Squad Evaluations: England Book Their Place for 2026 World Cup

The national team clinched their spot at the global tournament with a comfortable triumph over the Baltic side on Tuesday night.

First Eleven Performance

• England's number one – Pulled off a couple of excellent saves in the latter period to maintain his impressive clean sheet run. It's now nine consecutive in a row. 6.5
• Djed Spence – Seems at home in international football with ease. Sterner tests lie ahead, of course, but a promising start to his England career. 7
• John Stones – Two games in less than a week will do the City defender a world of good. Remains one of the automatic picks on the roster, fitness permitting. 7
• Aston Villa's defender – Picked ahead of the other option and performed solidly. Executed an excellent last-ditch recovery tackle in the second half to boot. 7
• Arsenal's talent – Appeared a somewhat ring rusty at times, expected given his limited game time at Arsenal. An promising few months ahead. 6
• The midfielder – Looks undroppable in this England team at the moment. Looks tailored for this level and has formed an strong partnership with Rice. 7
• Arsenal's engine – Enjoying his number eight role. The mainstay of England's midfield is showing his creative abilities now. Emerging as a true all-round midfielder. 7
• The forward – Less influential as he has been in England's wins over other teams. We should find out next month who is the true owner of the number 10 shirt. 6
• Bukayo Saka – Added an setup to his superb goal against Wales last Thursday. Will be vital to England's chances next summer. 7.5
• The captain – In the form of his life. Boosted his total for the season to 20 goals. Has scored 76 times for his country. Can he reach 100? 8
• Anthony Gordon – Clinical finish to start things off for England here in Riga. Has performed admirably during this international window. 7.5

The Bench Players

• Jordan Henderson (for Rice 60) – Kept things moving in midfield. 6
• Crystal Palace's star (for Rogers 60) – Superbly finished goal and a threat. 7
• West Ham's attacker (for Saka 60) – Has a fight on his hands to earn a place when the squad is full. 6
• The defender (for Stones 71) – Predictably, handled everything in the air. 6
• Manchester United's star (for Gordon 71) – A speedy dash down the left was noticeable. 6

With qualification secured, the team can now focus for the World Cup with confidence.