Miguel Delaney: England have qualified for the World Cup but need to fix these issues to end 60 years of hurt

Miguel Delaney: England have qualified for the World Cup but need to fix these issues to end 60 years of hurt

England's Anthony Gordon celebrates scoring their first goal with Elliot Anderson, Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka in the World Cup Group K qualifier at the Daugava Stadium, Riga, Latvia

So, England become the first European side to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, but the real wonder is whether that actually says anything more about their capability of finishing first next summer.

Thomas Tuchel of course acknowledged that this was the expectation, but said it shouldn’t be completely taken for granted that it is a landmark achievement, even if this 5-0 in front of some trees in Riga wasn’t exactly Stockholm 1989 or Rome 1997.