Squad Assessments: England Secure a Spot for the Upcoming Tournament
England earned their place at the 2026 World Cup with a convincing win over their opponents on Tuesday evening.
The Starting Lineup
- England's number one – Pulled off a couple of fine stops in the second half to extend his impressive clean sheet record. It's now nine straight in a row. 6.5
- Djed Spence – Seems at home in international football like a duck to water. More challenging tests await, of course, but a good start to his England career. 7
- Manchester City's centre-back – Two games in a short span will do the Manchester City defender a lot of good. Still one of the first names on the starting lineup, fitness permitting. 7
- Ezri Konsa – Picked ahead of Marc Guehi and didn't put a foot wrong. Executed an excellent last-ditch recovery tackle in the closing period to boot. 7
- Myles Lewis-Skelly – Appeared a slightly off the pace at times, expected given his limited game time at his club. An intriguing few months ahead. 6
- The midfielder – Looks essential in this England team at the moment. Seems made for this level and has formed an strong partnership with Rice. 7
- Arsenal's engine – Thriving in his number eight role. The pillar of England's midfield is showing his creative abilities now. Emerging as a true all-round midfielder. 7
- Morgan Rogers – Less influential as he has been in England's wins over Serbia and Wales. It will be revealed next month who is the true owner of the number 10 shirt. 6
- Bukayo Saka – Contributed an key pass to his superb goal against Wales last Thursday. Will be crucial to England's chances next summer. 7.5
- Harry Kane – In the form of his life. Boosted his tally for the season to 20 strikes. Has scored 76 goals for his country. Will he achieve 100? 8
- Anthony Gordon – Sharp finish to open the scoring for England here in away. Has performed admirably during this fixture period. 7.5
Subs' Impact
- Jordan Henderson (for Rice 60) – Kept play flowing in midfield. 6
- Crystal Palace's star (for Rogers 60) – Well-executed goal and a danger. 7
- West Ham's attacker (for Saka 60) – Has a fight on his hands to earn a place when everyone's fit. 6
- Dan Burn (for Stones 71) – Typically, dealt with everything aerially. 6
- Marcus Rashford (for Gordon 71) – A speedy dash down the left stood out. 6
With their place confirmed, the squad can now prepare for next summer with optimism.
