Tuchel hails teamwork as England rout Serbia 5-0 to move close to World Cup

Thomas Tuchel praised “team work in its purest form” after England moved a step closer to next summer’s World Cup with a 5-0 win in Serbia on Tuesday night.

Harry Kane opened the scoring in Belgrade with a header from a Declan Rice corner — his 74th international goal — before Noni Madueke doubled the lead before half-time. Defenders Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi added further goals and Marcus Rashford converted a late penalty after Ollie Watkins was fouled to complete the rout. England have won all five qualifiers without conceding and sit seven points clear at the top of Group K.

Tuchel, in what he described as his best night yet as England boss, credited the result to collective work and the clarity given to players over their roles. "We had the right intensity in the right moments. The players were excellent — full credit to the team," he said. "We have given the players clarity on their role in the structure we are playing. We gave them the responsibility to bring it to life, and they did excellent."

The win followed a 2-0 victory over Andorra at the weekend. Tuchel emphasised the unseen efforts that contributed to the scoreline, saying there was "a lot of invisible work that you get no praise for — a lot of running, effort, it was good to watch." He singled out several individuals for praise, including 22-year-old Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, who made a second strong appearance in midfield.

"I discovered Elliot in his performances for his club. He deserved to be with us. When I saw him in the Under-21s final, I knew he could be a No.6 for us," Tuchel said. "He has been excellent in camp and gave two excellent performances. Now, it’s on him to keep it going, to keep the freedom with him that he needs for his game. He's just a very, very good football player and was a very good team-mate in camp."

Tuchel also praised Madueke for his directness and work-rate. "I'm very happy that he scored and is involved in goals, because this is something he needs to add to his game. He played with hunger and directness, is fast and likes to dribble. That is what we want from him. But I'm most happy about his attitude, the reaction after ball losses, the work that he put in to help the team."

Morgan Rogers was another attacking player noted by Tuchel for a standout outing. The manager said the squad had enjoyed a "brilliant week in camp" and that the performance in Serbia was proof of growing cohesion.

England's dominant defensive record in qualifying — five clean sheets from five matches — leaves them well-placed for a direct route to the World Cup. The team will resume qualifying action later in the campaign as they seek to maintain their advantage at the top of Group K.