Match Centre: Albania 0-2 England
- Y. Ramadani (15′)
- H. Kane (74′) (82′)
- A. Wharton (39′)
- J. Bellingham (80′)
A second-half double from Harry Kane helped the Three Lions make it eight wins from eight in World Cup qualifying
Highlights: Albania 0-2 England
Watch the best of the action from Tirana as the Three Lions finish their World Cup qualifying campaign with a win
Albania v England
FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers
Group K
5pm GMT, Sunday 16 November 2025
Arena Kombëtare
Thomas Tuchel and Harry Kane spoke to the media on Saturday night ahead of Sunday’s game.
Here is what they had to say.
Tuchel on his reflections following a year as England boss:
I’ve learned a lot about the job. I had to learn because it’s very different from club football. I think all of us grew together and we started with very good results in the first camp and with solid, serious performances – two good wins, two clean sheets.
I learned a lot about my football because my assistant coaches keep me on my toes with new information, new strategies, new ways to play and new data about physical input and output. That is good, that’s needed that we’re on top of the game as coaches to influence our players.
We want to win again. We face an Albanian side tomorrow which is difficult to break down, so maybe over the period of qualification, they only conceded three goals – two from us and only one more – so it’s difficult to create chances, difficult to score against them, so we need to take the next step tomorrow in our own development to have a chance to beat them.
On preparations ahead of the game:
We made sure yesterday that the training session we had that the quality, the mentality of the guys that didn’t play was just on the highest level which was pure pleasure to watch and to be part of that training session. That just showed me again that we’re building and we’re going in the right way, so everyone is ready to play, everyone is desperate to start.
The competition is still on, the hunger is on to be on the pitch tomorrow – that is the most important. Today, we prepared [for] Albania and we prepared our offensive solutions, spoke about the defensive structure of Albania as always and had a tactical training session. Everything we talk about is the process and about the things that we can influence.
On the fitness of the squad:
I don’t know fully who starts. We haven’t decided yet and we will have some discussions now, later and take decisions tomorrow morning. I still have to talk to some players. Everyone was in training except for Ezri Konsa who felt a tightness in the calf and he stayed in London for further assessment, so everyone else will be in the squad because everyone trained.
I will talk now to some players [about] how they actually feel and we will take the decision based on that.
We're live from Tirana as @HKane and Thomas Tuchel speak to the media ahead of tomorrow's game against Albania 🗣️ https://t.co/PEmN56dReF
— England (@England) November 15, 2025
Kane on his current vein of form:
I’ve had good moments throughout my whole career but I think just on a whole, physically, mentally, obviously the goals, the way I’m involved in the game, probably more than what I have been in other years has all come together nicely.
Playing for England, I always feel like I’m playing for one of the best teams and also with Bayern, I feel we’re in a really good moment which helps me and helps me get chances. So far this season, it’s been really good.
On the changes to the environment within the last year:
Different in the fact that with the coach, it feels different in terms of how we work and how things are. I always feel like the environment has been a big part of our culture and what we try to build – even with Gareth, that was a big identity that we had. We had that stage to transition in between Gareth and Thomas where I spoke last November about the camp and it’s been a big difference.
I think everyone feels ready to be part of it. They want to come and show what they can do in training, in games. They want to show the boss that they deserve to be picked for next summer and that’s kind of the message after the Latvia game. I know everyone is mid-season – it’s a brutal time for playing every three or four days and it’s important that we still have our days to build on what we can into the summer.
We only have two games after tomorrow before we’ll be in pre-camp and the squad will pretty much be announced. We’ll probably have a handful of training sessions from now until then.
Even players like Marc turning up to this camp, he was injured but to come and sit in the tactical meetings and watch us train and be around it is really important because we haven’t got a lot of time to get all the messages across from now until the summer. From that point of view, I think it’s been fantastic.
On competition within the group:
There’s great competition for places in a lot of positions. I think people kind of know their positions, where they’re going to be playing, who their competition is and I think it allows people to come into the camp and feel free and know, ‘OK, I need to work hard, I need to train well, I need to impress the manager’.
Even though it’s one of your teammates you’re fighting for a place, there’s that healthy competition that pushes each other to a higher standard and that’s what it’s all about.
I think the boss is really clear when he talks to his players and his messaging and I think he’ll be the same all the way up until the tournament.
On looking ahead to the tournament:
I think being a World Cup year is a big difference. Everyone wants to be a part of a World Cup. It’s the biggest tournament you’ll play in your professional career, so I think naturally there’s more motivation – knowing that that’s around the corner, knowing that there’s not a lot of time from now until then for the manager to see you or to see you in training – to prove a point and prove your way into the team.
On the final game of 2025:
The last game of the year in an England shirt, it’s always important to win for momentum, especially since we’re not going to be together now for another four months or so, so you don’t want to go away with a feeling of defeat.
Also, we know we’re qualified and Albania are into the play-offs but we still haven’t conceded a goal yet which I think is a great motivation to try and go through a whole campaign not conceding goals would be a special achievement.
Ultimately, I think it’s always against us almost. As an England team, you’re going to be favourites for most games that you play and it’s about reaching our level. If we reach our level, we feel we can beat any team in the world. It doesn’t matter who the opposition are, we have to try and reach that level every time we step out onto the pitch. Tomorrow will be no different.
Albania in profile
Nickname: The Red and Blacks
Coach: Sylvinho
Captain: Berat Gjimshiti
Match Stats
● Albania have lost all seven of their matches against England – all in World Cup qualifiers – conceding at least twice in every defeat and scoring just once, an Altin Rraklli goal in a 3-1 loss in March 2001.
● England have only played more games against Luxembourg (9), Andorra (8) and San Marino (8) while maintaining a 100 per cent win ratio than they have against Albania (7), winning 2-0 in their most recent meeting in March this year.
● Albania have not conceded a goal in a home qualifier for a major tournament (EURO/World Cup) for eight matches, since a 1-0 defeat to Poland in October 2021. They have faced 70 shots (17 on target) and an xG of 4.61 without conceding in these eight games.
● England have won their last six away matches in all competitions, their best run since between May 1970 and December 1971 (6). They last enjoyed a longer away winning run between December 1965 and October 1967 (nine in a row).
● England have kept a clean sheet in each of their last nine competitive internationals, facing just nine shots on target in that run – five of which were against Greece in the first of those nine games last November. They could become the third European nation to keep ten competitive clean sheets in a row, after the Netherlands (November 2004 – June 2006) and Spain (October 2014 – June 2016).
● England have won their last two away matches 5-0, beating Serbia in September and Latvia in October. They last hit 5+ goals in three away games in a row between May 1937 and May 1938, while they last won three away games in a row by a margin of five or more goals in June 1908, doing so three times in the space of five days (6-1 and 11-1 vs Austria, 7-0 vs Hungary).
● Harry Kane has been directly involved in seven goals in three appearances against Albania (five goals, two assists), scoring or assisting on average every 35 minutes. It’s his joint most goals against one nation (also five versus San Marino), while he’s only been involved in more goals against Bulgaria (four goals, four assists).
● All three of Eberechi Eze’s England goals have come as a substitute. He’s the only Three Lions player to score as many as three goals with all of them as a sub, and the second to score his first three goals as a substitute, after Harry Kane in 2015.
Last time out: England 2-0 Albania
Myles Lewis-Skelly made the scoresheet on his senior debut against Albania under the Wembley arch
Head to head
The Three Lions have faced Albania on seven previous occasions, winning all seven of those match-ups, including the most recent reverse fixture in March at Wembley Stadium as England look to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Previous meetings v Albania
England 2-0 Albania, World Cup Qualifier, 21 March 2025
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 Arsenal starlet made the scoresheet just 20 minutes into the game after receiving a first call-up from Tuchel before Kane doubled the advantage with 77 minutes gone.
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.
From the archive: England 5-0 Albania
Harry Kane hit a first-half hat-trick against Albania en route to the 2022 FIFA World Cup
England Squad News
Ticket Information
How to watch or stream
This game will be available to watch live on ITV1, STV, ITVX and STV Player.
Thomas Tuchel has named his starting XI to face Albania in England’s final World Cup Qualifier.
Jarell Quansah is handed his senior debut by the Three Lions boss, while Alex Scott makes the bench for the first time.
England: 13 Dean Henderson, 2 Jarell Quansah, 4 Declan Rice, 5 John Stones, 9 Harry Kane (C), 10 Jude Bellingham, 12 Dan Burn, 16 Adam Wharton, 18 Nico O’Reilly, 19 Eberechi Eze, 20 Jarrod Bowen
Substitutes: 1 Jordan Pickford, 3 Reece James, 6 Trevoh Chalobah, 7 Bukayo Saka, 8 Jordan Henderson, 11 Marcus Rashford, 14 Djed Spence, 15 Morgan Rogers, 17 Phil Foden, 21 Elliot Anderson, 22 James Trafford, 23 Alex Scott
Harry Kane scored twice after half time to confirm a maximum 24 points for the Three Lions in Group K.
Thomas Tuchel’s side did not concede a goal throughout the entirety of qualification and rounded off a memorable campaign with a hard-fought victory in Tirana.
The Three Lions were made to work hard for a way through but finally found it 15 minutes from time, as Kane stabbed home from close range at a corner.
The England captain then doubled his tally and England’s lead, as he headed home Marcus Rashford’s sumptuous cross to sign-off for the year in style.
England travelled to Tirana boasting a hugely impressive defensive record, with zero goals conceded from seven World Cup qualifiers.
And the Three Lions held firm to seal an unblemished defensive record across the entire qualifying campaign but were made to work hard for the clean sheet in the Albanian capital.
Dean Henderson was given the nod over Jordan Pickford in goal and the Crystal Palace stopper was called into action on a number of occasions to keep the hosts at bay.
Albania threated without laying a glove on target in the first half but were quickly out of the blocks in the second, with dangerman Arber Hoxha a constant threat on the left wing.
Henderson was at full stretch to deny Hoxha’s curling effort five minutes after the restart before stopping the winger again a minute later from close range.
The goalkeeper was then forced into evasive action to produce a superb tackle outside the box after a loose back pass.
With qualification for next summer’s World Cup secured, England boss Tuchel took the opportunity try new combinations in the final match of 2025.
Jarell Quansah made his debut at right back, while Adam Wharton started for the first time in the centre of midfield and Jarrod Bowen was given the nod on the wing.
There was also room for experimentation as the contest wore on in Tirana, with Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham teaming up in attacking midfield roles in behind Kane.
Tuchel had previously intimated that the trio could not play together at the same time but there were plenty of signs of encouragement that the Three Lions have yet another attacking option to add to their armoury.
The breakthrough came just ten minutes after Foden’s introduction, with Kane adding to his tally twice as England finally broke down Albania’s stubborn defence.
Kane continued his incredible international record with his 77th and 78th goals for the Three Lions.
Kane showed his poacher’s instinct to steal in at the near post and force the ball home from a corner to break the deadlock before he showed excellent movement and composure to nod home Rashford’s excellent curling cross.
It continues Kane’s particularly strong record against Albania, with the striker now scoring seven times against Sunday’s opponents.
The England captain scored away in Albania in 2021 before netting a hat-trick at Wembley later that year.
He scored in the reverse fixture in March as England earned a 2-0 win before he played a key role in all three points in Tirana.
It further solidified his status as England’s greatest-ever goalscorer, as he increased his lead at the top of the all-time standings.
Substitutes: 17 Phil Foden (Manchester City) for Rice 62’, 7 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) for Eze 62’, 11 Marcus Rashford (Barcelona on loan from Manchester United) for Bowen 75’, 21 Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest) for Wharton 75’, 15 Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) for Bellingham 84’
Subs not used: 1 Jordan Pickford (Everton), 3 Reece James (Chelsea), 6 Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea), 8 Jordan Henderson (Brentford), 14 Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), 22 James Trafford (Manchester City), 23 Alex Scott (AFC Bournemouth)
Head Coach: Thomas Tuchel
Goals: Kane 74’, 82’
Albania: 1 Thomas Strakosha; 4 Elseid Hysaj, 6 Berat Djimsiti, 17 Naser Aliji, 18 Ardian Ismajli; 8 Kristjan Asllani, 14 Qazim Laci, 20 Ylber Ramadani; 10 Nedim Bajrami, 11 Myrto Uzuni, 21 Arber Hoxha
Substitutes: 2 Ivan Balliu for Hysaj 26’, , 22 Armando Broja for Bajrami 75’,
Subs not used: 3 Klisman Cake, 5 Arlind Ajeti, 7 Rey Manaj 9 Jasir Asani, 12 Mario Dajsinani, 13 Indrit Tuci, 15 Adrion Pajaziti, 16 Medon Berisha, 19 Mirlind Daku, 23 Simon Simoni
Head Coach: Sylvinho
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