Former England manager Fabio Capello has claimed that the team continually fail at major tournaments due to tiredness.
The Italian was in charge of the Three Lions between 2008 and 2012, overseeing their run to the fourth round of the 2010 World Cup.
Capello believes that the taxing Premier League campaign is to blame for their lack of progress.
"They're the least fresh of any of the competing national sides, because their league doesn't have a break," Sky Sports News quotes him as saying.
"It's like when you're driving a car. If you stop halfway to put fuel in, then you'll definitely get where you want to go but, if you don't, then there's always the chance you'll be running on empty before you reach your goal.
"In my opinion, the football played in the first half of the English season is much better than in the second half."
Capello is currently the manager of the Russian national team.