England beat Serbia in their penultimate World Cup 2026 qualifier this evening after goals by Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze secured a 2-0 win at Wembley.
Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden started on the bench but came on in the second half as an unlikely duo, with Foden in a false nine role from which he set up Eze for the second goal which finally finished off Serbia’s challenge. Earlier Saka had steered home a controlled volley to put the hosts in front on a soaking wet night in London.
Beating Latvia in last month’s qualifiers ensured that England will finish top of Group K. Now the England boss has just two camps left before the tournament begins and he will want to determine which players are guaranteed a spot on the plane to Mexico, Canada and the United States.
Follow all the latest updates from the World Cup qualifier with our live blog below:
England vs Serbia live
- England beat Serbia in World Cup qualifier with goals from Bukayo Saka and Ebere Eze
- 90' GOAL! Superb Eze finish secures Three Lions win [ENG 2-0 SRB]
- 87' OFF THE BAR! Eze's effort hits the bar late on [ENG 1-0 SRB]
- 28' GOAL! Saka volley opens the scoring [ENG 1-0 SRB]
Bukayo Saka volleys away Thomas Tuchel’s criticism as England see off Serbia in World Cup qualifying
22:15 , Chris WilsonEloquent as Thomas Tuchel is, pointed as he can be in his comments, he must wish his words had such a swift impact on all his players. A manager who pronounced himself surprised that Bukayo Saka had only scored 13 goals for England got the desired answer. Now Saka has 14 and Tuchel’s England retain their 100 per cent record in World Cup qualifying. With Eberechi Eze also scoring, it was Arsenal 2 Serbia 0.
That Saka had agreed with Tuchel’s observation was telling. Criticism can be constructive and, in this instance, it was taken in the right way. It is harder to make the same claim when Tuchel had said his mother found Jude Bellingham “repulsive” – a remark for which the England manager apologised – but as the Real Madrid man made his first international appearance since that strange summer saga, it was with a policy of gradual reintegration.
Bukayo Saka volleys away Thomas Tuchel’s criticism as England see off Serbia
Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers in ‘competition’ for England place
03:00 , Chris WilsonThomas Tuchel has confirmed Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers are in a direct “competition” for a place in his England team.
Bellingham has returned to Tuchel’s squad for the final international camp of the year, with Rogers shining in the No 10 position as England secured qualification for the World Cup with two games to spare.
Ahead of facing Serbia at Thursday, Tuchel said that while Bellingham and Rogers can play together, it was “not the moment” to change England’s formation to get both players into the team.
Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers in ‘competition’ for England place
‘This kid is something else’: The secret behind Alex Scott’s rise from Guernsey to an England call-up
01:00 , Chris WilsonAn interview with Alex Scott, who could feature for the Three Lions on Sunday...
Alex Scott made his Guernsey FC debut as a second-half substitute, with an adult shirt flapping around his 16-year-old frame like a bedsheet. The opposition’s central midfielder, who had tattoos up to his neck and a glint in his eye as the teenager ran on to the pitch, welcomed him to non-league with a shove. “This guy could smell blood,” remembers Guernsey manager Tony Vance. But before he could put the boot in, Scott had swivelled and taken the ball somewhere else.
This was Scott’s gift, to receive it in tight spaces with ease and make opponents look foolish. Most players of his age and talent were in academies playing on green carpets at high-tech training centres, while Scott was learning to survive in the Isthmian League South East, the eighth tier of English men’s football, where midfield was essentially an escape room of sharp elbows and metal studs.
‘This kid is something else’: Alex Scott’s rise from Guernsey to an England call-up
Welcome to the best week of the football year
00:00 , Chris WilsonEven before their players set off at the start of this week, some of the Premier League’s best managers already noticed the difference. The anticipation. The trepidation. The superstition of stopping themselves even dreaming it. “Just imagine…”
This is not a typical international window. When many players usually depart for such breaks in the modern game, there’s a sense of going through the motions; from one match to the next. Not this time.
Many are going to make history, to try and achieve a unique feat that brings rare universal feelings in football. To qualify for the greatest show of all, the World Cup.
Who can qualify for the World Cup this week?
23:30 , Chris WilsonWorld Cup qualifying is hurtling towards a conclusion with some of the final places ahead of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico up for grabs over the next two weeks.
So far, 28 teams have booked their places in what has already been a historic campaign for three first-time qualifiers, with Jordan, Uzbekistan and the Cape Verde islands all through to the 48-team finals.
Thomas Tuchel’s England are the only European team to have qualified so far – courtesy of drubbings of Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra – but the other 11 group winners will be gradually confirmed in the coming days as the first round of qualifying finally concludes.
Next up
23:15 , Chris WilsonEngland’s next match comes on Sunday, when they face Albania in Tirana. That one kicks off at 5pm GMT.
Cristiano Ronaldo sent off as Troy Parrott’s brace earns Ireland famous victory
23:00 , Chris WilsonCristiano Ronaldo was sent off as Troy Parrott fired the Republic of Ireland to a sensational 2-0 victory over Portugal to set up a World Cup qualifier showdown with Hungary.
The 40-year-old Portugal skipper was dismissed for elbowing defender Dara O’Shea off the ball with a little more than half-an-hour remaining at the Aviva Stadium, but Heimir Hallgrimsson’s men were already well on their way to a win over the side ranked fifth in the world to write a new chapter in Irish football folklore.
Ronaldo had launched a charm offensive on his arrival in Dublin, promising to try to be a “good boy”, but his smiles turned to scowls and eventually petulance, leaving Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg, who had been urged in advance by Hallgrimsson not to allow the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar to do his job for him, with little alternative.
Cristiano Ronaldo sent off as Troy Parrott’s brace earns Ireland famous victory
More from Tuchel
22:40 , Chris Wilson“The possibility of starting and finishing with the same 11 players against Albania is almost zero, and it’s even more so in a tournament. It’s not about building a starting eleven, it’s about building a team,” says Tuchel on the impact of subs tonight and in the future.
“Sometimes they are disappointed but they buy into this idea of building a team, that’s what we need. Only if you are a strong group who can put the ego behind that’s the only way. That’s natural for this team,” he adds.
“You can see the impact today and it has to stay like this.
“We build a welcoming atmosphere to encourage players to be the best version of themselves.
“Nico [O’Reilly] had a fantastic debut today, he’s a very calm person, he seems to be shy, doesn’t speak out a lot, but very intelligent on the pitch, adapted so well to all the things we demand,” he adds on the debutant.
Tuchel reacts
22:30 , Chris WilsonThomas Tuchel is speaking in his post-match conference now.
“We wanted to have quality and impact and new energy from the bench, which we got. We created chances and scored, and in the end, we had to overcome some moments and defend until the end, so a special compliment also to the back four.
“I like it a lot, it was a difficult match, complicated match, we had to adapt and be flexible. We had to put in a lot of work to control the match.
“Maybe we lacked precision a bit in the last pass, but I like it because it stayed tense, it stayed intense, and was a tight match. So overall, I’m happy about this test,” he added.
How are the Home Nations and Ireland getting on?
22:25 , Chris WilsonScotland have the best chance of qualifying automatically, with Steve Clarke’s side facing Greece in Athens on Saturday before a winner-takes-all clash with Denmark at Hampden on Tuesday.
The scenario is simple – win both and they will qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup. They likely need at least a draw against Greece to start with.
Northern Ireland are third in Group A, three points behind Germany and Slovakia. They play Slovakia in Kosice tomorrow, before finishing their campaign against Luxembourg three days later.
Meanwhile, Wales will likely have to settle for a play-off place after losing to Belgium last time out. They should move level on points with North Macedonia in Group J after facing Liechtenstein on Saturday, in which case their match against Macedonia on Tuesday will decide who finishes second.
Finally, Ireland have taken a step towards a potential play-off place with a win over Portugal tonight. They play Hungary in their final game on Sunday, with the winner taking the play-off place in Group F.
Foden reacts
22:10 , Chris WilsonPhil Foden says that it is “amazing to be back” tonight, adding that he is “so happy to be back in the squad”.
“I’m enjoying it. I thought I did well, created some chances, was unlucky not to put a few away,” he adds.
When quizzed on where he played, he adds: “Yeah, wherever the manager puts me, I can play in several positions. I enjoyed it. Maybe it’ll get the best out of me, only time will tell.
“The game opened up a bit, which helped me, and overall it was a great team performance.
“There’s quality all over the pitch, the pressure is on to perform well at my club, to earn my place. [But] the smile is back,” he adds as he finishes.
England player ratings: Elliot Anderson and Eberchi Eze impress in World Cup qualifying win over Serbia
22:01 , Chris WilsonEngland earned yet another win and clean sheet in their World Cup qualifying campaign after seeing off Serbia 2-0 at Wembley Stadium.
Bukayo Saka steered home a well-controlled volley in the first half before Eberechi Eze came off the bench to wrap up the win with a wonderful curling effort into the top corner.
England were not at their free-flowing best and toiled at times in the pouring rain, but manager Thomas Tuchel can be satisfied with another three points before they head to Albania for their final qualifying game.
Here is how the players rated:
England player ratings: Elliot Anderson and Eberchi Eze impress in win over Serbia
Elsewhere in Europe
21:57 , Chris WilsonFrance have secured their place at the World Cup after a 4-0 win over Ukraine.
Italy took qualification to the final day in their group, though they would need to beat Norway at least 9-0 to qualify automatically, so Norway will be in a first tournament since Euro 2000.
And the Republic of Ireland secured a famous win over Portugal in Dublin, with Troy Parrott scoring twice. Ireland could secure a play-off place if they beat Hungary on Sunday.
In England’s group, Albania secured the play-off spot after beating Andorra 1-0, and Serbia will not be taking part in next year’s tournament.
Eze & Saka reacts
21:51 , Chris WilsonGoalscorers Ebere Eze and Bukayo Saka were first to speak to ITV.
“It’s a performance we can be proud of, we got the win in the end, and we played well,” says Saka.
“Maybe, it’s top two though! It was a nice strike, I was happy,” he replies on whether that was his sweetest strike for the Three Lions.
Eze calls the game “another good performance”, adding that it’s “good to get the win”.
“I’m happy to score and help the team. These types of players, they put the ball in the right position for you.
“There’s a lot of talent in the team, you can see the types of players that are here. It’s the type of competition that you want to be part of.
“We’ve won every game, so we want to keep building. We’ve got to be confident, believe that it’s possible, but we need to work day by day to achieve that goal,” he adds when asked about the chance of winning the World Cup.
FULL-TIME! England 2-0 Serbia
21:41 , Chris WilsonThe referee blows the final whistle and it’s another three points for England!
Not the best performance but plenty of encouraging performances and cameos, and Tuchel has plenty to think about as he begins to forge his starting eleven ahead of next year’s tournament.
England 2-0 Serbia
21:40 , Chris Wilson90 +3 mins
More of a late flourish for England as Saka and Eze combine before the latter tries to slip clever chip into the path of Bellingham, though England have to settle for a corner.
The set-piece is cleared and that should be that.
England 2-0 Serbia
21:39 , Chris Wilson90 +2 mins
Into the third of four minutes of added time here. It looks like another clean sheet and win for the Three Lions!
GOAL! England 2-0 Serbia
21:38 , Chris Wilson90 mins
GOAL! There it is!
We wanted that moment of quality and wow did we get it. It’s a superb finish from Ebere Eze.
England break and it’s shipped to Foden on halfway, and the City man drives towards goal before slipping an inch-perfect pass into the path of Eze, who’s able to hit a lovely curled first-time shot into the far corner.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:35 , Chris Wilson87 mins
OFF THE BAR! How has this not gone in?
It’s a lovely move from England, with Foden clipping a pass over the defence into the path of Eze.
The Arsenal man jumps to try and knock it past Rajkovic but the sprawling ‘keeper sends out an arm to block it, and the ball bounces off the ground and onto the underside off the bar!
Moments later, there’s another opening as Eze cuts back into the box, but Foden takes it when he might have left it to Saka and the chance goes begging.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:31 , Chris Wilson85 mins
Chance for Serbia again as Vlahovic takes the pass down in the area before cushioning a half-volley that floats over the bar. It wasn't far either, clipping the top of the net as it flew over.
England make another change as Anderson makes way for Wharton.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:29 , Chris Wilson83 mins
Good defensive work from Anderson to get back and nick the ball off Radonjić on the edge of the area.
Adam Wharton is getting ready to come on for the hosts.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:27 , Chris Wilson82 mins
Another chance not quite breaking for England, as Foden’s shot narrowly misses the path of the onrushing Anderson.
At the other end, the ball ricochets to Samardzic and he volleys wide - in a similar way to Saka’s goal - but the offside flag goes up.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:25 , Chris Wilson78 mins
Half a chance for England again as the through ball is played into the path of Saka and his cross finds Anderson, who manages to win a corner despite being surrounded by bodies.
England come again, but Bellingham rifles over from just outside the area.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:23 , Chris Wilson77 mins
Subs for Serbia again as Terzic, Lukić and Zivkovic come off for Grujic, Radonjic and Jovic.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:21 , Chris Wilson75 mins
CLOSE! Another chance for England.
James wins the loose ball near the Serbia box and plays it back to Eze, who lays off a ball that Henderson swings in first time.
It’s a great delivery and Foden is there to try and turn it towards goal, but his header flies wide.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:18 , Chris Wilson72 mins
Finally some of that quality the home fans crave. Bellingham slips a pass to James, who spins and flicks the one-two pass to his team-mate in the box, before Bellingham sees his cross put behind for a corner. That’s more like it.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:17 , Chris Wilson71 mins
Bellingham delivers a lovely first-time cross into the area between Rajkovic and his defenders...but Kane has come off, so there’s nobody there to tap in!
England 1-0 Serbia
21:15 , Chris Wilson70 mins
Some early combinations involving Foden, Bellingham and Eze, but nothing clear-cut yet.
Serbia make another change as Gudelj makes way for Samardzic.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:13 , Chris Wilson67 mins
Encouraging from England straight away as Eze slips in a great pass to Anderson in the box, though the Forest midfielder can’t direct a ball across goal.
'Foden and Bellingham paired together'
21:12 , Lawrence OstlereLawrence Ostlere reports from Wembley:
Maybe Kane, Foden and Bellingham can’t all play together, as Tuchel said this week, but it appears Foden and Bellingham can. Foden is playing as a false nine, with Bellingham off him as the 10. Interesting.
Eze is on the left, while Henderson has gone to the No 6 role with Anderson moving forwards to the No 8 position.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:11 , Chris Wilson65 mins
Subs for the hosts as Rice, Rogers, Kane and Rashford come off for Jordan Henderson, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Ebere Eze.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:09 , Chris Wilson62 mins
CLOSE! Not a bad move from Serbia, with Kostic driving into the box before cutting back a cross that Vlahovic flicks wide with a backheel.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:08 , Chris Wilson61 mins
It’s been another drab start to the half in the capital, with England not managing to create a lot despite dominating possession.
Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham are among those warming up.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:05 , Chris Wilson59 mins
Rashford lines up a shot from distance that is straight at the ‘keeper, and the Barca winger needs to run off an issue after striking the ground. Subs should be coming soon for the hosts.
England 1-0 Serbia
21:03 , Chris Wilson57 mins
Encouraging passage of play for the hosts as Rogers knocks it to Rashford in the box before picking up possession in the box, but he slips as he lines up the shot!
England 1-0 Serbia
21:00 , Chris Wilson54 mins
Nico O’Reilly is the latest player to see a shot fly wide, with subs now warming up for England.
Not a lot happening at Wembley at the moment!
England 1-0 Serbia
20:57 , Chris Wilson50 mins
England are knocking it around confidently again but they haven't been able to create any openings, with Rashford the latest to let fly from distance as his effort deflects off Kane.
England 1-0 Serbia
20:53 , Chris Wilson47 mins
England haven't scored a second-half goal at Wembley since March apparently, so it’ll be interesting to see how they get on here with nothing to play for.
An early mistake sees them win a cheap corner, though the visitors manage to clear.
KICK-OFF! England 1-0 Serbia
20:51 , Chris WilsonWe’re back underway at Wembley! Can the hosts produce something encouraging in the second half?
HALF-TIME! England 1-0 Serbia
20:48 , Chris WilsonIt wasn't the most entertaining half we’ve seen from England recently, though there have been flashes of quality even if the attack has been missing it on occasion.
Notably, Bukayo Saka’s finish for the goal was top draw, while Morgan Rogers and Marcus Rashford have been lively and encouraging.
However, Thomas Tuchel will be slightly irritated with the first-half performance, and home fans will be hoping to see more quality in the next 45.
We’ll be back underway soon in the capital.
HALF-TIME! England 1-0 Serbia
20:42 , Chris Wilson
HALF-TIME! England 1-0 Serbia
20:36 , Chris WilsonThe half finishes with a Serbia corner that is headed away, and the referee brings us to the break.
It’s a one-goal lead for the Three Lions at half-time and it’s one they definitely deserve, though they’ve arguably been guilty of a lack of quality in the final third so far.
England 1-0 Serbia
20:34 , Chris Wilson45 +1 mins
England finishing strongly here, with Rogers nodding a James cross narrowly wide moments ago.
We’re into the first of three minutes of added time.
'Wembley groans'
20:33 , Lawrence OstlereLawrence Ostlere reports from Wembley:
There was an audible groan as Rashford slightly overhit that pass to Rice on the counterattack. He did the hard work bullying the centre-back off the ball, but couldn’t deliver the end product.
England 1-0 Serbia
20:33 , Chris Wilson45 mins
Serbia produce a cleve free-kick routine to get in behind the England defence, but O’Reilly does well to make sure Kostic’s cross doesn't get through.
England clear the corner and suddenly they have a promising opening, with Rashford winning the long ball before slipping it to Rice, though he can't get there before the ‘keeper.
England 1-0 Serbia
20:30 , Chris Wilson43 mins
CLOSE!
Rice delivers a near-perfect in-swinging corner that finds Kane unmarked at the far post, but the England captain heads wide from just a few yards out!
He’ll think he should have scored.
England 1-0 Serbia
20:29 , Chris Wilson42 mins
England have had a couple of moments where they threatened to play themselves into trouble at the back, but Anderson gets away with the latest incident.
At the other end, Rashford and O’Reilly exchange passes in the Serbia box before the latter forces Rajkovic to save at his near post.
England 1-0 Serbia
20:27 , Chris Wilson39 mins
John Stones is called into action now, with the City man alert to the danger to turn a cross behind, before Pickford punches away the corner.
Ilic made way for Aleksandar Stanković for the visitors moments ago too.
England 1-0 Serbia
20:25 , Chris Wilson37 mins
More good work from Kane results in a chance for Rashford after Ilic slips on the edge of the box, with the Barca winger curling an effort into the hands of Rajkovic.
Rashford immediately goes to check on Ilic, who looks like he may have suffered quite a serious injury there.
There’s a break in play as the Serbia midfielder receives treatment, while Saka changes his boots. Maybe that’s what he was signalling for earlier.
England 1-0 Serbia
20:21 , Chris Wilson33 mins
England continue to apply pressure at Wembley, and they’ve gone fairly close to creating a couple of openings since the goal.
Rashford continues trying to create something, beating his man well in the box before eventually losing out.
Elsewhere, Saka looks to have run off whatever was bothering him before.
England 1-0 Serbia
20:18 , Chris Wilson30 mins
Replays show that Saka might have been asking to come off after celebrating that goal, so we’ll have to see how he gets on.
Moments later, Rashford and Kane’s high press almost results in a great chance for the former, but he fouled the defender.
'England good for their lead'
20:18 , Lawrence OstlereLawrence Ostlere reports from Wembley:
Every England player seemed to stand still and watch as Saka lined up that volley, and the winger did exactly what they expected him to. It has not been a sensational performance by any means, but England deserve their lead, they just look a cut above this Serbia team.
GOAL! England 1-0 Serbia
20:17 , Chris Wilson28 mins
GOAL! England are ahead courtesy of Bukayo Saka!
It’s a lovely finish too, with Nico O’Reilly’s shot ricocheting over to the Arsenal winger before he cushions a side-footed volley back across Rajkovic and into the far corner!
England 0-0 Serbia
20:15 , Chris Wilson28 mins
More good play from Kane as he drops deep before sweeping it to Saka, who once again cuts inside to find the yard before seeing his shot blocked. England come again though, winning a free-kick on the wing.
England 0-0 Serbia
20:13 , Chris Wilson25 mins
Pickford carries on for now.
Moments later, England have their first real chance as Rashford dummies to allow the ball to run to Rice, who made a good overlapping run. He returns the ball to Rashford in the box, before the winger hits his curled effort too close to Rajkovic.
'Tuchel getting animated'
20:11 , Lawrence OstlereLawrence Ostlere at Wembley:
As Pickford is treated, Thomas Tuchel is using the break in play to give a pretty animated teamtalk – he doens’t look very happy with the first 20 minutes here. He gives some direct words to Rogers in particular, while Konsa and James also get some very clear instructions.
England 0-0 Serbia
20:09 , Chris Wilson22 mins
Better from England, with Saka now trying to find Rogers in the box with a cut-back before settling for a corner.
The delivery from Rice is a disappointing one though.
There’s a worry for England now too, with Jordan Pickford down and requiring treatment.
England 0-0 Serbia
20:06 , Chris Wilson19 mins
Half a chance for Saka now after some great play from Kane, who held it up well before curling a pass across to the Arsenal winger.
Saka cuts back inside as he looks to curl one into the far corner, but it flies over.
England 0-0 Serbia
20:04 , Chris Wilson17 mins
Serbia have their first chance to deliver a long throw, but it comes to nothing.
It’s all a bit flat at Wembley, where the rain continues to pour down.
England 0-0 Serbia
20:02 , Chris Wilson14 mins
Serbia are yet to threaten England so far but the Three Lions still haven't got complete control in this one. It’s been very stop-start.
Filip Kostic is the latest Serbia player to spend time on the floor after a challenge.
England 0-0 Serbia
19:59 , Chris Wilson11 mins
England have their first meaningful attack as Rogers exchanges passes with Saka before spreading it wide to Rashford. The Barcelona winger cuts in before returning it to Reece James, before Rogers eventually sees his cross cleared behind.
England 0-0 Serbia
19:56 , Chris Wilson8 mins
Serbia are clearly looking to pack midfield tonight, hoping to cut off the passing lanes for England.
Rashford tries to take matters into his own hands, beating one man on the wing before the covering defender clears.
England 0-0 Serbia
19:53 , Chris Wilson5 mins
An early sight of goal for Vlahovic as he races through onto the long ball in the box, but Konsa is there to cover at the expense of a corner.
The Villa defender is there again to head the first set-piece behind, before the hosts clear the following delivery.
England 0-0 Serbia
19:50 , Chris Wilson2 mins
England knocking it around confidently to start with.
There are a couple of early touches for debutant Nico O’Reilly, who has impressed for City of late.
KICK-OFF! England 0-0 Serbia
19:47 , Chris WilsonUnderway at Wembley!
England vs Serbia live
19:41 , Chris WilsonBoth sides are emerging from the tunnel at Wembley, so we’ll be underway just after the national anthems.
Closing in on kick-off
19:37 , Will CastleLess than 10 minutes until things get underway at Wembley.
Will it be encouragement for Thomas Tuchel’s side in preparation for the World Cup? Or will Serbia rise to the occasion and deliver in what is a must-win game for their own qualification?
We’ll have all the action, up next!
England’s World Cup 2026 squad: Who’s on the plane, who’s almost there and who has work to do?
19:30 , Will CastleEngland have only two more camps before Thomas Tuchel names his squad for the 2026 World Cup, and plenty is still up in the air.
Who will Tuchel select in his 26-man squad for the tournament? Lawrence Ostlere breaks down who is on the plane and who still has work to do:
England’s World Cup 2026 squad: Who’s on the plane and who has work to do?
Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden can’t all play in same England team, says Thomas Tuchel
19:23 , Will Castle“At the moment, if we keep the structure, they cannot play,” Tuchel told TalkSport on Wednesday.
“They can, but not in the structure. Not for the balance that we developed, and not for structure that comes also with wingers who are like specialists in their positions. We play at the moment with a six, eight, a 10 and a nine.”
Kane, Bellingham and Foden can’t all play in same England team, says Tuchel
Phil Foden didn’t deserve his England call-up, because nobody does
19:19 , Adam CleryThis is going to read like a spectacular self-own but the first time I ever got paid to write about football, I did a 1,500-word essay on why Harry Kane did not deserve to get picked for the England squad. I’m that old.
Now, as an opening, that might be doing for my reputation what Lily Allen’s new album is doing for David Harbour’s Hinge – but it’s important context to show I am laughably serious about the point I’m going to make here. Phil Foden does not deserve to be in the England squad.
Not because of his talent, or his form, or because I have some bizarre personal axe to grind with him that dates back to a misunderstanding over seating arrangements at a boot launch event in 2023. It wasn’t his fault they hadn’t adequately marked out the reserved area, and if anything, he was overly understanding given how ‘difficult’ the free bar had made me.
Anyway – sorry – my point: nobody deserves to play for their national team, and that’s the hill I have long since chosen to die on.
Read more from the Adam Clery Football Column newsletter:
Phil Foden didn’t deserve his England call-up, because nobody does
Welcome to the best week of the football year
19:14 , Miguel DelaneyEven before their players set off at the start of this week, some of the Premier League’s best managers already noticed the difference. The anticipation. The trepidation. The superstition of stopping themselves even dreaming it. “Just imagine…”
This is not a typical international window. When many players usually depart for such breaks in the modern game, there’s a sense of going through the motions; from one match to the next. Not this time.
Many are going to make history, to try and achieve a unique feat that brings rare universal feelings in football. To qualify for the greatest show of all, the World Cup.
Miguel Delaney writes as World Cup qualification reaches crunch time:
England v Serbia
19:04 , Lawrence OstlereSome pre-match photos from Wembley...
England team news
18:57 , Lawrence OstlereSo, as suspected, Jude Bellingham is on the bench on his return to the England setup, as Morgan Rogers retains the No 10 role. Nico O’Reilly makes his debut at left-back, and otherwise it’s much the same team as Thomas Tuchel has picked for the past few qualifying games.
Nico O'Reilly to make England debut
18:45 , Lawrence OstlereWhat a night for the young Manchester City defender...
Set to make his #ThreeLions debut: Nico O'Reilly! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/8EZUCBjW7m
— England (@England) November 13, 2025
England v Serbia – line-ups confirmed
18:29 , Lawrence OstlereHere are your teams tonight:
England: Pickford; James, Konsa, Stones, O'Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Rogers, Rashford; Kane.
Serbia: Rajkovic; Mimovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic, Terzic; Gudelj, Lukic; Zivkovic, Ilic, Kostic; Vlahovic.
When is the World Cup 2026 draw?
18:15 , Will CastleThe draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place at 5pm GMT/12pm EST on Friday 5 December, at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. The US president Donald Trump is expected to be in attendance.
Time for experimentation over?
18:00 , Will CastleThomas Tuchel says experimental team selection is a thing of the past for his England side as he shapes his preferred XI ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
He said: "Do you feel I was experimenting in the last matches? We want to build and keep on going.
"I didn't feel that we were experimenting in the last two camps, and we will not start in this camp. We take it seriously, these are World Cup qualifiers – at home."
‘This kid is something else’: The secret behind Alex Scott’s rise from Guernsey to an England call-up
17:45 , Lawrence OstlereAlex Scott made his Guernsey FC debut as a second-half substitute, with an adult shirt flapping around his 16-year-old frame like a bedsheet. The opposition’s central midfielder, who had tattoos up to his neck and a glint in his eye as the teenager ran on to the pitch, welcomed him to non-league with a shove. “This guy could smell blood,” remembers Guernsey manager Tony Vance. But before he could put the boot in, Scott had swivelled and taken the ball somewhere else.
This was Scott’s gift, to receive it in tight spaces with ease and make opponents look foolish. Most players of his age and talent were in academies playing on green carpets at high-tech training centres, while Scott was learning to survive in the Isthmian League South East, the eighth tier of English men’s football, where midfield was essentially an escape room of sharp elbows and metal studs.
Vance watched Scott grow from a five-year-old boy to a professional player, first at Bristol City as a teenager – who, after an FA Cup game, Pep Guardiola called “unbelievable” – and now sparkling at Bournemouth in the Premier League, and he believes that six-month period playing men’s football was the making of him. Now, aged 22, Scott has earned his first senior England call-up.
Lawrence Ostlere speaks to England new boy Alex Scott:
‘This kid is something else’: Alex Scott’s rise from Guernsey to an England call-up
Thomas Tuchel provides Marc Guehi injury update ahead of Serbia clash
17:30 , Will CastleThomas Tuchel has confirmed Marc Guehi will play no part in tonight’s qualifier against Serbia due to injury, but hopes to have him back for the Albania trip.
“Everybody is in training in the afternoon except for Marc Guehi,” Tuchel said on Wednesday.
“With Marc it is very painful but there is no structural damage so it is all about the pain.
“There is the possibility that from one day to the other there is a significant improvement so we are working realistically towards the second game. If he is not in training on Friday and not able to train on Saturday then we will not make him travel with us and he will of course get rest and treatment.
“We want him to stay with us, want him to stay close. He is one of the leaders, he is an important member of the team. He is glue between many players and it is nice to see that he is trying everything to be included in the second game. We will assess him every day.”
Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers in ‘competition’ for England place
17:15 , Will CastleThomas Tuchel has confirmed Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers are in a direct “competition” for a place in his England team.
“Rather than finding a position for the best players to have them on the field, it is maybe better to put everyone in their best position and have a competition,” Tuchel said.
“At the moment, the competition is between the two of them. They are friends, so it is a friendly competition. They don’t have to be enemies and hate each other. They are respectful and they fight for the same position.
“Can they play together? Yes, but in a different structure and now is not the moment to change the structure.”
Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers in ‘competition’ for England place
Which teams have already qualified for the World Cup?
17:00 , Will CastleBefore a ball is kicked this evening, the only European nation to have ensured their place at next summer’s World Cup is England, who sealed top spot in Group K after thrashing Latvia last month.
But across the other continents, participants are beginning to take shape...
Africa
Qualifying places available: Nine, plus one into intercontinental play-offs
Teams already qualified: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, South Africa, Senegal, Ivory Coast
Asia
Qualifying places available: Eight, plus one into intercontinental play-offs
Teams qualified: Japan, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar
Oceania
Qualifying places available: One, plus one into intercontinental play-offs
Teams qualified: New Zealand
Americas
Qualifying places available: Six (including three hosts USA, Canada and Mexico), plus two into intercontinental play-offs
Teams already qualified: None through qualifying (USA, Canada and Mexico automatically as co-hosts)
Who can qualify for the World Cup this week?
16:45 , Will CastleWorld Cup qualifying is hurtling towards a conclusion with some of the final places ahead of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico up for grabs over the next two weeks.
So far, 28 teams have booked their places in what has already been a historic campaign for three first-time qualifiers, with Jordan, Uzbekistan and the Cape Verde islands all through to the 48-team finals.
Jamie Braidwood breaks down who can ensure their participation at next summer’s finals:
Predicted line-ups
16:34 , Will CastleEngland XI: Pickford; James, Konsa, Stones, Burn; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Rogers, Rashford; Kane.
Serbia XI: Petrovic; Milosavljevic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic; Gudelj, Lukic; Zivkovic, Samardzic, Kostic; Vlahovic, Jovic.
Serbia team news
16:33 , Will CastleSerbia will lament the absence of all-time top scorer Aleksandr Mitrovic, who missed out on the November squad to an unspecified problem.
The onus will turn to Juventus duo Dusan Vlahovic and Filip Kostic, as well as Luka Jovic, for goals.
England team news
16:32 , Will CastleMarc Guehi has been ruled out due to a heavy bone bruise and Morgan Rogers may not start due to a hamstring niggle.
Before the camp, England were dealt a double injury blow after Newcastle duo Nick Pope and Anthony Gordon were withdrawn from the squad, with Man City keeper James Trafford and Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah coming in.
Uncapped Alex Scott has reportedly been left out of the squad but Nico O’Reilly and Jarell Quansah could be in line for their first appearances, while headline inclusions Bellingham and Foden will be keen to force their way straight back into the starting XI.
Is England vs Serbia on TV?
16:31 , Will CastleEngland’s qualifying clash with Serbia takes place at 7:45pm GMT on Thursday 13 November at Wembley Stadium in London.
How can I watch it?
The game will be free-to-air on the UK with viewers able to watch on ITV1, while also being able to stream the contest on ITVX. Coverage starts at 7pm GMT.
England vs Serbia LIVE!
16:30 , Will CastleGood afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of England’s penultimate World Cup qualifier against Serbia.
The Three Lions ensured that nothing will knock them off top spot of Group K when they thrashed Latvia last month, booking their flight bound for North America in doing so.
But there is still work to do for Tuchel, who has shaken things up once again with his squad by recalling the likes of Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden, while also handing a first call-up to Bournemouth’s Alex Scott.
While performance will be the key talking point for England, result is all that matters for Serbia who are still vying for a precious second-place finish under new management. They’ll need a better outcome than they experienced in Belgrade back in September, though, which saw England come out rampant 5-0 winners.
Stay tuned for all the latest build-up, team news and minute-by-minute match updates from Wembley!
