Squad Ratings: England Book Their Place for 2026 World Cup

Gareth Southgate's side earned their place at the next World Cup with a comfortable victory over Latvia on Tuesday evening.

England's Starting XI

  • England's number one – Pulled off a few of fine stops in the second half to extend his remarkable clean sheet record. That's nine consecutive in a row. 6.5
  • Djed Spence – Has taken to international football with ease. More challenging tests are coming, of course, but a promising start to his England career. 7
  • Manchester City's centre-back – Two matches in five days will do the City defender a world of good. Still one of the key players on the starting lineup, fitness permitting. 7
  • Aston Villa's defender – Chosen ahead of Marc Guehi and was flawless. Executed an outstanding last-ditch recovery tackle in the later stages to boot. 7
  • Arsenal's talent – Appeared a somewhat off the pace at times, understandable given his scarce minutes at Arsenal. An interesting few months ahead. 6
  • Elliott Anderson – Appears essential in this England team at the moment. Seems suited to this level and has developed an strong partnership with Rice. 7
  • The midfielder – Thriving in his attacking role. The pillar of England's midfield is demonstrating his creative abilities now. Becoming a true all-round midfielder. 7
  • Morgan Rogers – Not as impactful as he has been in England's successes over other teams. We should find out next month who is the leading candidate of the number 10 shirt. 6
  • The winger – Contributed an setup to his superb goal against Wales last Thursday. Will be vital to England's hopes next summer. 7.5
  • Harry Kane – At his peak. Boosted his tally for the season to 20 goals. Has hit the back of the net 76 occasions for his country. Can he reach 100? 8
  • Newcastle's attacker – Precise finish to start things off for England here in away. Has done a good job during this international window. 7.5

England Substitutes

  • The experienced midfielder (for Rice 60) – Kept things moving in midfield. 6
  • Eberechi Eze (for Rogers 60) – Superbly finished goal and a danger. 7
  • The winger (for Saka 60) – Battles on his hands to earn a place when everyone's fit. 6
  • Newcastle's full-back (for Stones 71) – Typically, dealt with everything aerially. 6
  • Manchester United's star (for Gordon 71) – A speedy dash down the left stood out. 6

With a World Cup spot secured, the squad can now prepare for next summer with confidence.

Eric Vazquez
Eric Vazquez

Elara is a passionate writer and tech enthusiast with over a decade of experience in digital content creation and storytelling.