England booked their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in emphatic fashion, brushing aside Latvia 5-0 in Riga to maintain their perfect qualifying record under Thomas Tuchel. The win means the Three Lions have now reached an eighth consecutive World Cup finals and they've done so with ruthless efficiency, winning all six of their qualifiers without conceding a single goal.
SoftFootball that understands that Tuchel made two changes to the side that defeated Wales 3-0 five days ago , with captain Harry Kane returning to lead the line and youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly earning a start in midfield. Kane thought he'd given England the lead inside the opening minute only to see his effort ruled out for offside, before narrowly missing again from Anthony Gordon's teasing cross.
England were in full control from the outset, dictating possession and pressing Latvia into mistakes. Their dominance was eventually rewarded in the 22nd minute when Gordon latched onto John Stones' long ball, cut inside onto his right foot, and lashed an unstoppable strike past Krijanis Zviedris. The Newcastle winger was at the heart of everything positive for Tuchel's side, showcasing pace, precision, and purpose on the left flank.