England beat Serbia 2-0, Tuchel showcases squad depth.

In the 90th minute at Wembley, Jude Bellingham won the ball in midfield, Phil Foden surged forward and passed to the left for Eberechi Eze to finish neatly: 2-0. That concise finish sealed England's victory over Serbia and showcased the most important thing of the night — the depth of the squad under manager Thomas Tuchel.

Earlier, Bukayo Saka opened the scoring in the first half. Although Serbia defended disciplinedly and limited truly clear chances, England still controlled the pace, tempo, and overall play, asserting their dominance over their closest pursuer in Group K of the World Cup qualifiers.

Squad depth and substitutions after the 60th minute.

With the game under his control, Tuchel made a series of substitutions rarely matched by any other team: after the 60th minute, he took Declan Rice, Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane, and Morgan Rogers, bringing on Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Eberechi Eze, and Jordan Henderson. For Serbia — who were seeing their World Cup qualification slip away — it was another blow to their efforts to turn the tide.

This series of changes wasn't just about refreshing the energy. It was a statement about depth: stars capable of making a difference stepped out, and equally caliber players immediately took their place without diminishing the intensity of the game.

Tactical dilemma: Foden '9.50', Bellingham breaks the structure.

Foden came on to fill the role of a false number 9 — or '9.5' as Tuchel described it — stretching the Serbian defense with his link-up runs. With just a few touches, Bellingham showed his ability to break down the structure with his characteristic feints and acceleration, opening up the flanks for the decisive goal.

Morgan Rogers proved he deserved a starting spot, fitting the pressing rhythm and linking up the midfield. Rashford — the 'special project' that Tuchel patiently honed — maintained his speed and finesse, keeping opposing defenses constantly on alert. Elliot Anderson continued to perform well, keeping the system balanced amidst constant personnel changes.

Main developments

• First half: Bukayo Saka opened the scoring, putting England in a dominant position.
• After the 60th minute: Tuchel made four substitutions, bringing on Foden, Bellingham, Eze, and Henderson to maintain intensity and control.
• 90th minute: Bellingham wins the ball, Foden surges forward and assists Eze to seal the 2-0 victory.
• Compared to the first leg in Belgrade in September, England didn't 'crush' their opponents, but they still dominated in terms of speed and tempo.

Impact and competition for a starting spot

This defeat makes things even more difficult for Serbia – their closest rival – in the race in Group K. For England, the message is even clearer: even if Kane, Rashford, or Rice are substituted, the quality of the output remains intact.

The final group stage match in Tirana on Sunday is seen as an opportunity for Tuchel to experiment further. The German coach insists he has 'finalized eight positions' in the starting lineup for the World Cup, but that doesn't diminish the players' ambitions.

The list of players absent from Wembley — Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish, Noni Madueke, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Gibbs-White and Trent Alexander-Arnold — somewhat illustrates the fierce competition for a place in the 2026 World Cup squad. Never before has it been so difficult to break into an England team as strong as the current one.

The departure of Kane, Rashford, and Rice to make way for Foden, Bellingham, and Eze—players who can make a difference in any team—is the clearest warning to the rest ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

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