England seal World Cup qualification as Harry Kane stars in 5-0 rout of Latvia
England booked their place at next summer’s World Cup with an emphatic 5-0 win over Latvia in Riga, extending their perfect qualifying record under Thomas Tuchel.
Goals from Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze, a Maksims Tonisevs own goal, and two from Harry Kane saw the Three Lions become the first European team to confirm their spot at the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Tuchel’s men needed just a win to seal top spot in Group K, and they did it in style. Gordon broke the deadlock after 26 minutes before Kane doubled the lead with his 75th goal for England. The skipper then fired home a penalty before half-time after a VAR review.
Latvia’s resistance crumbled after the break as Eze and Tonisevs’ own goal completed the rout, with England shifting focus to next summer’s finals and their long-awaited dream of ending 60 years of hurt.
John Cross of the Mirror rated Kane as man of the match, describing the captain as “England’s unstoppable goal machine.” The striker’s form, along with Tuchel’s fresh tactical approach, has reignited belief that England could finally challenge for major silverware.
Tuchel will now turn his attention to fine-tuning his squad, with Elliot Anderson, Djed Spence, and Myles Lewis-Skelly among those staking their claim for a place on the plane.
For now, England fans can celebrate qualification secured, confidence restored, and momentum firmly on their side heading into 2026.



