Latvia 0-5 England result - Three Lions confirm place at 2026 World Cup thanks to Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze goals

England became the first UEFA team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup as they tore apart Latvia 5-0 in Riga.

The result came via a Harry Kane brace and goals from Eberechi Eze and Anthony Gordon, plus Maksims Tonisevs, who turned the ball into his own net.

Gordon was England’s most incisive attacking outlet but following an opening quarter in which The Three Lions failed to unlock their dug-in opponents, it was Gordon’s pace that paid off. He latched onto a long John Stones punt after Latvia had for once pushed up the pitch to support an attack.

Gordon cut inside through a scrambled defence and produced a composed finish to open the scoring, before the floodgates opened before half-time.

Latvia responded well and Gordon’s goal was England’s only shot on target until Bukayo Saka pressured the home defence into a mistake in possession, and the ball bounced to Kane, who scored with a sensational left-footed shot from outside the penalty area as he tumbled over.

And The Three Lions’ place at next year’s World Cup was effectively confirmed in stoppage-time at the end of the first half when Kane was fouled from a corner, and then converted the penalty from a stuttered run-up.

Thomas Tuchel will be pleased with how England kept their foot on The Wolves’ throats in the second half, and their pressure was finally rewarded when Djed Spence fizzed in a fiendish cross from deep that goalkeeper Krisjanis Zviedris could only punch into the unlucky Tonisevs, whose deflection sent the ball goalwards.

And with Eze, Jarrod Bowen and Marcus Rashford all looking to make an impact from the bench, the trio helped put the game to bed when Bowen stole the ball in midfield.

Rashford stretched the defence on the left and Eze received the ball on the right, cutting inside and firing home to complete an impressive showing.

Eze and Bowen in particular will be pleased at how they took their chance from the bench, while Gordon was the Lion who boosted his stock the most. Spence impressed having switched to right-back to accommodate Myles Lewis-Skelly, who was unable to have the same impact.

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Anthony Gordon must be delighted with how he delivered tonight and his goal is the cherry on top.

Gordon tormented the right side of the Latvian defense so much that Raivis Jurkovskis was hooked at half-time, and Maksims Tonsievs didn't fare much better in the second 45.

Marcus Rashford wasn't bad by any means in his 20-minute spell but based on tonight's performance, the left-wing starting spot is Gordon's to lose.

Eberechi Eze and Jarrod Bowen produced England's final goal as the latter looked really sharp on the right flank, both fully grasping their limited opportunity from the bench, with Harry Kane back to his best on his return to the side too and Djed Spence also impressed.

There are no real losers in a 5-0 win but Myles Lewis-Skelly never really got going on the left and was caught out defensively as he struggles for minutes at Arsenal while Nico O'Reilly is the only outfield player in the squad who hasn't played a minute this international break besides the now-injured Jarell Quansah.

England are going to the 2026 World Cup! And they did it in style, blasting five past a meek Latvia side to become the first UEFA side and 24th country confirmed at next summer's tournament in North America.

They may not have overwhelmed the Baltic side with chances but they were utterly clinical and several players gave Thomas Tuchel fresh selection headaces.

Kane's anticipated strike is at least three meters over the bar and it's only two minutes until England are confirmed as the first UEFA team at the 2026 World Cup.

That goal seems to set a release on the players - Konsa gets into a scrap and Bowen goes down injured, then as he gets up Kane is tripped on the edge of the area. No one else is getting near this ball with the captain on a hat-trick...

There's that other goal! And it's made by those three attacking subs, with Eze finishing it off. Bowen is the architect, pickpocketing a Latvian in the middle of the park and bursting forwards, with the defence unwilling to dive in as Eze and Rashford offer runs on the left and right.

Eventually a defender bites and it's on the left, meaning Bowen can place a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Eze who cuts across goal and takes one, two, three touches past a tired opposition backline then fires home.

He looks like footage that's been sped up 20% as he clicks into top gear cutting in from the left, but his pull-back is cleared for a corner by Latvia and England can't capitalise.

Still, it was a frightening run by the Barcelona winger. England will want another goal here.

With 11 minutes to go and it's crunch time for the likes of Bowen, Eze and Rashford to make an impact. However, the rest of the side are looking like they are losing focus a tad, understandably after running the game for 80 minutes. They stop the latest Latvia attack before Dan Burn's heavy touch kills any chance of a counter.

All the substitutions mean it's been a disjointed five minutes (Aleksejs Savaljevs is the latest introduction), but bright work from Bowen on the right forces Latvia to concede a corner.

Kane will be desperate for yet another hat-trick to equal Jimmy Greaves' record and England work it to him cleverly from the corner, but Zviedris produces another fine save.

Gordon's certainly taken his chance tonight and staked his claim to the left-wing position in Tuchel's starting lineup at next year's World Cup - which England are well on course to qualify for in 20 minutes' time.

His chief competition for that role, Marcus Rashford, trots on while Dan Burn also gets his chance as he comes on for John Stones.

Tonisevs flashes a shot across Pickford's goal and Gutkovskis wasn't far away from connecting. Pickford would've had no chance from there, and he has to be at his best moments later when he sees a speculative effort late.

Like Rogers, Anderson hasn't quite shone as brightly as against Wales, however he was fantastic there. Dancing at goal and keeping the defence skating backwards until they eventually bite and he frees Bowen, who can't quite convert.

Meanwhile Eduards Daskevics has replaced Varslavans.

Eze is involved immediately, forcing a save at full stretch and as the ball dribbles away and Gordon sprints in, a contact from behind sends him tumbling.

The referee is unmoved though.

Eberchi Eze didn't feature against Wales so he gets his chance now, replacing Rogers who's not been as prominent as he was last week.

And Anderson is the only midfield starter remaining as Declan Rice departs for Jordan Henderson, while Jarrod Bowen has his opportunitynto shine on the right wing for Saka, who was involved in that goal.

It may be an own goal, but it's forced by a brilliant Spence cross! He opts for a more conventional delivery this time, with a blistering ball across goal from the top corner of the penalty area causing all sorts of problems for the hosts.

Zviedris sprints out to punch it yet such is the speed of the delivery, he barely makes contact and can only tip it into the path of Tonisevs, who was guarding Kane but instead watches the ball bounce off him and into the net.

It doesn't come off, but attempting a rabona cross on your second start takes some stones!

Vladislavs Gutkovskis has had a very quiet night up front for Latvia but could've pulled one back there if Konsa hadn't intervened!

Gutkovskis steals behind Konsa and Janis Ikaunieks notices, bending a sumptuous pass in behind the England backline. Pickford readies himself for a one-on-one though ulimately isn't needed - as Konsa caps a fantastic recovery run with a brilliant sliding tackle from behind that hooks the ball to safety.

Rice strikes a low, fiendish inswinging delivery that Ciganiks does well to head behind for a corner, but England can't keep the pressure up as a Kane backheel for Gordon doesn't quite come off.

Toniseves hasn't wasted any time getting involved! Lewis-Skelly was pushed into the substitute and falls to the ground giving a tasty free-kick position for his teammate Rice to eye up...