England made history in Tirana, becoming the first European nation to win at least six World Cup qualifiers in a single campaign without conceding a single goal, after a steady 2-0 victory over playoff-bound Albania. The win came just days after England eliminated Serbia from playoff contention with another commanding 2-0 result earlier last week .
Before kickoff, Softfootball understands that captain Harry Kane confirmed England's new leadership group under Thomas Tuchel a structure designed to strengthen the team's maturity and accountability. The group includes Kane himself, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Marc Guehi, forming the core of England's evolving identity.
Tuchel made seven changes from the side that beat Serbia, but England's dominance remained untouched. Declan Rice, one of the few retained starters set the early tempo with a crisp touch and a powerful drive that forced Thomas Strakosha into action within four minutes. Despite England holding possession early on, clear chances were scarce until Elseid Hysaj tested Dean Henderson with a speculative effort at the other end.