The final round of UEFA World Cup qualifiers takes place during the current international break, with Thomas Tuchel’s England set to face Serbia and Albania.

Although the Three Lions have already booked their place at next year’s FIFA World Cup, Tuchel is determined to ensure his side finish the campaign in style — and with focus fully intact.

Tuchel Demands Relentless Standards

Speaking recently, Tuchel made it clear there would be no room for complacency.

“What we are trying to build is a strong bond — an energy, a group, a team, a brotherhood that everyone wants to be part of,” he said.

“Everyone knows that if they pull out of a 50-50 challenge, someone else can take their place. No one is giving us signals that this is a time to rest because we’ve already qualified — and we won’t accept it. The energy feeds itself. This is who we are right now.”

Tuchel also hinted that several senior players are not guaranteed spots in his World Cup squad, giving added importance to these final two qualifiers.

Record-Breaking Run Continues

England’s form has been nothing short of exceptional. The Three Lions have won nine consecutive competitive internationals, keeping eight straight clean sheets — their longest such run in history — and scoring 18 goals in six qualifying matches.

Victory over Serbia would not only secure a perfect qualifying campaign but could also see England equal Spain’s record of 10 consecutive competitive wins without conceding, set between 2014 and 2016.

Kane Leads the Charge

Captain Harry Kane remains the focal point of England’s attack. The Bayern Munich striker has been in scintillating form, netting 26 goals in 20 appearances for club and country this season — six of them in qualifying.

Two goals against Latvia saw Kane surpass Nat Lofthouse’s record for most multi-goal games for England (13). Wembley, meanwhile, continues to be his fortress — his 30 goals in 38 appearances at the national stadium are unmatched in England’s history.

Should he score again in North London, Kane would join an elite group of just four players to have found the net in five consecutive England matches.

Serbia Face an Uphill Battle

Serbia arrive at Wembley still reeling from their 5–0 defeat to England in September. To get anything from this rematch, Veljko Paunovic’s men will need a monumental effort — and perhaps a touch of English complacency.

The statistics underline the scale of their task. England lead all teams in qualifying for successful passes (4,061), pass accuracy (92%), average possession (75.8%), passes per sequence (6.4), and open-play sequences with 10 or more passes (172). Tuchel’s side have also registered 50 shots on target — the second most in Europe.

Serbia’s numbers pale in comparison, though their 89% pass completion rate suggests they can be dangerous if given time on the ball.

Resilient but Underdogs

Historically, Serbia (including their time as Serbia and Montenegro) have never won away in England — drawing three and losing five. However, they are unbeaten in their last seven away fixtures (five wins, two draws) and have lost just three of their last 27 qualification matches.

Still, two of those defeats came in their last three outings, including the loss to England. Those results prompted the Serbian FA to replace Dragan Stojković with Paunovic, the former Reading and Oviedo boss. The new manager knows a draw at Wembley could be crucial to keeping Serbia’s World Cup hopes alive, especially with Albania expected to beat Andorra.

Team News

For England, Marc Guehi and Anthony Gordon are sidelined through injury. Serbia, meanwhile, are without top scorer Aleksandar Mitrović, leaving Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović to shoulder the attacking burden.

Vlahović has registered more shots (24) and more on target (nine) than any other Serbian player in qualifying, so Jordan Pickford and England’s back line will need to stay alert — particularly in the opening 30 minutes, when Serbia tend to score most of their goals.

Interestingly, England’s most prolific period comes just before half-time — the same window when Serbia have conceded the majority of theirs.

A fascinating clash awaits under the Wembley lights, where England have the chance not just to win, but to make history.