England sealed their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup with authority, dismantling Latvia 5-0 in Riga yesterday evening. The comprehensive performance underlines Thomas Tuchel’s direction and reinforces England’s status as one of Europe’s top sides.
Anthony Gordon got things started in the 25th minute, cutting in from the left and curling a shot past the goalkeeper.
Harry Kane then struck twice before halftime — once from open play and once from the penalty spot — pushing his England goal tally higher.
In the second half, a cross from Djed Spence deflected into the net off Maksims Tonīševs, giving England a fourth.
Eberechi Eze, subbed on later, capped off the night with a clinical finish to make it 5-0.
With this win, England now boast a perfect qualifying record: 6 wins, 18 goals scored, and zero conceded.
England exhibited control, discipline, and ruthless finishing. Their pressing game stifled Latvia’s efforts to build out from the back, and the midfield — marshaled by pairings combining creativity and defensive solidity — consistently fed the front line with chances.
Kane’s brace not only contributed to the result but reinforced his status as England’s all-time leading scorer in qualifying campaigns. Meanwhile, the defensive unit stood firm: Latvia were rarely able to test Jordan Pickford meaningfully.
Thomas Tuchel will take confidence from this showing. With qualification secured early, England can now manage their squad through friendlies and preparation leading into the World Cup proper.
From a football prediction perspective, this result was aligned with expectations — England were heavy favorites. Markets for “both teams to score: No” and “double chance (England or Draw)” would have been safe bets. Going forward, prediction models will likely favor England heavily in subsequent qualifiers and group games.
Given their defensive record and attacking depth, England now enter the tournament as serious contenders rather than just qualifiers.
Australia , Brisbane