England v Albania
FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers 
Group K
7.45pm GMT, Friday 21 March 2025
Wembley Stadium

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has spoken ahead of his first game in charge, when the Three Lions take on Albania.

Tuchel and his squad have been in camp at St. George’s Park since Monday, as they prepare for the opening match of their 2026 World Cup qualifying group.

And ahead of the game, Tuchel faced the media with some of his thoughts and comments below.

On his feelings ahead of his first match in charge at Wembley…

“I just hope so much that they [the fans] can see what I see on a daily basis, and they can transform it into the stadium. What I’ve seen in the last few days is amazing and it’s been a joy to watch and be a part of it.

“It’s amazing to have a full Wembley and I will be a bit nervous but that’s part of it, I’m always a bit nervous before matches so this will not be different. I’m excited and hopefully we can prove the point and take the first step.

“I feel the pressure, but I feel it as a privilege. In my coaching career, I’ve adapted to that and found methods to cope with it.”

 

Join us live from @SpursOfficial’s training ground to hear from Thomas Tuchel, followed by captain @HKane, ahead of tomorrow’s game against Albania 🎙️ https://t.co/QBg52lhfjV

— England (@England) March 20, 2025

On his team’s style and strategy for the game…

“Offensively we will try to implement our style, our structure and our rhythm from now on, with players in positions where they are comfortable and can express themselves to their full potential.

“But in modern football, you also have the quality of the opponent, Albania, and the respect that you have to give every opponent especially off the ball. It’s necessary that we stay open to adapt, whether that’s in the structure or line-up and we do what is needed.

“They are very strong on counter attacks so we’ll have to be aware of that. I don’t think we can say ‘we do what we want’ and everyone will adapt to us.

“Everyone will try to find a solution against us and we have to be open to adapt off the ball to the qualities of our opponent and this will start tomorrow.

“I want us to play with the excitement, hunger and desire to win and not the fear to lose. Failure is a part of football, but we want to have the togetherness and joy that everyone feels safe to express themselves and give their very best.

“We want to keep our fans excited so they believe in us.”

How has he found being back in the dressing room and training pitch after his time away from coaching?

“There’s been many smiles and I think the players feel it, that I missed it [coaching] and them a lot - it’s a unique energy in a football team and a dressing room at training.

“They are very social and it was nice to see that they spend a lot of time together, which is very different to club football so it’s nice to observe and even nicer to be a part of it.”

How has the last week been in camp?

“The job is very intense, it feels like a pre-season training camp. The players have been amazing and the level of training was very impressive so we’re very happy with it so far.

“Once you start working, preparing training sessions, talking to players and preparing meetings, it becomes very real and you forget the big picture from outside.

“I can feel the excitement in the camp and it’s now on us, and me, to prove the point and make people believe in the project. This will not stop, we have just six camps before we hopefully head to the U.S and we need to worship the time we have together.”

Three Lions captain Harry Kane was also talking ahead of the game as the squad prepare for their first game under the new head coach.

On working previously with Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich…

“I saw a lot of Thomas last season and he was a big reason I went to Bayern Munich in the first place so I know his attributes and how good a coach he is.

“I think all of the boys have been impressed by him and now we’re just excited to get out there tomorrow and start the next chapter.

“He wants the ball in the opposition half and he wants a lot of counter-pressing and he expects me to be the one in the box to try and score the chances.

“He’s already spoken a lot about getting as many balls into the box as quick as we can.

“I had a really good season with him last time and obviously the team and the squad is different, but I’m excited to start this England chapter with him and I’m hoping tomorrow we can show and continue those numbers.”

On change of style under Tuchel…

“I don’t want to give away formations or the team, but he’s spoken about the counter-press when we lose the ball and attacking players trying to win it back as quickly as we can.

“We’ll build up to play out and have a lot of the ball and possession and then ultimately, create a lot of chances. We have the team to do that and a lot of players in good form, young players who bring a lot of energy to the team so tomorrow night it will be down to us to do that and excite the Wembley crowd.

“It will be a tough game but we’re all excited to get out there and show what we can do.”

How has the squad's first week under Tuchel been?

“We’ve looked really sharp in training and I feel like he’s been happy with how we’ve trained and taken on information.

“It’s not easy because he’s been waiting for four or five months and he has a lot of ideas and a very short time to deliver those ideas on the training pitch.

“But all the lads have been really good in taking on that information and the energy in training yesterday was really good and it was a very high level.

“He’ll want us to keep going and take that into tomorrow night.”

Head to head

The Three Lions have played Albania at men's senior level on six occasions, winning all six of their previous encounters.

Last three meetings v Albania

England 5-0 Albania, World Cup Qualifier, 12 November 2021

England skipper Harry Kane took home the match ball the last time the Three Lions faced off against Albania on home turf at Wembley Stadium. The hosts took a step closer to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Kane bagged a first-half hat-trick while Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson also made the scoresheet.

 
Albania, 0-2 England, World Cup Qualifier, 28 March 2021

A 2-0 victory in Tirana ensured England kept their winning start to their World Cup qualifying campaign alive as Harry Kane and Mason Mount found the back of the net to make it two triumphs in as many games in Group I.

England 2-0 Albania, World Cup Qualifier, 5 September 2001

Sven-Goran Eriksson's England side ran out 2-0 winners over Albania back in 2001. Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler struck either side of the break as the Three Lions edged closer to securing their place in the 2002 World Cup.

England Squad News

Ticket Information

 

 

How to watch or stream

Thomas Tuchel has named his first team as England head coach, as the Three Lions take on Albania at Wembley in their European Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

And there are full debuts for defenders Myles Lewis-Skelly and Dan Burn, following their first call-ups last week, while there's also a return to the starting line-up for Marcus Rashford.

England: 1 Jordan Pickford, 2 Kyle Walker, 23 Myles Lewis-Skelly, 4 Declan Rice, 5 Ezri Konsa, 12 Dan Burn, 17 Curtis Jones, 10 Jude Bellingham, 9 Harry Kane (c), 7 Phil Foden, 11 Marcus Rashford

Substitutes: 3 Reece James, 6 Marc Guehi, 8 Jordan Henderson, 13 Dean Henderson, 14 Levi Colwill, 15 Eberechi Eze, 16 Morgan Rogers, 18 Anthony Gordon, 19 Dominic Solanke, 20 Jarrod Bowen, 21 Tino Livramento, 22 James Trafford

Goals from Myles Lewis-Skelly and Harry Kane saw England usher in the Thomas Tuchel era with a 2-0 win over Albania at Wembley.

The Three Lions roared out in front after 20 minutes when Jude Bellingham found a surging Lewis-Skelly with a delightful ball which the debutant slid home to open his England account in style.

Kane then doubled the lead in the 77th minute when he brought down Declan Rice’s lofted ball before firing home to get England's World Cup qualifying campaign off to the perfect start.

The Three Lions set their stall out early, testing the Albanian backline with a succession of balls in behind, with Marcus Rashford and Lewis-Skelly the targets down the left-hand side.

It was the Arsenal man at the centre of attention for England’s goal, racing onto Bellingham’s brilliantly weighted pass before firing past an onrushing Thomas Strakosha.

That seemed to rouse Albania, with England forced into evasive action immediately after the restart, with another of the night's debutants Dan Burn heading clear before Jordan Pickford tipped the ball over the bar for a corner.

The resulting set-piece was comfortably dealt with by the Three Lions’ rearguard, with Kane at hand to avert any immediate danger.

Down at the other end of the pitch, England almost extended their lead when Bellingham was put through on goal, only to be denied by Strakosha before Kane's follow-up was deflected away.

The hosts were clearly enjoying themselves and came close once more, when Burn headed the ball onto the bar from a corner to close out the first half.

The restart saw England pick up where they left off, with Kane heading wide after Bellingham won the ball high up the pitch.

Moments later, the England captain looked to open his own account when he sought to latch onto Phil Foden’s delivery from out wide, but Kane was only able to watch Strakosha smother the ball away.

Having weathered the storm, Albania looked to strike back when substitute Armando Broja bore down on goal, only for the ball to run into Pickford’s path.

Albania had grown into the game and came close to levelling the scores when Jasir Asani outpaced Burn to latch onto a lofted ball, only for Ezri Konsa to come to England’s rescue with a perfectly-timed interception to delight the Wembley crowd.

Despite their newfound attacking intent, the wind was taken out of the visitors’ sails just moments later when Kane expertly controlled Rice’s ball, before he rifled the ball into the net to ensure a winning start for Tuchel’s England.

England: 1 Jordan Pickford (Everton) 2 Kyle Walker (AC Milan, loan from Manchester City) 4 Declan Rice (Arsenal) 5 Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) 7 Phil Foden (Manchester City) 9 Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) 10 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) 11 Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa, loan from Manchester United) 12 Dan Burn (Newcastle United) 17 Curtis Jones (Liverpool) 23 Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)

Substitutes: 16 Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) for Jones 74', 18 Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United) for Rashford 74', 20 Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) for Foden 75', 8 Jordan Henderson (Ajax) for Rice 82', 3 Reece James (Chelsea) for Lewis-Skelly 91'

Subs not used: 13 Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace) 22 James Trafford (Burnley) 6 Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace) 14 Levi Colwill (Chelsea) 15 Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) 19 Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur) 21 Tino Livramento (Newcastle United)

Goals: Lewis-Skelly 20', Kane 77'

Head coach: Thomas Tuchel

Albania: 1 Thomas Strakosha 2 Iván Balliu 3 Naser Aliji 5 Arlind Ajeti 6 Berat Djimsiti 8 Kristjan Asllani 9 Jasir Asani 10 Nedim Bajrami 11 Myrto Uzuni 14 Qazim Laçi 20 Yiber Ramadani

Substitutes: 22 Armando Broja for Bajrami 63', 21 Arbër Hoxha for Asani 78', 19 Adrion Pajaziti for Laçi 79', 12 Elhan Kastrati for Strakosha 82'

Subs not used: 23 Alen Sherri 4 Juljan Shehu 7 Rey Manaj 13 Enea Mihaj 15 Marash Kumbulla 16 Medon Berisha 17 Ernest Muçi 18 Ardian Ismajli 22 Armando Broja

Head coach: Sylvinho