England maintain perfect World Cup qualifying record

England maintained their perfect record in the 2025 World Cup qualifiers with a composed 2-0 victory over Serbia at Wembley Stadium. 

Bukayo Saka’s first-half strike and a late, stunning finish from Eberechi Eze ensured Thomas Tuchel’s side made it seven wins from seven, scoring 20 goals without conceding in the campaign so far. 

The Three Lions controlled most of the contest, with Saka opening the scoring in the 28th minute after a bright passage of play. Although England created several chances, they faced a brief period of pressure after the break, during which Serbia threatened an equaliser.

Former England defender Phil Jones noted that while the performance was “dominant,” there were moments where stronger opposition “could have punished” England’s lapse in concentration.

The second half saw the introduction of Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden, who immediately injected tempo and creativity. 

Their influence proved decisive as, deep into stoppage time, Bellingham linked with Foden before the Manchester City midfielder squared the ball for Eze. The Arsenal star curled a first-time effort into the far corner.

Nico O’Reilly marked his senior England debut with an energetic 90-minute display. The Manchester City youngster impressed in both defensive and attacking transitions, offering a glimpse of the next generation emerging under Tuchel. 

England also welcomed back Adam Wharton for his first appearance since June 2024, adding further depth to the midfield rotation.

Serbia’s best opportunities fell to Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović, who twice came close to levelling the match. However, Jordan Pickford remained largely untested as he closed in on a remarkable tenth consecutive clean sheet for England. 

Serbia ended the match frustrated, unable to break through a defence that has not conceded a single goal in qualifying.

Elsewhere in Europe, France secured their spot at the World Cup with a commanding 4-0 victory over Ukraine, featuring two goals from Kylian Mbappé. 

Italy kept their slim hopes alive with a late 2-0 win over Moldova, though they would need an unlikely nine-goal victory over Norway to qualify automatically.