Riga, Latvia – England secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in emphatic fashion, routing Latvia 5-0 in a dominant display on Tuesday. Harry Kane led the charge with two goals, propelling the Three Lions to their sixth consecutive win in World Cup qualifying.
Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in the 26th minute, latching onto a precise pass from John Stones and expertly finishing into the bottom corner. Kane then took center stage, scoring twice in quick succession before halftime. His first goal came from a well-struck left-footed shot from outside the box, following aggressive pressing from Bukayo Saka. He then converted a penalty, awarded after he was pulled down in the box by Latvia captain Antonijs Cernomordijs.
The second half saw England continue their dominance, with Maksims Tonisevs diverting a Djed Spence cross into his own net for an own goal. Substitute Eberechi Eze then capped off the scoring with a well-taken fifth goal.
Kane's brace set a new England record, marking the 13th time he has scored more than once in an international match, surpassing Nat Lofthouse's previous record. He also surpassed Gary Lineker's record to become the England's all-time top scorer while playing for a foreign club, with 18 goals scored while at Bayern Munich. After the game, Kane expressed his delight at securing another major tournament for England, praising the team's focus and high level of performance. He also acknowledged the fantastic support from the travelling England fans in Riga.
The victory means England have a perfect record in their World Cup qualifying group, guaranteeing them a top spot with two games to spare. Manager Thomas Tuchel has guided the team to six wins in six qualifiers, with an impressive 21 goals scored and none conceded.
England's qualification marks their 17th appearance at the World Cup, with their best result being the 1966 triumph on home soil. As the Three Lions look forward to the tournament in North America, fans will be hoping that 2026 will finally be the year "football comes home".
Other notable performances included Anthony Gordon, who terrorized the Latvian defense with his pace and trickery. Jordan Pickford also kept his ninth successive clean sheet for England.
