World Cup winner Vicente Del Bosque labels England favourites for the tournament - 'this is their moment'

The legendary coach added that he hoped for England to meet Spain in the final

Vicente del Bosque with the World Cup trophy in 2010 (GETTY IMAGES)

Vicente Del Bosque, the coach who led Spain to World Cup glory in 2010, has tipped England as favourites to win this summer's tournament in Russia saying: "this is their moment."

"I'd put England this year," said the now-retired World Cup winner when asked who were his favourites.

"They have been doing nothing since 66 and from this point of view there seems no reason, but I think it's their moment," he told El Independiente.

"They have a lot of influence from foreigners in their league but they have good players, competitive, fast people, very powerful. And with quality. They have a load of good players.

"And I say it because there could be a Spain-England final, I hope."

Del Bosque's vote of confidence comes the day after England midfielder Jesse Lingard spoke about comparisons Manchester United coaches had made between him and legendary Spanish international Andres Iniesta, Lingard's idol.

It takes some nerve from a player, especially an England player, to name an inspiration that good but Lingard willingly pointed to the Barcelona legend as someone he has tried to learn from.

“I used to watch Iniesta a lot, I liked him,” Lingard said. “You just pick up little things of what they do and try to put it into your game.”

Especially that instinctive gift for finding space that is Iniesta’s oxygen, and that is Lingard’s job in this England team. “It’s just the way [Iniesta] graces the pitch,” Lingard said. “He’s silky, an intelligent footballer. And people have said I’m an intelligent footballer, so I have to learn off the other players that are intelligent and play in the same position as well.

“It is always something I have done,” Lingard explained. “With me being small from a young age, I had to try and keep out of the battles and the tackles. So to play in between the lines, with space and time on the ball, that was where I was most dangerous.”

Should Lingard play even close to Iniesta's level then Del Bosque's prediction may prove closer to reality than many in England could ever have expected.