Fabio Capello and his provisional 30-man squad have spent this week in Austria as the Italian works to identify the 23 men who will join him on the plane and also draw up his blueprint for success.

However, predecessor Venables insists all that will count for little unless they head into the tournament firm in their own minds they can go all the way.

He said: "They have got to be actually thinking about winning it. People keep asking me how do I think they will do, will they reach the quarter-finals or the semi-finals?

"But they have got to be thinking about the final and then winning it. If you don't really expect to win it, you won't win it.

"You have got to think you are going to win as a group of players and a management team.

"I think there's a very good chance, although you can't see much past Spain and Brazil.

"Brazil know how to win these competitions and while it was the European Championships Spain won two years ago, a lot of the time, the European Championships are tougher than the World Cup because there are so many strong teams in Europe."

England will head into the World Cup hoping striker Wayne Rooney's rich vein of form can continue for a few more weeks.

But while he could prove the talisman, Venables knows one man alone will not secure glory, and that all Capello's key players need to stay fit and in form if the nation is to succeed on the big stage for the first time since 1966.

He said: "I understand the focus on Wayne Rooney, but although he is the outstanding player, he is part of a team.

"We need all our best players, and the team the manager would like to put out, fit and in form.

"We have got Ashley Cole back, and it looks like Rio Ferdinand is going to be fit and strong.

"You need all your best players fit, and that goes for every country."

Venables is fronting a charity competition to select England's fantasy World Cup XI and raise funds for Everyman's research into prostate and testicular cancer.

Entrants who match his selection on www.keepyoureyeontheball.org stand a chance of winning an England shirt signed by World Cup winning keeper Gordon Banks and a Wembley tour.

Venables said: "As you can imagine, it's unbelievably difficult.

"When a team has won it, there's a feeling that you can't really go for other players outside that, but it's about picking the strongest possible team."