Player Evaluations: England Book Their Place for the Upcoming Tournament
Gareth Southgate's side clinched their place at the 2026 World Cup with a convincing victory over Latvia on Tuesday evening.
The Starting Lineup
- The goalkeeper – Made a couple of good saves in the second half to maintain his remarkable clean sheet record. It's now nine consecutive in a row. 6.5
- The defender – Seems at home in international football with ease. Sterner tests are coming, of course, but a promising start to his England career. 7
- John Stones – A pair of fixtures in less than a week will do the City defender a lot of good. Still one of the key players on the team-sheet, fitness permitting. 7
- Aston Villa's defender – Chosen ahead of the other option and didn't put a foot wrong. Made an outstanding last-ditch recovery tackle in the later stages to boot. 7
- Arsenal's talent – Looked a little off the pace at times, understandable given his scarce minutes at his club. An promising few months ahead. 6
- Newcastle's star – Appears essential in this England team at the moment. Seems made for this level and has formed an productive partnership with Rice. 7
- The midfielder – Enjoying his attacking role. The mainstay of England's midfield is demonstrating his creative abilities now. Emerging as a genuine all-round midfielder. 7
- The forward – Not as impactful as he has been in England's successes over previous opponents. We should find out next month who is the true owner of the number 10 shirt. 6
- Bukayo Saka – Provided an setup to his excellent goal against Wales last Thursday. Will be key to England's hopes next summer. 7.5
- The captain – At his peak. Took his tally for the season to 20 scores. Has hit the back of the net 76 occasions for his country. Is 100 possible 100? 8
- Anthony Gordon – Clinical finish to open the scoring for England here in away. Has performed admirably during this international window. 7.5
The Bench Players
- The veteran (for Rice 60) – Kept play flowing in midfield. 6
- Crystal Palace's star (for Rogers 60) – Well-executed goal and a danger. 7
- West Ham's attacker (for Saka 60) – Has a fight on his hands to be selected when the squad is full. 6
- Dan Burn (for Stones 71) – Typically, dealt with everything in the air. 6
- Manchester United's star (for Gordon 71) – A speedy dash down the left stood out. 6
After qualification confirmed, the squad can now prepare for the upcoming tournament with optimism.