Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News 
Thomas Tuchel mentioned he had wished “extra impression” from his wingers in a 2-0 win over Albania in his first recreation in cost that left Gareth Southgate’s everlasting successor underwhelmed.
Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden began as England’s huge gamers for the opening recreation of their 2026 Fifa World Cup qualification marketing campaign at Wembley Stadium, however each of England’s targets got here from central positions as they noticed off opponents they thrashed 5-0 on their earlier go to in 2021.
“We are able to do higher,” Tuchel advised ITV Soccer. “We now have to do higher. We began fairly nicely and had seven or eight minutes with 100% ball possession, with numerous passes and excessive power.
“Within the second half, I felt we had been too gradual and, basically, there weren’t sufficient runs off the ball to get behind the road.
“We hope for extra impression in [wide] positions – extra dribbling and extra aggressive runs in the direction of the field. Basically, that was lacking. There was a bit lacking – they weren’t as decisive as they are often.”
“He gained’t have to fret about the place he needs to play, as a result of he gained’t be taking part in” 😐
Roy Keane was not impressed with Phil Foden tonight #ITVFootball | #ThreeLions pic.twitter.com/dtmhP48Tht
— ITV Soccer (@itvfootball) March 21, 2025
Tuchel: Lewis-Skelly ‘superb’
Full-back Lewis Skelly, who made his debut in senior soccer for Arsenal lower than six months in the past, coolly slotted in from Jude Bellingham’s perceptive ball within the twentieth minute earlier than Kane superbly struck his seventieth worldwide objective from a Declan Rice cross with 13 minutes remaining.
Rashford, who’s on mortgage at Aston Villa from Manchester United, made his first worldwide begin since November 2023 after a primary call-up in virtually a yr, whereas Manchester Metropolis’s Foden made his second begin in England’s final seven video games and has not been immediately concerned in a aggressive objective for his nation for the reason that 2022 World Cup.
Tuchel was extra evidently impressed with Lewis-Skelly, calling the 18-year-old an “superb participant” with “superb persona”.
“He got here into camp and confirmed right away that it’s regular to fall in love with him,” Tuchel added. “[His praise] is nicely deserved.”
“For England?.. I don’t assume so” 😏@BellinghamJude with one among his greatest assists for the #ThreeLions tonight @England | @gabrielclarke05 🎙 pic.twitter.com/eRNtNZwHQm
— ITV Soccer (@itvfootball) March 21, 2025
Bellingham can produce ‘particular issues’
Requested about teaching Actual Madrid’s Bellingham, Tuchel mentioned there was “little doubt” that the 21-year-old is “a key participant for us”.
“It was a unbelievable cross to help the primary objective,” he noticed. “I anticipate particular issues from Jude. He is able to take the duty and we’ve got to create an atmosphere and construction the place we are able to see extra of it.”
Debutant Dan Burn hit the crossbar with a header earlier than the break for England, who play their second recreation of the marketing campaign at residence to Latvia on Monday (19:45 GMT).
“He’s fearless” 👊@_DeclanRice sums up that dream debut from his Arsenal and England teammate @lewisskelly49 #ThreeLions | @gabrielclarke05 🎙 pic.twitter.com/GwrYmQLCqG
— ITV Soccer (@itvfootball) March 21, 2025
England World Cup qualifiers
In addition to Albania, England’s Group Ok rivals comprise Latvia, Andorra and Serbia. Of these opponents, Serbia’s standing of 32 initially of qualifying made them by far the highest-ranked workforce Tuchel’s facet will face.
Serbia proved difficult opponents at Euro 2024, with solely a Jude Bellingham objective separating the groups of their opener in Germany.
Together with video games as Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro, Dragan Stojkovic’s nation have misplaced their final 5 conferences with England, though they held a formidable file of 1 defeat of their final 21 World Cup qualifying matches earlier than the group started, successful 14 and drawing six.
⏪ Again in November 2021…
🏴5️⃣-0️⃣🇦🇱 pic.twitter.com/JfIJQD39r0
— England (@England) March 21, 2025
Albania are one among 5 nations England have confronted greater than six occasions and gained in opposition to each time, alongside Luxembourg (9), San Marino (8), Malta (7) and Andorra (6).
Latvia are ranked one hundred and fortieth and have by no means performed England earlier than, whereas Andorra are 171st and have misplaced all six of the encounters between the nations by an combination rating of 25-0.
Ben Chilwell, Bukayo Saka, Tammy Abraham, James Ward-Prowse and Jack Grealish scored when England gained 5-0 in Andorra in October 21.
Togetherness and making a bond 🤝 pic.twitter.com/hkQRundhgg
— England (@England) March 21, 2025
England soccer workforce World Cup qualifying fixtures
All fixtures begin at 19:45 GMT until in any other case acknowledged.
Monday, March 24: England v Latvia
Saturday, June 7: Andorra v England (17:00)
Saturday, September 6: England v Andorra (17:00)
Tuesday, September 9: Serbia v England
Tuesday, October 14: Latvia v England
Thursday, November 13: England v Serbia
Sunday, November 16: Albania v England (17:00)
Sound on for this one. 🤩🔊 pic.twitter.com/ozcnaDn58Q
— England (@England) March 19, 2025
England video games: What occurs if Three Lions prime group?
The highest workforce from every of the 12 European Qualifier teams proceeds robotically to the finals, which will likely be expanded to 48 groups.
Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, France and Croatia are among the many different favourites to win their teams.
What occurs if England end second in World Cup qualifiers?
England will likely be eradicated in the event that they end third or beneath and enter the play-offs between March 26-31 2026 if they arrive second.
The 12 runners-up in every group will be part of 4 Nations League groups within the play-offs, which will likely be drawn from pots primarily based on groups’ data through the marketing campaign. The video games will comprise single-leg semi-finals and finals.
The draw for the World Cup finals will happen in December 2025. The match runs from June 11 till July 19 2026.
