The warning came as Spanish football federation president Angel Maria Villar pledged his priority is to present an "invincible bid" event after he was re-elected.

 

Anson, the former commercial director of Manchester United, will officially take over as bid chief executive in January.

 

England have been regarded as early front-runners but Anson fears that could lead to complacency.

 

He said: "Being favourites is great but actually doesn't mean anything.

 

"For me that's one of the biggest dangers and that's one of the key risks I want to be sure we are aware of.

 

"There is a danger in being the favourite that it can lead to complacency and I don't think we can afford to be at all complacent.

 

"Watching the [London 2012] Olympic bid unveil as it did, coming from a position of underdog was actually a nice place to come from."

 

Anson also stressed that there should be no claims that it was time for football to "return home", something that the London 2012 bid team also purposefully avoided doing.

 

He said: "The one thing we can't afford to do is say it's our turn for the World Cup.

 

"The first thing we need to do is manage expectation level.

 

"Obviously there is a huge buzz of excitement around the bid and the prospect of England hosting the World Cup.

 

"But I think what we need now is to have a short period of time when we figure out what we want our bid to be about and figure out our strategy before we start moving forwards aggressively with the bid.

 

"We need to exceed any expectations about what our bid can be about and make it as exciting, creative and original as possible so that there is a wow factor associated with it."

 

Russia are potentially considered to be England's biggest rivals but Villa, re-elected for the fifth time since taking over from Jose Luis Roca in 1988, has promised that he will bring the World Cup back to Spain for the first time since 1982.

 

The former Athletic Bilbao and Spain defender said: "One of our fundamental aims will be to bring a World Cup finals to Spain, which could be in 2018.

 

"Being united, having a united administration, a united Spanish society, our bid will be invincible.

 

"We were waiting for there to be a president and from this moment we will start working to present a bid which will be invincible and for that unity is important, that the administration unites with football.

 

"I have to say that the first thing I have to do is get in contact with the Secretary of State for Sport to talk about the future of Spanish football and this bid which they have always supported."

 

Other countries expected to bid for the 2018 tournament include Australia, Qatar, Mexico, the United States and a joint bid from Belgium and the Neterhlands.

 

Reports have previously suggested Spain - who hosted the competition in 1982 - would present a joint bid with Euro 2004 hosts Portugal, but Villar remained reluctant to comment on the idea.

 

He added: "When we present it then you will see."