'Statement victory' — England boss Tuchel in high spirits ahead of 2026 World Cup

Thomas Tuchel said England's commanding 5-0 victory against Serbia has set "the bar" as they took a significant step toward qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

The Three Lions had faced criticism for some lackluster performances in this qualifying campaign, despite having won all five of their Group K matches.

However, Tuesday's thrashing of Serbia in Belgrade delivered the eye-catching performance Tuchel's side needed.

"We had an excellent week from start to finish. We've just proved what I've seen every day in this camp, and this makes me very happy," the German boss said.

England now needs five points from their final three games to secure a spot at next summer's World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Sitting seven points clear at the top of their group, they will face Latvia in October before taking on Serbia and then Albania in November.

"This week was excellent. The attitude, the way we played in both matches. Today is a statement victory against a difficult opponent in a difficult environment," Tuchel said.

"There was no negative attitude on the pitch, no frustration on the pitch. For me, it was teamwork in its purest form. Then we played football to a high level and got a deserved win."