This is the part that’s confusing from my perspective. There hasn’t been anything even close to in English international football in the last 50+ years to suggest that they have earned the right to look past mid to lower level national sides and toward the big teams.
Based on results, England is a mid to lower level national side. A part of the reason that the one side of the Bracket was considered open was because England was there. Does anyone really believe that everyone on that side said - “wow, this bracket is really wide open, aside from Spain and England”?
No, England are like a Sweden, a Switzerland, a Colombia etc. That’s your level. What type of delusion allows you to look past a Croatian side with much, much more quality?