"You have to look at the old faithfuls, the teams who have perfected the art of peaking over the course of a month," he told BBC Radio Bristol.
"Italy, Germany, Brazil, Argentina - you look at these teams and you can't see an outsider winning it."
Coppell, who was named boss at Ashton Gate in April, played for England at the 1982 World Cup and is optimistic that Fabio Capello's men can make significant progress in South Africa.
"If our top players - the ones capable of winning games on their own - play at the top of their game, we could win it," he added.
"We have some of the best players. Wayne Rooney certainly has a reputation to make on the world stage.
I think the criteria for managers should be the same as that for players. I want to see an English manager leading England
Bristol City manager Steve Coppell
"For me, the critical factor for England in this tournament is the goalkeeper and the two centre halves. I think that little triangle has to be top quality for England to do well."
In Spain in 1982, Coppell was part of a team that romped through the initial group stage before drawing a blank against West Germany and Spain in the second round.
"We came home without being beaten, knocked out without losing a game," he recalled.
"The tournament has changed in structure now and it's more of a knife edge but I think that's something we're more capable of dealing with now."
Coppell makes no secret of the fact that he would prefer the national team to have an English manager.
"I hate to say it but I'm still very much of the old school," he commented. "I think the criteria for managers should be the same as that for players. I want to see an English manager leading England."
But he is still appreciative of the job Capello has done, adding: "It's great sometimes to have a limited vocabulary. Some of the questions that have been asked running up to the tournament he can only answer in a very limited way - and that's an advantage.
"When previous managers have been put under scrutiny, there's no hiding place wheareas with Fabio he's very short. He says the bare minimum and doesn't give much away.
"But you know that, going into the tournament, his only agenda is to win it for England."
Source: BBC Sport
Source: BBC Sport