Match Report: England 2-0 Serbia
- B. Saka (28′)
- E. Eze (90′)
- F. Kostić (85′)
- (92′)
Goals from Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze seal victory as Wembley in Three Lions' penultimate World Cup qualifier
Highlights: England 2-0 Serbia
Watch the best of the action from Wembley as the Three Lions see off Serbia
England v Serbia
FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers
Group K
7.45pm GMT, Thursday 13 November 2025
Wembley Stadium
Thomas Tuchel and Ezri Konsa faced the press on Wednesday afternoon ahead of Thursday’s game against Serbia.
Here is what they had to say.
Tuchel on the feeling among the group:
Good atmosphere in the last two days. Everyone is happy to be in camp. It’s competitive and the mood is light. The attitude and energy on the training pitch is where we want it to be, so we have one more training session to go to be competitive tomorrow.
On looking ahead to the World Cup:
I know quite a lot about tomorrow but about May and June, I don’t know so much. I hold myself back of knowing too much or pretending to know so much or even too much focused. So much can happen. Nobody wants injuries to happen but injuries can happen, players can pull out, players can drop in form, other players can have form, so I’m very much open for the next months.
That’s why I don’t feel the pressure and I don’t feel the World Cup urge at the moment. I just feel the excitement and the pressure for tomorrow because we want to perform. As always, it’s step by step and the next step is Serbia tomorrow.
On the opposition:
It's always up to us and I think we did in the last match and we will try to do it again. I think we will face a very patriot Serbian team with a very patriotic new coach – a coach that is used to tournament football with the Serbian under-20s; he’s used to club football in a high quality Spanish league. I think from the way he talks, when I see the line up and the players, where they play and which clubs they play [at], they compete at the highest level.
I think we should not misinterpret the 5-0 as an easy match, what we did there. We will remind the players of the hard work and the effort that we put in to make a result like this possible and we have to do it again. On top of it, for them, it’s basically a final so I think we will see the best side of them which is a strong side. This is what we prepare for. Then the stadium will hopefully follow.
On the fitness of Marc Guéhi:
With Marc, it’s very, very painful, but there is no damage done – no structural damage – so it’s all about the pain. There is a possibility that from one day to the other, overnight we have a significant improvement. We’re working realistically towards the second game.
If he is not in training, let’s say on Friday and not able to train with us on Saturday, we will not make him travel with us and he gets the rest and treatment and can stay in London. He wants to stay with us and we wanted him to stay close. He is one of the leaders, he’s an important member of the team and important glue between many players. He tries everything to be included in the second match and we wanted to have the opportunity and that’s why we assess him basically every day.
We’re live with @EzriKonsa and Thomas Tuchel at @SpursOfficial’s training ground to preview Serbia! 🚨 https://t.co/LWS70vN7bc
— England (@England) November 12, 2025
Konsa on how England are approaching the camp:
We’ve had a great few camps. Obviously we know we’re already qualified but we want to win these next two games, we want to keep the standards, we want to stay consistent. We know that Serbia are going to come out strong – they need to win. They’ve got a new coach, great players as well, so we know it’s going to be a tough game but I’m sure we’ll be ready.
On setting the standards:
I think that comes down to everyone in the group. We’ve got a great captain in Harry Kane who does set the standards every day in training. I think for me, once you see a player like Harry Kane who is always setting the standards in training and the quality that he brings, it comes naturally for you as well as a player when you are training around these top players. You want to keep the standards and it something he reminds us off every training [session] and every game.
On the young players in the squad:
I speak to everyone and I get along with everyone, especially the young boys, but they’ve all been at top clubs, all been around a lot of experience, a lot of great quality players. For me, whatever way I can help, I’ll help them.
Serbia in profile
Nickname: The Eagles
Coach: Veljko Paunovic
Captain: Aleksandar Mitrović
Match Stats
● England have won their last six matches against Serbia, encompassing games against them when they were Yugoslavia (1986, 1987, 1989), Serbia and Montenegro (2003) and an independent nation (2024, 2025).
● Serbia have never won an away match in England (D3 L5) with this their first trip there as an independent nation. Their last away game was in June 2003 as Serbia and Montenegro, losing 2-1 at the King Power Stadium under Dejan Savicevic.
● England have won their last nine competitive matches and are looking to win tenin a row for just the second time in their history – they won ten consecutive European Championship qualifiers between September 2014 and October 2015.
● Serbia have lost just three of their last 27 World Cup qualifying matches (W17 D7), though two have been in their last three (W1), including a 5-0 hammering against England. Away from home, they are unbeaten in seven qualifiers (W5 D2).
● England kept eight consecutive clean sheets in competitive internationals, their longest ever run of competitive clean sheets, winning all eight of those. Only one European nation has ever won more consecutive competitive matches without conceding, with Spain winning ten in a row between October 2014 and June 2016.
● England rank first in UEFA World Cup qualifying for successful passes (4,061), average possession (75.8%), passes per sequence (6.4), average sequence time (17.8 seconds) and open play sequences with ten or more passes (172).
● Harry Kane is England’s all-time leading scorer at Wembley with 30 goals in 38 appearances, scoring in each of his last four at the national stadium – he’s never scored in five in a row. Only three players have scored in five consecutively at Wembley – Bobby Charlton (1958-59), Peter Crouch (2009-10) and Wayne Rooney (six in a row, 2014-15).
● Aleksandar Mitrovic’s next appearance will put him joint-second on the all-time cap holders for Serbia (inc. games as Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro), level with Branislav Ivanovic and behind only Dušan Tadić (111). Mitrovic has 19 goals in 25 World Cup qualifiers for his country.
● England have won each of their previous four home games at Wembley in all competitions by an aggregate score of 13-0, last winning five in succession there in September 2021.
● England have scored 3+ goals in each of their last three games, started by a 5-0 win against Serbia in September; they last enjoyed a longer such run in May 1961 (run of six).
● Serbia are unbeaten in their last five away games in all competitions (W2 D3), winning their previous two; they last won three in a row in March 2023 (run of four).
● Serbia have conceded in each of their last three games (7 in total) after keeping a clean sheet in each of their prior four matches.
● England have won four of their five competitive games against Serbia (L1), including each of the previous four, keeping three clean sheets in that time.
● Serbia, as previous guises, are yet to win against England as a visiting side (D3 L5); the only time they’ve scored first in that time was a 3-3 draw in May 1960.
● Serbia’s last away game against England at Wembley came in December 1989, when a Bryan Robson brace saw the Three Lions beat Yugoslavia 2-1.
Last time out: Serbia 0-5 England
Thomas Tuchel's side put in a five-star performance back in September as Madueke, Konsa and Guehi scored their first England goals
Head to head
The Three Lions have come up against Serbia on two previous occasions, running out 5-0 winners earlier this year in September, while the only other encounter came at last year's UEFA EURO 2024 in Germany.
Previous meetings v Serbia
Serbia 0-5 England, World Cup Qualifier, 9 September 2025
Thomas Tuchel's team took a giant step towards 2026 World Cup qualification courtesy of Harry Kane's 74th record-extending goal, followed by first England goals for Noni Madueke, Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi, before Marcus Rashford put the icing on the cake in a five-star display.
Serbia 0-1 England, EURO 2024,16 June 2024
Jude Bellingham's first-half header got England up and running at EURO 2024 as the midfielder nodded in the only goal of the game in the 13th minute as the Three Lions put important three board on the board in Group C.
From the archive: Serbia 0-1 England
Jude Bellingham's goal was the difference in England's UEFA EURO 2024 opener
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 England team to take on Serbia at Wembley, and has handed a senior debut to Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly.
There's also a place in the starting line-up for Marcus Rashford, while Jude Bellingham is named as a substitute alongside another returning squad member in Adam Wharton.
England: 1 Jordan Pickford, 2 Ezri Konsa, 3 Reece James, 4 Declan Rice, 5 John Stones, 7 Bukayo Saka, 9 Harry Kane (c), 11 Marcus Rashford, 15 Morgan Rogers, 18 Nico O'Reilly, 21 Elliot Anderson
Substitutes: 6 Trevoh Chalobah, 8 Jordan Henderson, 10 Jude Bellingham, 12 Dan Burn, 13 Dean Henderson, 14 Djed Spence, 16 Adam Wharton, 17 Phil Foden, 19 Ebere Eze, 20 Jarrod Bowen, 22 James Trafford, 23 Jarell Quansah
Bukayo Saka volleyed home just before the half hour mark to put the Three Lions ahead before Eberechi Eze secured all three points with a curled finish late on.
England had already sealed qualification with a 5-0 victory in the reverse fixture in Belgrade in September, but Thomas Tuchel’s men produced a professional performance to make it seven wins from seven in Group K without conceding a goal.
A slow start to the contest saw Serbia with the first foray forward, as Dusan Vlahovic latched onto a raking pass from Pedrag Rajkovic, but the striker was denied by an excellent block by Ezri Konsa.
Harry Kane found space and spread the ball wide to Saka, but the winger blazed his effort wide after cutting inside from the right.
The next chance fell to Marcus Rashford after a flowing England move saw the winger provide a brilliant dummy for Declan Rice, who returned to favour with a pass into the box, however Rashford’s effort was straight at Rajkovic.
The breakthrough came shortly after in the 28th minute, as Saka succinctly volleyed home inside the box.
The Three Lions were now firmly on top and Rashford again had a sight of goal after robbing Ivan Ilic on the edge of the pitch; his curled effort was easily held by Rajkovic.
Kane then came close to doubling the lead as he found himself unmarked at a corner, only for the England captain to nod narrowly wide at the back post.
Jordan Pickford was then called into action for the first time as the first half drew to a close, with the England ‘keeper alert to smother Filip Kostic’s effort.
The second half started in similar vein to the first, with few chances for either side until Serbia came close once more through Vlahovic.
This time the striker flicked his effort wide from close range after excellent work down the left wing by Kostic to manufacture a cross.
Phil Foden then came close with a header that flashed past the near post after meeting a Jordan Henderson cross.
Serbia needed at least a point as they chased second place in Group K and came mightily close to grabbing it ten minutes from time, only for Lazar Samardzic to hit his volley wide from close range before Vlahovic fired a shot over the bar from the edge of the box.
England then came inches from sealing the contest with a second as Eze’s poked effort was deflected onto the crossbar and out by Rajkovic.
Eze was not to be denied and wrapped up victory in style as he curled home into the top corner in the 90th minute after a swift Three Lions counter-attack.
It meant England signed off from their final game of the year at Wembley with a win ahead of their final World Cup qualifier away to Albania on Sunday.
Substitutes: 19 Eberechi Eze (Arsenal) for Rashford 65’, 17 Phil Foden (Manchester City) for Kane 65’, 10 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) for Rogers 65’, 8 Jordan Henderson (Brentford) for Rice 65’, 16 Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace) for Anderson 85’
Subs not used: 6 Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea), 12 Dan Burn (Newcastle United), 13 Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), 14 Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), 20 Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), 22 James Trafford (Manchester City), 23 Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Goals: Bukayo Saka 28’, Eberechi Eze 90’
Head coach: Thomas Tuchel
Serbia: 1 Pedrag Rajkovic, 2 Ognjen Mimovic, 3 Strahinja Pavlovic, 4 Nikola Milenkovic, 6 Nemanja Gudelj, 10 Sasa Lukic, 11 Filip Kostic, 14 Andrija Zivkovic, 17 Ivan Ilic, 22 Aleksa Terzic, 23 Dusan Vlahovic
Substitutes: 19 Aleksandar Stankovic for Ivan Ilic 39’, 20 Lazar Samardzic for Gudelj 69’, 5 Marko Grujic for Lukic 76’, 8 Luka Jovic for Zivkovic 76’, 7 Nemanja Radonjic for Terzic 76’
Subs not used: 9 Aleksandar Katai, 12 Veljko Ilic, 13 Milos Veljkovic, 15 Veljko Milosavljevic, 16 Strahinja Erakovic, 18 Luka Ilic, 21 Dorde Petrovic
Head coach: Veljko Paunovic
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