England kicked off their qualifying journey for the 2026 World Cup with a convincing win against Albania. The Three Lions dominated possession, restricting the visitors to just three shots on target.
Goals from debutant Miles Lewis-Skelly and Harry Kane sealed the victory. Lewis-Skelly became England’s youngest-ever goalscorer at just 18 years and 176 days old. Chelsea captain Reece James made his national team return after nearly two years out, replacing Lewis-Skelly for the final minutes.
Other World Cup qualifying results saw Ecuador win 2-1 against Venezuela, with Moisés Caicedo playing the full 90 minutes. Argentina edged Uruguay 1-0, thanks to Enzo Fernández’s performance. Brazil took down Colombia 2-1, while Kendry Páez was an unused substitute for Ecuador and Estêvão played for Brazil.
Source: https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2025/3/22/24391470/thomas-tuchel-starts-england-tenure-with-2-0-win-over-albania