England show quiet progress in bid to end years of hurt

Soccer Football - England Training - St. George’s Park, Burton Upon Trent, Britain - May 22, 2018 General view during training Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine

LONDON (Reuters) - England arrive at the World Cup in Russia without the noisily optimistic drumbeats that often accompany them to major tournaments.

Years of underachievement and disappointment have doused any serious hope among supporters and jingoistic media that England will finally emulate the feats of 1966 and win the World Cup.