England Secure World Cup 2026 Spot with 2-0 Win Over Serbia

England kept their spotless path to the FIFA World Cup 2026 alive on Thursday night with a steady 2-0 win over Serbia at Wembley Stadium. The scoreline looked routine, but the talking point did not. Jude Bellingham spent most of the evening watching the action from the bench, and that had plenty of fans shifting in their seats.

Saka set the tone with a clever first-half finish. Eberechi Eze sealed it late, cool as you like, smooth goals and steady performance. England have now won all seven of their Group K matches without letting in a single shot past their keepers. No one expected this when the qualifiers started, especially after England’s sluggish early days under Thomas Tuchel.

Yet the story felt different the moment the line-ups dropped. Bellingham on the bench again. That alone sparked chatter around the stadium. To be fair, the Real Madrid midfielder had missed the previous four matches with a shoulder problem, but even then, many expected him straight back into the starting team.

Tuchel thought otherwise. He picked Morgan Rogers for the number ten role. Brave call, considering the spotlight on Bellingham. Rogers did not hide from it. His first touch had the crowd humming, and his movement kept Serbia guessing. That one moment in the opening half when he spun between two midfielders really said it all. The kid looked like he belonged.

Saka Opens the Scoring

Saka’s opener arrived in the 28th minute after Predrag Rajkovic failed to deal with Declan Rice’s free-kick. The loose ball fell to Nico O’Reilly, his shot bounced into a crowd, and Saka guided a crisp volley into the far corner. That shot had the crowd on its feet. You could feel a lift in the air, as if everyone remembered how dangerous this England side can be when they play with rhythm.

The chances kept coming, and O’Reilly clipped the post. Harry Kane headed wide from a few yards out. Serbia barely threatened. Their one golden opening fell to Dusan Vlahovic early in the second half, but he somehow flicked his effort wide. You could see the frustration written across his face.

Then came the moment everyone expected. Bellingham stepped onto the pitch with 26 minutes left, greeted by a warm roar. More like a relieved welcome back. Phil Foden joined him soon after. Suddenly, the tempo shifted and the passes grew sharper.

Eze Seals the Win

The second goal came in the 90th minute. Bellingham passed to Foden, who set up Eze. He took a clean shot and scored. That made it 2-0, giving England a comfortable win.

England now head to Albania for their final qualifier on Sunday. The points are sorted. The place in the World Cup is locked in. Yet the biggest question remains. What happens now with Bellingham? Tuchel says he must fight for his spot. The next few months should be interesting, no doubt about it.