No excuses for England - this draw is a gift to Gareth Southgate

On the eve of the draw, Southgate’s address to the nation included the reluctant statement: “We can't go to a World Cup and not try to win it.” As if it would almost be a diversionary enterprise given his focus on introducing younger players and building for the future.

But there was no Group of Death for England. Belgium, Tunisia and Panama are the very beatable objects placed in their path. Should they reach the last-16 then it will be one of Poland, Colombia, Senegal or Japan. Suddenly a quarter-final, England’s default setting in the Sven Goran Eriksson era, looks eminently achievable again.

Certainly there can be no contemplating a repeat of four years ago, when Roy Hodgson contrived to get one point from a group including Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica. Southgate’s vision is a long-term one but the present has abundant promise too, thanks to the balls drawn out by various dignitaries at the Kremlin.

No one knows much about Panama but at 56 in the world rankings and without a recognisable player, to English eyes at least, nothing else than a win will be acceptable. Southgate was already guarding against any complacency in his ranks, telling the BBC: "We've been good at writing teams off and then getting beat. We’ve got to be prepared for every game."

An opening game against Tunisia on June 18 has a pleasing retro feel to it. That was also England’s opening fixture of the 1998 World Cup, with Southgate playing in defence, as they won 2-0 thanks to goals from Alan Shearer and Paul Scholes, going on to lose to Argentina in a dramatic last-16 match in St Etienne.

England have only played Tunisia twice, and never Panama, but the third member of the group is a more familiar foe in Belgium. England have won 15 of their 21 matches against their fellow Europeans and beat them 1-0 in extra-time in the last-16 of the 1990 World Cup thanks to a goal from David Platt.

On paper, Belgium are one of the best teams in the world with the bulk of their squad drawn from England, including some of the biggest and best names in the Premier League. Thibaut Courtois, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Kevin de Bruyne, Mousa Dembele, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku will all be in contention to start. But there has been dissent in the Belgian ranks of late.

De Bruyne caused a stir in November when he picked apart Martinez’s inadequate tactics following a friendly against Mexico, saying: “we still put too much on our talents. As long as we don't have a good tactical system, we will have difficulties.”

And while Southgate’s inexperience counts against him, Martinez’s own CV was harmed by a poor spell at Everton and Wigan’s relegation in his final season in charge. An FA Cup triumph in 2013 hinted at greater managerial capabilities from the Catalan who has made his home in Britain ever since joining Wigan as a player in 1995, but he still has much to prove.

Belgium, clearly, are the better team with better players, but England would fancy getting a draw from their final group game.

Whatever, this draw ensures Southgate will have no excuses not to at least reach the knockout stages. Even if he continually tries to drum home the fact that England are planning for the future, the World Cup has a knack of positioning fates in the present.