Thomas Tuchel’s England side ended their excellent World Cup qualification campaign as they’d started it: with a 2-0 victory over Albania. The Three Lions took UEFA Group K by storm, winning eight out of eight, scoring 22 goals and conceding zero. England thus became the first European side ever to win all their World Cup qualifiers without letting in a single goal (based on nations playing at least six qualifying games).
Qualification Campaign Stats
The perfect @FIFAWorldCup qualifying campaign ✅
On we go to 2026 👊 pic.twitter.com/1LK1fyma1q
— England (@England) November 16, 2025
Sunday’s victory in Albania was one of the toughest games in the group, and Tuchel’s men had to be patient and composed as they eased to victory. Here we take a look back at the Three Lions’ qualification campaign, and we ponder what Tuchel must decide ahead of the World Cup itself.
| Team | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Scored | Conceded | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 24 |
| Albania | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 14 |
| Serbia | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 13 |
| Latvia | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 5 |
| Andorra | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 1 |
A cursory glance at the Group K table tells you this was basically a walk in the park for England, at least from a statistical perspective. Of course, if Tuchel’s troops had finished anywhere but top of this group, it would have been painted as a complete disaster. But few expected England to win all their games without conceding a single goal along the way.
Jordan Pickford
There has been a certain amount of luck at times but great credit should be handed to England’s main man between the sticks, Everton’s Jordan Pickford. With more than 80 caps at senior level now, he’s a solid and motivating presence in goal, and his vocal encouragement (and sometimes barracking) of the backline has certainly contributed to England’s defensive success.
Harry Kane
At the other end, the obvious key player is England’s skipper and record goalscorer, Harry Kane. He scored in six of the eight qualifying matches, including both goals in the away win at Albania and the only goal of England’s closest match, which surprisingly came in their 1-0 victory over Andorra back in June.
The Bayern Munich man now has 78 goals for his country in just 112 games, at a rate of almost 0.7 goals per game. England fans don’t want to consider what might happen if Kane picks up an injury ahead of the World Cup (though, of course, Tuchel must come up with a contingency plan for that scenario, more of which later).
Other Noteworthy Players
One of the main players to have impressed under Tuchel is Morgan Rogers, who is in direct competition with Jude Bellingham (and others) for the number 10 role. Alongside Declan Rice (who is a critical piece of the England jigsaw), Rogers is the only other player to feature in all 10 of Tuchel’s matches. Others who appear very much to be ‘on the plane’ include Ezri Konsa, Bukayo Saka, Elliot Anderson, Jone Stones, Pickford, and probably two out of Marcus Rashford, Eberechi Eze and Anthony Gordon.
What Must Tuchel Decide Before the Tournament Kicks Off?
Tuchel has plenty of decisions to make ahead of naming his squad for the World Cup next summer. Some decisions will be taken out of his hands due to injuries. But he has some big calls to make nonetheless. Not least when it comes to his attacking line-up. Assuming Kane is fit, one of the biggest decisions the German faces will be who to start in the supporting roles around the Bayern man. Rogers is seemingly in pole position as things stand for the number 10 role, but Bellingham would dearly love to make that position his own.
Bellingham didn’t look overly impressed when subbed off for Rogers late in the Albania game. Despite a relatively minor burst of impetuosity, the negative reaction from the Real Madrid man won’t have done him any favours as he attempts to convince Tuchel he deserves to start every England match. But Phil Foden and Cole Palmer could also challenge for that position, and Tuchel may well not take all four of them on the plane.
A lot of the players who have impressed under Tuchel, and – crucially – whose attitudes he seems to like, will essentially pick themselves if they stay fit. But one conundrum that needs to be addressed is who to take as the main understudy for Kane in case he needs a rest or (God forbid!) gets injured. The options are not obvious at this stage, and it’s possible that any one of Ollie Watkins, Liam Delap or even Danny Welbeck could earn their place if they score enough domestic goals before the squad is announced.
Hopefully, that scenario will remain hypothetical, as attempting to fill Kane’s boots would be almost impossible. But for the moment, England can bask in the glory of an exceptional qualification campaign and the manager and backroom staff can begin to plan ahead as they attempt to win the World Cup itself.
