In a night of firsts and dominance, England thrashed Serbia 5–0 at the Rajko Mitic Stadium as Marc Guéhi, Ezri Konsa and Noni Madueke all scored their maiden senior international goals, underlining the Three Lions’ growing confidence under manager Thomas Tuchel.
Combined with strikes from Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford, England’s display was a commanding statement in their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Before Tuesday’s match, England had won their first four qualifiers in Group K, but questions lingered over whether the performances had matched the results, especially after a somewhat uninspired 2–0 win over Andorra.
In Belgrade, with a few key players unavailable, those doubts were silenced: England were cohesive, incisive in attack, resilient in defence, and clinical with their chances.
The breakthrough came in the 33rd minute when Harry Kane opened the scoring via a header from a Declan Rice corner. Barely three minutes later, the second goal arrived via Madueke, who raced clear following a clever flick from Morgan Rogers and dinked the ball over Serbia’s goalkeeper.
For Madueke, it was his first goal for his country. “I’m delighted with the team performance and the win. It was a really, really top performance today and thank God that I was able to score my first goal… It’s something that you work for, and that you dream of when you’re a lot younger,” he said after the match.
England’s dominance only increased after the interval. In the second half, Ezri Konsa got in on the act, tapping in a rebound after goalkeeper Djorde Petrovic failed to hold a shot from Anthony Gordon. It was Konsa’s first goal at senior level for England. After sealing a clean sheet and being part of such a big evening, Konsa reflected: “A moment I’ll never forget… Excellent night.”
Shortly thereafter, Marc Guéhi, already praised for his defensive contributions, marked his 25th cap by scoring his first England goal, converting a free-kick from Declan Rice with a close-range sliding finish.
Guéhi also provided the assist for Konsa’s goal earlier in the second half, emphasising his growing influence at both ends of the pitch. “I’m just over the moon… you work really hard growing up, so to score a goal for your country is the best feeling,” he said.
Marcus Rashford rounded off the scoring late on, converting a penalty after Ollie Watkins was fouled, while Serbia were reduced to ten men following a straight red issued to Nikola Milenković. England’s collective performance, from fullbacks to attack, drew widespread praise. Tuchel described it as “teamwork in its purest form,” adding that his side “put a lot of work in … kept the intensity … never stopped pressing, defending, helping each other out.”
Guéhi’s journey is especially notable. The Crystal Palace captain had, until this match, gone 24 caps without finding the net for England despite being a regular starter and a key part of their recent run to the Euro 2024 final. His free-kick goal breaks that duck.
Under Tuchel, England have placed a premium not just on results but on structure, clarity of role, and readiness of squad members to step up when called upon.
With big names such as Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer unavailable, the performance from the likes of Rogers, Madueke, Konsa, and Guéhi is significant. It speaks of depth and belief—two qualities essential for major tournament success.
The result puts England seven points clear at the top of Group K, unbeaten with a perfect defensive record in qualifiers thus far. It brings them ever closer to securing automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup, and also provides a template: intensity, fluidity, opportunism, and unselfish play.