England sent a clear message to their rivals in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday night, dismantling Serbia 5-0 in Belgrade to silence critics who questioned their form.
After a sluggish 2-0 win over Andorra at the weekend, Thomas Tuchel’s men looked transformed. Captain Harry Kane broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute, rising highest to head in his 74th international goal from a Declan Rice corner. Just moments later, Noni Madueke doubled the advantage, latching onto a clever flick from Morgan Rogers before coolly lifting the ball over goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic.
England’s control only deepened after the break. Ezri Konsa marked his first international strike with a well-taken effort from a rebound, before Marc Guehi slid in to score from another Rice delivery. Serbia’s frustration boiled over when Nikola Milenkovic was sent off for a foul on Kane, paving the way for substitute Marcus Rashford to seal the rout with a late penalty.
The emphatic victory means England are now within touching distance of booking an eighth straight World Cup appearance, with a win over Latvia next month enough to confirm their place.
Elsewhere in Europe, Erling Haaland stole the headlines with a five-goal masterclass to maintain Norway’s flawless start to the campaign. Portugal and France also staged spirited comebacks, each overturning deficits to secure back-to-back wins at the start of their qualification journeys for the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
In Group K’s other fixture, Albania edged Latvia 1-0 in Tirana, climbing above Serbia into second place.
