England confirmed their place at the 2026 World Cup finals with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Latvia in Group K. Thomas Tuchel's side remain unbeaten in qualifying, with two matches still to play. The result extended England's perfect record in the group, ensuring top spot with room to spare.
The match was notable for the travelling support's reaction to Tuchel's recent criticism of the Wembley crowd. Fans chanted 'Thomas Tuchel, we'll sing when we want' and 'Are we loud enough for you?' during the first half. Tuchel responded with a wave, later saying he appreciates the English sense of humour.
Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in the 26th minute, cutting inside and curling a fine shot into the far corner. Harry Kane doubled the lead with a stunning low drive from the edge of the box, then added a second from the penalty spot after a VAR review for a holding offence. Substitute Maksims Tonisevs turned the ball into his own net for England's fourth, and Eberechi Eze completed the scoring late on.
Defensively, England recorded their sixth consecutive clean sheet in qualifying, with Jordan Pickford extending his national record for shutouts. The goalkeeper had little to do against a Latvia side ranked 137th in the world, who managed only a home draw with Andorra last Saturday.
The victory underlined England's growing assurance under Tuchel, who fielded a strong side with Ezri Konsa partnering John Stones in central defence. Latvia offered little threat, and England's superiority was never in doubt from the moment Gordon struck.
