England maintained their perfect World Cup qualifying record on Thursday night with Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze on the scoresheet in a 2-0 win against Serbia at Wembley.

As with most England qualifiers, the game started slowly with the home side dominating the ball with the absence of any kind of tempo. It took a set-piece just before the half-hour mark for Tuchel’s side to take the lead as a Declan Rice delivery was parried away before the ball found its way back into the box for Saka who tucked it home with aplomb.

The goal appeared to spur England on with Elliot Anderson and remarkably, Harry Kane controlling the game from deep as they went into the break a goal to the good.

Serbia knew they needed at least a point to keep their 2026 World Cup dreams alive and created much more in the second 45 for Nemanja Radonjić and Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic, who was left to rue his missed opportunities.

As the game was opening up with Serbia pushing for an equaliser, Jude Bellingham, who was the story of the game before kick-off, set up Phil Foden to drive forward and lay it off to Eze for a first-time finish to secure a seventh qualifying win for England.

Player ratings:

Jordan Pickford, 7 — Another relatively quiet night in England’s goal for Jordan Pickford. He faced three shots on target, one more than the two he had faced in the entirety of England’s qualifying campaign before tonight. Another clean sheet secured.

Reece James, 8 — England were strong down the right-hand side throughout the evening, with James a huge part of that. The Chelsea defender was a constant option for a switch of play and was heavily involved in his side’s most productive attacking area. He was second best to a header in his own box in the second-half, and more tough defensive battles will come for the right-back, but after missing the October internationals and with Trent Alexander-Arnold not in this squad, James served up a reminder of his credentials for a spot in England’s back four.

John Stones, 7 — The senior centre-back on the night, Stones put in a solid showing with several progressive passes attempted in the first-half. As Serbia came into the game more in the second period, there were a few more moments of worry as a mix-up with partner Ezri Konsa and a deflected cross off himself led to a Vlahovic chance. As always though, Stones looked an assured presence on a night where a desperate Serbia side could’ve caused a few more problems as the clock wound down in London.

Ezri Konsa, 7 — Similar to his partner in defence, Konsa got his job done on the night as England came away with another clean sheet. His second-half performance wasn’t perfect though as he failed to deal with a long ball just after the hour-mark but was saved by the referee’s whistle as a soft foul went his way.

Nico O’Reilly, 7 — For a 20-year-old making his senior England debut, O’Reilly looked very comfortable. He was a steady presence defensively and often found himself moving inside on the left, a Pep Guardiola trait instilled? Just like the right-back spot in this England team, there isn’t a standout starter on the left yet, O’Reilly’s showing on debut will no doubt give Tuchel more to think about in regards to who starts on the left side of his defence next summer.

Elliot Anderson, 8 — With Declan Rice taking on a more advanced role in recent years, one of England’s problem positions has been the No. 6 and with Adam Wharton back in the squad, but on the bench against Serbia, the ever-lively Anderson put in a statement performance at Wembley. He led the side for touches and completed passes as England took the lead in the first half and was constantly looking to move the game forward and make progressive passes from deep. Not far from the perfect Thomas Tuchel holding midfielder.

Declan Rice, 7 — You can tell Rice plays for the side leading the Premier league’s set-piece revolution. His deliveries were a standout in a sluggish first-half and led to the opening goal after Serbia’s goalkeeper failed to clear his lines. He put another perfect delivery in just before half-time with Harry Kane heading wide. As ever he was involved going forward as he continues to cement himself as the key cog in England’s midfield.

Bukayo Saka, 8 — Coming into this game, Saka was challenged by his manager to score more goals for England and he did just that on Thursday night. In a relatively low-key first half, an O’Reilly effort off the back of a corner was deflected to Saka who made a very difficult finish look all too easy. It was his first England goal since Euro 2024, a stat he will no doubt be looking to improve. He was an ever-present down England’s right and was always an option, a couple of tidy 1-2s put the gloss on a performance that England fans will now want to see consistently from the Arsenal winger.

Morgan Rogers, 6 — Rogers really failed to get going in a game where he was given the nod ahead of star man Jude Bellingham in the No. 10 role by Tuchel. Outside of a few sharp moments and forward passes, the Villa midfielder couldn’t put his stamp on the game and slipped in the box when presented with his only relatively clear-cut opportunity before being taken off for Bellingham after the hour mark.

Marcus Rashford, 7 — Rashford’s renaissance at Barcelona appears to be having a similar effect on his England form. He was a part of a few good-looking England attacks on the night and gave his full-back a hard time with a cheeky nutmeg in the first-half giving a subdued Wembley crowd something to shout about.

Harry Kane, 7 — What position does Harry Kane actually play? One of England’s greatest ever No. 9s was a constant presence not in the box, but rather at the depth of England’s midfield sweeping up balls and spreading possession out wide with a few delightful switches. Just before he came off in the second-half, Kane made a sliding tackle on Aleksa Terzić to win the ball back inside his own half, a moment that epitomised his performance on the night.

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– England 2-0 Serbia: Saka and Eze score in World Cup qualifier

Substitutes:

Eberechi Eze (on for Rashford, 65 minutes), 9 — It took Eze just a minute after he came on to show his quality and he was unlucky not to have an assist when his quick feet and and an even quicker ball into Anderson, who couldn’t finish the move off, injected some pace into England’s play. He got his reward in the dying embers of the game though, after an incisive forward move his first-time finish saw the ball into the far corner and confirmed England’s seventh win out of seven in qualifying.

Phil Foden (on for Kane, 65 minutes), 8 — Foden is another substitute who impressed at Wembley, like Eze, he injected some pace and dynamism into England’s forward line, coming on for the No. 9 Kane and his lay off to Eze for the goal that capped off the win was at the perfect pace for the Arsenal forward to hit it first-time. Amid all the Rogers and Bellingham talk for England’s No. 10 position, Foden gave Tuchel a nudge after a very good second-half showing.

Jude Bellingham (on for Rogers, 65 minutes), 6 — 25 minutes of Jude Bellingham being Jude Bellingham. After being left out of the starting lineup, it was clear to see the Madrid midfielder was desperate to make an impact. He managed to do just that with his ball to Foden that set off England’s break that won them the game. His introduction, once again, adding not only freshness to the side but an energy that only really Bellingham has.

Jordan Henderson (on for Rice, 65 minutes), 6 — A steady showing from Henderson, he recycled possession well in midfield, as he often does, and without the major attacking threat that England will face against stronger nations, he saw out the clean sheet in the heart of midfield.

Adam Wharton (on for Anderson, 85 minutes), N/A — Just the five minutes for Wharton who looked comfortable and will look to push on for a starting place in Tuchel’s midfield.