Thanks to a brace from Harry Kane, England's Three Lions defeated Albania 2-0 in their final European qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup. England captain Kane stated that if they want to go further in the World Cup, the team needs the collective effort of everyone, including players who come off the bench and make an impact.

The score didn't change until the 74th minute of the second half. Saka took a corner kick, and Albanian defender Nasser Aliji made a mistake while clearing the ball with his head. Kane seized the opportunity and pushed the ball into the net, giving England a 1-0 lead.

In the 82nd minute, Rashford dribbled past the defense and chipped the ball to Kane, who headed it into the net, extending England's lead to 2-0.

Ultimately, England defeated Albania 2-0 away from home, extending their winning streak to eight games and keeping a clean sheet to look forward to the 2026 World Cup.

Harry Kane, who plays for German giants Bayern Munich, said, "It was a very tough game, probably the toughest we've played in this group. We had to be patient and wear them down little by little. Their defense was very solid, but we did it. We won 2-0 and kept a clean sheet again, so we can be happy."

“We opted for outside-spin crosses in the first half, and then when Saka came on, we all knew how good he was at passing to the near post. I made a run to the near post and was lucky enough to get a touch on the ball, and thankfully I was there and put it into the net.”

Kane continued, "If you want to go further in any major competition, you need the strength of the whole team, and you need the impact of players who don't start to come on. That's football, it's not just about the starting 11. We need everyone, and the substitutes make a huge difference."

“We have set a standard, especially in the recent training camps, and this performance has continued. This is an important victory, and the team certainly doesn’t want to end the year with a loss and then have to wait until March next year to start playing again.”

In addition, Kane said, "I think the team's squad strength is at its best. We can observe the starting lineup and then see who comes off the bench. We will enter the World Cup as a favorite."

“We have been building the team and had a great year with the new head coach, so now we are looking forward to a big 2026.”