Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that eight England players are guaranteed starters for the 2026 World Cup, following their dominant qualifying campaign. The Three Lions have won all seven qualifiers without conceding a single goal, a remarkable achievement that has solidified Tuchel's faith in his core squad.
Speaking after the 2-0 victory over Serbia at Wembley, Tuchel highlighted the contributions of Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze, who scored the goals that sealed the win. Saka's opener and Eze's second-half strike ensured England maintained their perfect record, with Jordan Pickford keeping his tenth consecutive clean sheet for the national team.
Tuchel also praised Marcus Rashford's performance, stating that the forward injected more energy into the game than Jude Bellingham, despite not scoring. However, he acknowledged Bellingham's impact off the bench, playing a key role in the second goal and arguing that the midfielder should start in the World Cup.
England have one remaining qualifier against Albania on Sunday, who have already secured a play-off spot. Serbia, meanwhile, have underperformed in the group stage, despite possessing considerable talent.
