whilst at least acknowledging his injury struggles. It was a reserved critique rather than a dismissal, but a critique nonetheless.

The results of all 104 matches this summer have been simulated - and a fascinating tournament has been predicted.

What made it more nuanced was what followed. Morgan put it to Terry that when Saka is at his best, he's as good as anyone in his position in the world. Terry agreed, but only went as far as "potentially." Not a no, but far from a yes. It suggested Terry sees Saka as a player on the cusp of that level rather than one who's firmly established himself there.

Whether or not the world-class label strictly applies is, in some ways, beside the point. What Terry's comments do is frame exactly where the bar sits, and for Saka, the 2026 World Cup may well be his chance to clear it.