England have booked their place in the 2026 World Cup finals. The Three Lions went into their match against Latvia at the Daugava Stadium in Riga knowing a win would see them qualify for next summer’s tournament.
Thomas Tuchel’s side got the result they needed as they cruised to a comfortable victory. Anthony Gordon opened the scoring and further goals from Harry Kane (2), Maksims Toņiševs (OG) and Eberechi Eze gave England a resounding 5-0 triumph.
England have been sublime in their World Cup qualifying campaign as they’ve won all six of their Group K matches thus far, scoring 18 and not letting in a single goal in the process. Their dominance has seen them become the first European side to qualify for next summer’s tournament.
Paul Scholes Names 4 Players Tuchel Must Recall
England will go into the competition as one of the favourites, but Paul Scholes has played down their chances of lifting the trophy. Speaking prior to the Three Lions’ win over Latvia, Scholes said he was ‘surprised’ that Jude Bellingham, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden – as well as Adam Wharton – were omitted from the squad.
He believes the axed players have to be included if England are to have any chance of ending their lengthy trophy drought. He said on The Overlap: “I was a little bit surprised. Those three players [Bellingham, Grealish and Foden] – along with Adam Wharton – they have to be in his squad, and they will be in his squad for the World Cup.
“If you look at the squad now, you would say they have virtually no chance of winning the World Cup. Even with those three players it’s still a big ask but it gives you more of a chance of winning the cup.
“Jude Bellingham has missed a little bit of football but he’s fit now so I would have brought him back in. Thomas Tuchel hasn’t got many games left now until the World Cup actually starts, it’s only the November break and then the March one and then we’re there so we need to get these players playing.”
Scholes also said he was baffled at Bellingham, Foden and Grealish’s omissions when speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast. He said:
“I don’t agree with it because the England squad in this international break isn’t going to win the World Cup.
“Now look, it’s still a mountain to climb with those three players in there but it makes the squad better, they have to be in it. They’re England’s best three players so I’m baffled by it.”
England conclude their World Cup qualifying campaign next month when they face Serbia and Albania.
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