Squad Evaluations: England Qualify for 2026 World Cup

England clinched their spot at the 2026 World Cup with a comfortable victory over their opponents on Tuesday evening.

The Starting Lineup

  • England's number one – Pulled off a few of fine stops in the second half to maintain his impressive clean sheet run. It's now nine straight in a row. 6.5
  • Djed Spence – Seems at home in international football with ease. Tougher tests lie ahead, of course, but a promising start to his England career. 7
  • Manchester City's centre-back – Two matches in five days will do the City defender a great benefit. Still one of the automatic picks on the team-sheet, fitness permitting. 7
  • Aston Villa's defender – Picked ahead of Marc Guehi and didn't put a foot wrong. Made an outstanding last-ditch recovery tackle in the closing period to boot. 7
  • The young defender – Appeared a somewhat ring rusty at times, understandable given his limited game time at Arsenal. An intriguing few months ahead. 6
  • The midfielder – Seems undroppable in this England team at the moment. Seems made for this level and has developed an strong partnership with Rice. 7
  • The midfielder – Excelling in his attacking role. The backbone of England's midfield is displaying his attacking abilities now. Developing into a true all-round midfielder. 7
  • Morgan Rogers – Quieter as he has been in England's victories over Serbia and Wales. The answer will come next month who is the true owner of the number 10 shirt. 6
  • Arsenal's star – Contributed an key pass to his excellent goal against Wales last Thursday. Will be crucial to England's prospects next summer. 7.5
  • Harry Kane – At his peak. Boosted his tally for the season to 20 strikes. Has hit the back of the net 76 goals for his country. Is 100 possible 100? 8
  • The forward – Sharp 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
  • The playmaker (for Rogers 60) – Well-executed goal and a threat. 7
  • The winger (for Saka 60) – Battles on his hands to earn a place when all are available. 6
  • The defender (for Stones 71) – Predictably, handled everything in the air. 6
  • Marcus Rashford (for Gordon 71) – A speedy dash down the left was noticeable. 6

After a World Cup spot confirmed, the squad can now turn their attention for the World Cup with confidence.

Stacey Livingston
Stacey Livingston

Elara Vance is a financial strategist with over a decade of experience in wealth management and personal finance coaching.