Former England manager Fabio Capello has said that the Three Lions have "loser" excuses for not progressing deep into any recent World Cup finals.
England's semi-final appearance at the 1990 tournament in Italy is the furthest the team have reached since the win in the 1966 final, with the team failing to reach the knockout stages at the finals in 2014.
"This never-ending 66, the returning ghost, something with its white tentacles, and you can no longer perform in the way that you should.," the 71-year-old told BBC Sport.
"The other teams get on with it and win. They don't come up with these excuses. They're losers' excuses. The shirt of the national team can weigh down heavily on a player's shoulders. It's not a sacrifice, it's not a prison. These are all things people make up in the wake of defeats.
"The pressure of a World Cup is something different. Unfortunately it's hard to understand what happens to many players in that environment."
England face Tunisia, Panama and Belgium in their three group-stage games at this summer's tournament.
Jonny Whitfield
