David Beckham believes England have the right mentality for success under Roy Hodgson as they gear up for their final two crucial World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland over the next fortnight.
Victories in both matches would ensure automatic qualification for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, however the Three Lions drew three of their five matches over the summer - most recently a 0-0 result against Ukraine in Kiev last month.
Former England captain Beckham has no doubt that Hodgson's group have what it takes to reach next summer's showpiece.
"I do," he replied when asked if he thought the England squad were winners.
"There's a transitional period that was always going to happen. You see it throughout sport, you see it throughout teams and countries and obviously Roy Hodgson has come in and done a good job.
"There's a lot of young players in the team and we've still got those players that they can look up to like Frank Lampard, like Stevie G (Steven Gerrard). There's players in there that have been in there for many, many years who have experienced World Cups and big games.
"So they have got those players that have got the experience in there, but young players will only learn when they're playing and that's what Roy has done. He's brought in a couple of young players that are the future of English football."
Beckham, who retired from competitive football following a short stint with Paris St Germain last season, added: "I think people like to see winners and see teams and the country you support and live in be the best.
"That's why we are a country of believers and there are high expectations in our country.
"Whenever we go into a competition, whether it be football, whether it be any other sport, there's always high expectations and that's rightly so, because we're a country that's passionate about our sport and we're believers and that should never change."
Source: PA
