England continued their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 3-0 win over Costa Rica in Orlando.
A thunderstorm delayed kick-off by an hour, but once the action finally got underway, Thomas Tuchel’s side showed the intensity and attacking intent that the England manager had been demanding ahead of their Group L opener against Croatia.
Gordon was at the heart of England’s best moments. The Barcelona winger’s pace and direct running caused Costa Rica problems throughout the evening and he played a key role in the opening goal. After breaking down the left, Gordon cut the ball back for Declan Rice, whose effort took a deflection on its way into the net.
The winger then added his own name to the scoresheet after the break, confidently converting a penalty to cap another strong display. His performance further strengthened his case for a starting role when England begin their World Cup campaign.
England created several opportunities and could have won by a bigger margin. Noni Madueke was left frustrated after striking the post with an open goal at his mercy, while Morgan Rogers also missed a good chance after coming off the bench.
Ollie Watkins eventually added a third goal late in the match. Rogers forced a save from substitute goalkeeper Abraham Madriz, and the Aston Villa striker reacted quickest to tuck away the rebound.
Jude Bellingham also impressed in an advanced midfield role. The Real Madrid star produced several moments of quality, including a superb pass that created Madueke’s first-half opportunity. He later took over the captain’s armband when Harry Kane was substituted as Tuchel rotated his squad.
Rice looked sharp despite only recently joining the camp following Arsenal’s run to the Champions League final, while Reece James, Nico O’Reilly, John Stones and Ezri Konsa all enjoyed relatively comfortable evenings as Costa Rica rarely threatened.
Tuchel was delighted with what he saw from his players.
“We deserved to win, we should have scored more and created a lot,” he said. “The attitude, intensity and energy was on a very high level. Everyone did well. It was a very good team performance.”
The England boss also praised the competition within his squad.
“Tonight makes my mind very calm because we are absolutely going the right way and I’m very proud of the team spirit. The guys who came in were influential and the players on the bench kept pushing. It’s exactly what we wanted.”
Tuchel was particularly pleased with the impact of his substitutes.
“We saw very good substitutes who were disappointed not to start. They came on and played with the same intensity and quality against a tired opponent. Well done to everyone.”
England will now continue their preparations with a behind-closed-doors match against Miami FC before travelling to Kansas for the final phase of their build-up to the World Cup.
With confidence growing and competition for places increasing, Tuchel’s side appear to be building momentum at exactly the right time ahead of clashes with Croatia, Ghana and Panama in Group L.
