England secured their berth at the 2026 World Cup with a comfortable victory over Latvia on Tuesday night.
The Starting Lineup
- The goalkeeper – Pulled off a couple of good stops in the second half to extend his remarkable clean sheet streak. It's now nine consecutive in a row. 6.5
- The full-back – Seems at home in international football with ease. More challenging tests lie ahead, of course, but a positive start to his England career. 7
- The defender – Two games in five days will do the City defender a great benefit. Still one of the key players on the team-sheet, fitness permitting. 7
- The centre-back – Selected ahead of Marc Guehi and was flawless. Executed an excellent last-ditch recovery tackle in the second half to boot. 7
- The young defender – Looked a slightly off the pace at times, understandable given his lack of action at his club. An intriguing few months ahead. 6
- Newcastle's star – Appears undroppable in this England team at the moment. Seems tailored for this level and has struck up an excellent partnership with Rice. 7
- Arsenal's engine – Enjoying his advanced midfield role. The backbone of England's midfield is showing his creative abilities now. Emerging as a real all-round midfielder. 7
- Morgan Rogers – Quieter as he has been in England's successes over Serbia and Wales. It will be revealed next month who is the true owner of the number 10 shirt. 6
- Arsenal's star – Contributed an assist to his excellent goal against Wales last Thursday. Will be key to England's chances next summer. 7.5
- The striker – At his peak. Took his count for the season to 20 strikes. Has found the net 76 goals for his country. Will he achieve 100? 8
- Anthony Gordon – Sharp finish to open the scoring for England here in the Latvian capital. Has acquitted himself well during this fixture period. 7.5
The Bench Players
- Jordan Henderson (for Rice 60) – Kept things moving in midfield. 6
- Eberechi Eze (for Rogers 60) – Well-executed goal and a menace. 7
- Jarrod Bowen (for Saka 60) – Faces competition on his hands to make the squad when all are available. 6
- Dan Burn (for Stones 71) – Typically, dealt with everything in the air. 6
- The forward (for Gordon 71) – A speedy dash down the left caught the eye. 6
With a World Cup spot confirmed, England can now prepare for next summer with high hopes.
