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England thrash Serbia 5-0 to edge closer to World Cup qualification Three Lions seven points clear at top of Group K with three games remaining Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi and Marcus Rashford on target Manager Thomas Tuchel praises a "statement victory" that has set "the bar" Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say Bobbie Jackson, Sam Drury, Craig Nelson and Millie Sian Thoughts on a friendly against Wales? Feels a little like missing an open goal in a World Cup year. Would you rather see England take on a team from another continent? All games World Cup qualifiers unless stated England Two of England's remaining three qualifiers are away from home, while their final fixture of the campaign at Wembley is the return match against Serbia, who will certainly have a point to prove after Tuesday night's humiliation. So while the Three Lions' tails are up, Thomas Tuchel will be keenly aware that there is still work to be done. England's upcoming fixtures: Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say What TT has done last night is put real pressure on the big names to step up and perform to their best ability otherwise they won’t get picked. Brilliant team management. Simon James, Canary Wharf, London Elliot Anderson is a revelation. The first player who has looked truly capable of filling the number six role. He appears very intelligent in his use of the ball, getting it forward quickly. Otherwise, I like the look of the Guehi and Konsa partnership and Livramento at left back. Ben Alexander, St Albans Serbia 0-5 England John Murray BBC football correspondent on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast That was quite a night. It goes straight on to the list of famous England away wins.
It was the toughest match that England faced in the group but they made that look a nonsense with the way they played. They imposed themselves from the first whistle and did exactly what Thomas Tuchel wanted - dominated from the first whistle. Tuchel told me on the eve of the match that he felt this performance was coming and he was happy to point that out to me after the match. All games World Cup qualifiers unless stated England Five wins and no goals conceded, capped off by a five-goal hammering of Group K danger team Serbia in their own back yard. Could England's start to World Cup qualifying have been any more impressive under new head coach Thomas Tuchel. OK, performances until Tuesday night's benchmark 5-0 win in Belgrade had been underwhelming, but with only five points now needed to qualify from the final three group games, does the World Cup countdown start now? England results under Tuchel: Serbia 0-5 England England's World Cup qualifier against Serbia in Belgrade was briefly paused by the referee after a laser pen was shone from the crowd in Ezri Konsa's face. The incident occurred in the 38th minute of the match at the Stadion Rajko Mitic in Belgrade - which the Three Lions went on to win 5-0 - when Konsa threw his head back after seemingly being dazzled by a green light. A few moments earlier a beam had been directed towards fellow defender Reece James as he prepared to take a free-kick. French referee Clement Turpin stopped the game momentarily after Konsa reacted and spoke to the fourth official on the touchline. Shortly after the resumption, there was a message over the public address system which warned fans against the use of laser pens and other pyrotechnics. In a separate incident, riot police entered the stands midway through the second half after home fans began chanting anti-government songs, while there were also chants related to Kosovo throughout the match. At least 15% of Belgrade's stadium was closed to home supporters as a Fifa punishment for racist chanting in a game against Andorra. A statement from the Serbian FA (FSS) said it has been fined more than £600, 000 by Fifa and Uefa in the past five years. Teamwork makes the dream work. .. Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say Maybe England were great last night because of the star name absentees not despite them. Team trumps individuals every time. Hope TT remembers that! Lee Jones, Bristol Without the big names the team became the focus and teamwork followed. James W Serbia 0-5 England Phil Mc Nulty BBC Sport chief football writer Thomas Tuchel spoke like a man who knew the best night of his England reign was coming from the moment he landed in Belgrade. The German heard questions about his methods after the dire World Cup qualifier win against Andorra on Saturday - a fourth successive competitive victory, but one that ended with thousands of supporters at Villa Park voting with their feet long before the end. "I see what I see. I feel what I feel. I am convinced we will improve, then get better and better, " said Tuchel before England's qualifier against Serbia. He echoed that message as he basked in the elation of Tuesday night's 5-0 triumph. Tuchel's side delivered on that promise - and then some - with a masterclass that swept Serbia aside in their own Belgrade fortress, the predicted hostile crowd silenced from virtually the first whistle by a performance of total domination. And, on what was the perfect night for Tuchel, he not only got the emphatic victory that puts England only five points away from World Cup qualification with three games left, he left Belgrade with the most pleasant of selection headaches to resolve. Serbia 0-5 England John Murray BBC football correspondent on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast They were looking for an identity and it feels like they found it here in Belgrade last night. I think Elliot Anderson has been key and it looks like 4-1-4-1 with Anderson key in midfield. It's worth remembering that Bellingham, Saka, Palmer, Colwill, White, Foden, Stones, Wharton, Alexander-Arnold were all missing from this squad. This has also served to raise competition for a place in Thomas Tuchel's squad. Serbia 0-5 England England's performance last night feels even more impressive when you contextualise it with the fact that several key figures and at least two starters weren't even in the squad. BBC football correspondent John Murray has been speaking about those players who will be looking to force their way back in action in October. Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say As ever, England struggle for a few games and then kick into gear when it matters. Never had any doubts! Munro Page, Istanbul Play like this every match and England could win the big one. Question is, how do you bottle this formula? Jules Little, north Essex Serbia 0-5 England Daniel Austin BBC Sport senior journalist When Djed Spence came on as a substitute for England during Tuesday's World Cup qualifier in Serbia, he was not just reaping the rewards of years of hard work and resilience in the face of setbacks - he was also making history. The 25-year-old Tottenham Hotspur full-back became the first Muslim to play for the senior England men's football team, a milestone which has drawn attention nationwide and beyond. "I was surprised because I didn't know I was the first, so it's a blessing, " he said after England's 5-0 win. "It's good to make history and hopefully inspire young kids around the world that they can make it as well. They can do what I am doing. " So, what does Spence's achievement mean for the wider Muslim community in the UK? Serbia 0-5 England Manager Thomas Tuchel said England's commanding performance against Serbia has set "the bar" as they took a step closer to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The Three Lions had faced criticism for lacklustre performances in this qualifying campaign, despite having won all five of their Group K matches. But a 5-0 thrashing of Serbia in Belgrade on Tuesday is perhaps the eye-catching performance Tuchel's England needed. "We had an excellent week from start to finish. We've just proved what I've seen every day in this camp and this makes me very happy, " said German boss Tuchel. "This camp was the benchmark. "There was no negative attitude on the pitch, no frustration on the pitch. For me, it was teamwork in it's purest form. Then we played football to a high level and got a deserved win. " England now need five points from their final three games to reach next summer's World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Sitting seven points clear at the top of the group, Tuchel's side will face Latvia in October before taking on Serbia then Albania in November. Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say As always, we want your help to drive on the conversation today. The mood felt a little low after the 2-0 win against Andorra last week - are you feeling more positive today? Thomas Tuchel has now been in charge for six games, was this the moment you started to really believe in him? Which player has impressed you the most during this camp? Get your opinions in via the 'Get Involved' button at the the top of this live page. Serbia 0-5 England England delivered the finest performance of head coach Thomas Tuchel's reign as they took a giant stride towards World Cup qualification by outclassing Serbia in Belgrade. In a game regarded as the toughest test Tuchel has faced since taking charge, England were superb from the start, this win meaning they now need five points from their final three games to reach next summer's showpiece. England took 33 minutes to make their domination count, the goal coming from the most familiar source as captain Harry Kane headed home Declan Rice's corner for his 74th goal in 109 internationals. Arsenal's Noni Madueke scored his first England goal two minutes later with a pacy run and fine finish past Serbia goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, a moment which had Tuchel pumping his fists in delight in the technical area. Ezri Konsa ended any hope of a Serbia recovery seven minutes after the break when he scored at the far post, also his first England goal. Serbia's plight worsened when their captain, Nottingham Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic, was sent off for a poor challenge on Kane, which left the striker requiring treatment. The punishment was instant as Marc Guehi got on the end of the resulting free-kick from Rice to add England's fourth goal with 15 minutes left. It got even better for England in the final minute when substitute Marcus Rashford scored from the spot after Ollie Watkins was fouled by Strahinja Erakovic. Welcome along. How are we doing this morning? The international break is winding down but we've got plenty to talk about after England's five-star showing last night. It was easily the best showing the Three Lions have put in since Thomas Tuchel took charge. There is plenty to dissect today so let's dive straight in! One. .. Two. .. Three. .. Four. .. Five. .. Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.