Player Evaluations: England Book Their Place for the Next World Cup

The national team secured their place at the next World Cup with a comfortable victory over the Baltic side on Tuesday night.

England's Starting XI

• Jordan Pickford – Pulled off a couple of excellent stops in the second half to preserve his remarkable clean sheet record. That's nine in a row. 6.5
• The full-back – Has taken to international football seamlessly. Sterner tests lie ahead, of course, but a positive start to his England career. 7
• The defender – A pair of fixtures in a short span will do the Manchester City defender a great benefit. Still one of the key players on the roster, fitness permitting. 7
• The centre-back – Picked ahead of his competitor and performed solidly. Executed an excellent last-ditch recovery tackle in the second half to boot. 7
• The young defender – Looked a little ring rusty at times, expected given his lack of action at Arsenal. An intriguing few months ahead. 6
• The midfielder – Seems undroppable in this England team at the moment. Looks tailored for this level and has developed an excellent partnership with Rice. 7
• The midfielder – Enjoying his attacking role. The mainstay of England's midfield is showing his creative abilities now. Developing into a genuine all-round midfielder. 7
• The attacker – Not as impactful as he has been in England's wins over other teams. We should find out next month who is the true owner of the number 10 shirt. 6
• The winger – Contributed an key pass to his superb goal against Wales last Thursday. Will be key to England's hopes next summer. 7.5
• Harry Kane – In the form of his life. Increased his total for the season to 20 scores. Has scored 76 goals for his country. Will he achieve 100? 8
• The forward – Precise finish to open the scoring for England here in Riga. Has performed admirably during this international window. 7.5

Subs' Impact

• The experienced midfielder (for Rice 60) – Kept play flowing in midfield. 6
• The playmaker (for Rogers 60) – Excellently taken goal and a menace. 7
• The winger (for Saka 60) – Battles on his hands to make the squad when the squad is full. 6
• Newcastle's full-back (for Stones 71) – Predictably, handled everything with his height. 6
• Manchester United's star (for Gordon 71) – A quick burst down the left was noticeable. 6

With a World Cup spot booked, the squad can now focus for the upcoming tournament with confidence.