Overview
This week, England will enter the final two matches of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, against Serbia and Albania. This is an opportunity for Thomas Tuchel to continue to refine his squad ahead of a major tournament.
With the "Three Lions" having qualified for the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico early, this will be their last two official matches before the 60-year journey to wait for the title begins.
Wembley Stadium will host the second leg in Group K, where England have shown their superior form, scoring 18 goals in 6 matches without conceding any.
Under Tuchel, England's most impressive performance came in the first leg against Serbia in September, when they crushed their opponents 5-0 away with 5 different players scoring.
Since the victory in Belgrade, the "Three Lions" continue to maintain their momentum with 2 convincing wins. They beat Wales 3-0 in a friendly match, then crushed Ukraine 5-0, where Harry Kane scored a double, thereby helping England become the first European team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Despite facing many doubts in the early stages of Tuchel's tenure, England are showing impressive form with all 9 official wins in their last 9 matches. They are aiming for their 10th consecutive victory - an achievement that the "Three Lions" have only achieved once in history, from September 2014 to October 2015.
Not only excellent in attack, England also showed absolute stability in defense, keeping a clean sheet in 8 consecutive matches - the longest streak in the history of this team. In the same period, they also won all 8 matches, affirming their comprehensive strength at both ends of the field.
Statistics show that only Spain has achieved a streak of 10 consecutive wins without conceding, lasting from October 2014 to June 2016. This is a milestone that the "Three Lions" can completely catch up with.
Any intention of Tuchel to keep the framework stable will be forced to change in this training session, when some of England's pillars are injured. However, the "Three Lions" still have impressive squad depth, with two notable returns, Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham.
Phil Foden (Manchester City) has not been involved in the last three calls-ups, with his most recent appearance for the national team coming against Latvia in March. However, the 25-year-old has regained his top form recently, scoring 4 goals and having 3 assists after 13 matches in all competitions this season.
Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham also returned from a short absence in October, when he suffered a shoulder injury. The return of the Real Madrid star brought the necessary energy and creativity to the England midfield in the last two matches of the qualifiers.
Head-to-head record
England are maintaining an overwhelming record against Serbia, having won their last 6 matches, including confrontations since the Southern region (1986, 1987, 1989), Serbia and Montenegro (2003), to the independent state of Serbia (2024, 2025).
Serbia have never won away from home in England, with a record of 3 draws and 5 losses. The upcoming trip will be their first time in the UK as an independent country.
Serbia's most recent away match against the "Three Lions" came in June 2003, when they were Serbia and Montenegro, and ended with a 1-2 defeat at the King Power Stadium.
Score prediction: Serbia 0-1 England
The match between England and Serbia takes place at 2:45 am on November 14 (Vietnam time).
