Five-star England shine in Belgrade | OneFootball

Thomas Tuchel and skipper Harry Kane had both warned about the intimidating atmosphere awaiting England at Belgrade’s Rajko Mitic Stadium. As it turned out, the noise barely lasted a few minutes. The Three Lions quickly took control of the ball and the game, silencing the home crowd on their way to a comfortable 5–0 victory.

Kane, as ever, led the way with his 74th international strike - extending his own goalscoring record. The night also brought first England goals for Noni Madueke, Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi, while Marcus Rashford added his name to the scoresheet too. It was as emphatic as away performances come, and a real statement from Tuchel’s side.

For the stats lovers, this is the eighth time since the year 2000 that England have netted five or more in an away fixture.

The Road to 2026

Attention now shifts to World Cup qualification. England are almost there: two more victories will guarantee their place at the 2026 finals. The earliest they can wrap it up is during the October international window.

Tuchel’s men only have one qualifier next month - away to Latvia on 14 October, but events elsewhere could speed things up. Should Serbia fail to beat Albania three days earlier, England would qualify with a win in Riga.

Even if Serbia do beat Albania, they would still need to avoid dropping points away in Andorra on 17 October. If they slip up there, an England win in Latvia would again be enough to seal the deal with two matches to spare.

Of course, Serbia could keep the champagne on ice by winning both their October fixtures, but the maths is simple: two victories from their remaining three games and England are officially in.

Before that, Tuchel’s team take on Wales in a Wembley friendly on 9 October before the crucial trip to Riga five days later.