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. No bloodied bandages were required, as were seen with Terry Butcher and Paul Ince in those games.
It instead couldn’t have been easier, as this thrashing of Latvia made it six wins from six with 18 goals and none conceded. Almost perfect.
And that is something that has been more of an interest for Tuchel, as he has wanted England to qualify in a fashion befitting the expectations of them. So, after a relatively slow start, the German’s side have started to pick up some real speed – particularly in attack. There’s a growing coherence to the frontline, with the selected players complementing each other well. Morgan Rogers’s deftness is ideal for the runs of Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka, with a world-class scorer like Harry Kane looking like the best tactical fit in an England team for some time.
Gordon and the captain duly scored fine goals of different qualities, with Kane claiming his 77th and 78th for the country.
Through all of that, there was a genuine symbolism and significance to England qualifying so early. When you cast an eye over the international game right now – and particularly this break’s results – they are arguably one of just seven sides who currently look capable of winning this World Cup.
England are arguably fourth or fifth in a list headed by Spain, Argentina, France, maybe Portugal, and then possibly Netherlands and Brazil.
It isn’t currently that intimidating. The field is certainly nothing like 1998 or 2002, when so many of the major nations had absolutely stacked squads.
An irony of course is that the newly stacked calendar ensured many of those squads didn’t get to show that quality in an upset-laden 2002, and there may well be some echoes in this absurdly bloated 48-team tournament.
England won’t be able to press in the way they’ve done in recent games in the heat of North America next summer, and that is one of a few issues that Tuchel is trying to wrestle with right now.
Despite the perfect record, after all, it’s very far from true that England are a perfect team. Tuchel still has a lot to work out, not least the very psychological block that comes with being the major nation with the longest ongoing wait for an international trophy.
Other than that, though, many of those same major nations would love to have Tuchel’s issues right now – not least Italy and his own German team.
He is said to still be thinking about left-back, although Myles Lewis-Skelly seems to make that clearer with every performance. The only doubts are maybe over the teenager’s relative inexperience as regards tournament football, and his lack of game-time for Arsenal.
Tuchel is also weighing up who plays in front of him at left-wing. He clearly wants real pace running off Kane, and it was conspicuous that Gordon marked his good performance with a goal in the same moment that the manager talks up Marcus Rashford potentially having a higher ceiling.
England do have so many options in those positions around Kane, which stands in contrast to central defence and central midfield.
So many of these games have ultimately been about England trying to work out how to “control” games when they don’t have a Martin Zubimendi.
That does indirectly raise another issue. In order to win these matches and seal qualification, Tuchel has had to figure out how to beat low blocks, which won’t be the decisive challenge when it comes to sealing actual silverware.
There’s still such an unknown there, until he gets to prepare for a proper tournament knock-out against top opposition. All he can do right now is try to give himself options and put as many pieces as possible in place.
Which of course brings us to the main issue for Tuchel, even if he would absolutely deny there is anything to talk about. That is the ongoing exclusion of Jude Bellingham, held up as his finest match-winner.
Tuchel obviously won’t say it – and the exclusion of Phil Foden gives him a certain “cover” – but it’s hard not to see this as “political”, as the manager expressly showing the player that there are certain squad and tactical standards everyone has to conform to if they want in.
If that actually is the case, then this might well be the kind of management England need. Tuchel may have apologised for using the word “repulsive” about Bellingham’s behaviour in June, but he didn’t apologise for an arguably more telling comment around the same time. That is that the Real Madrid forward can “intimidate” teammates.
It is similarly notable that many have spoken about the good atmosphere in the camp of late.
None of this should be taken as an argument to leave a player as good as Bellingham out of the World Cup, but if a manager feels there is an issue to address it is of course much better to do it now rather than in the middle of a tournament.
Sure, it might create a bit of a media storm, but, again, that’s better now than next June.
And if it results in Bellingham absolutely maximising his qualities, as Tuchel managed with Neymar in 2020, then it will have been well worth it.
It certainly strengthens Tuchel’s case that creators like Rogers and final goalscorer Eberechi Eze put in displays like this.
There was one other off-pitch issue that this match threw up, and that Tuchel had created himself, arguably unnecessarily. There is a potential schism with some fans.
Tuchel complained about the atmosphere at Wembley, which was a little surprising when it was another flat home win of little consequence.
The travelling support sitting through driving rain in an unprotected stand naturally had a point to make about this. Immediately after the match started, they chanted “Thomas Tuchel, we’ll sing when we want”, “are we loud enough for you?”, and the ironic “our support is f**king s**t”, before a more playful “Thomas Tuchel give us a wave”.
By the end, he was obliging. All happy again, not least with the result.
No one will care what he says if all this ends with the actual World Cup itself in July. This qualification campaign has proven Tuchel has made progress in terms of that ambition.
England are there, and already look like one of the best sides too.
