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Harry Kane scored twice as England booked their place at the 2026 World Cup with a commanding 5–0 victory over Latvia on Tuesday.
Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in Riga before Kane took his season tally for club and country to 21 goals in 13 appearances. Maksims Tonisevs’ own goal and Eberechi Eze’s late strike sealed a perfect qualifying campaign for Thomas Tuchel’s men, who secured top spot in Group K with two matches remaining.
Tuchel, who became the first European manager to qualify his team for the tournament, praised the mood in camp, saying, “It’s rare to qualify for a World Cup, so the atmosphere is fantastic—music, smiles, and joy. It’s a special moment.”
After a shaky start marked by narrow wins over Albania and Andorra and a friendly loss to Senegal, England have found form, winning all six qualifiers and scoring 18 goals without conceding.
Tuchel’s decision to omit fit-again Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden raised eyebrows, but his faith in continuity paid off. Gordon, thriving on the left wing, curled in England’s opener after 26 minutes.
Kane, who had earlier missed a clear chance, struck twice in four minutes before half-time—first with a composed left-footed finish and then from the penalty spot after Antonijs Cernomordijs tugged his shirt.
“We’ve built real momentum,” Kane said. “It doesn’t matter who we face—we keep pushing for wins, clean sheets, and goals.”
England coasted through the second half, extending their lead when Tonisevs diverted Djed Spence’s cross into his own net, before Eze completed the rout with a solo effort in the 86th minute.
England, who last missed a World Cup in 1994 when it was hosted in the USA, will now aim to end their long wait for a major trophy under Tuchel. With stars like Bellingham, Foden, Grealish, and Palmer still to return, the Three Lions are among the early favourites to lift their first World Cup on foreign soil.
