England secured a 2-0 victory over Serbia in their World Cup qualifying clash at Wembley Stadium. The Three Lions got off to a pedestrian start but found the breakthrough thanks to a wonderful volleyed effort from Bukayo Saka who put Thomas Tuchel’s side ahead. Eberechi Eze then doubled the lead just a few minutes from time.
England dominated the game in terms of possession and shots. However, they struggled to create much in the way of clearcut chances in a cagey encounter. They did, however, extend their perfect record in qualifying Group K while ending Serbia’s hopes of reaching next summer’s tournament. Here, GIVEMESPORT dish out the player ratings from Wemley Stadium.
Match Highlights
To follow.
England Player Ratings
GK: Jordan Pickford – 7/10
Had very little to do, but looked assured in what he did do.
RB: Reece James – 8/10
Had a really good game. Defensively strong and put in some dangerous crosses from the right.
CB: John Stones – 7.5/10
A typically strong performance from Stones.
CB: Ezri Konsa – 7.5/10
Really dominant in defence against Vlahovic. Quickly emerging as one of England’s leading centre-backs.
LB: Nico O’Reilly – 8/10
Incredibly bright on his England debut. Very confident and looked like he’d been playing at this level for years.
CM: Elliot Anderson – 8/10
Looked very comfortable as he dictated the game from a deep midfield position. Has surely cemented his spot in England’s midfield for next summer.
CM: Declan Rice – 7.5/10
Showcased his brilliant range of passes from midfield. His set pieces caused all sorts of problems.
RW: Bukayo Saka – 8/10
Scored a wonderful effort in the first half after looking very dangerous.
CAM: Morgan Rodgers – 5/10
Apart from a header that went wide, he struggled to really impact the game from the no.10 position.
LW: Marcus Rashford – 6/5/10
Really bright off the left flank as he brought his Barcelona form back to England.
CF: Harry Kane – 7/10
Led the line really well. Dropped deep and sprayed passes all over the park. Only had one shot which is a concern.
Sub: Jude Bellingham – 7/10
Instantly added real class to England’s attack once he came on the pitch. A little bit wasteful on the ball.
Sub: Phil Foden – 7/10
Went close with a header from inside the area. Looked very bright and set up Eze’s goal.
Sub: Eberechi Eze – 8/10
Caused problems after coming off the bench. Added real fluidity to the attack and found the net with a rocket of a shot.
Sub: Jordan Henderson – 7/10
Hit a wonderful cross that found Phil Foden in the penalty area.
Sub: Adam Wharton – N/A
World Cup – UEFA Qualifiers – Group K – England v Serbia – Wembley Stadium, London, Britain – November 13, 2025 England’s Marcus Rashford shoots at goal REUTERS/Toby Melville
Serbia Player Ratings
GK: Predrag Rajkovic – 5/10
Made a silly error in the build up to Saka’s goal.
RB: Ognjen Mimovic – 6/10
Had a difficult game against Marcus Rashford.
CB: Nikola Milenkovic – 5.5/10
Did well. Helped by Kane’s tendency to drop very deep.
CB: Strahinja Pavlovic – 5.5/10
Put in a decent performance.
LB: Aleksa Terzic – 6/10
One of Serbia’s top performers with a number of defensive contributions.
RM: Andrija Zivkovic – 6.5/10
Passed the ball well, good delivery. Struggled to really cause problems.
CM: Ivan Ilic – 5/10
Lasted just over half an hour before suffering a knee injury.
CM: Nemanja Gudelj – 6/10
Did well against England’s midfield. Just lacked quality.
CM: Sasa Lukic – 6/10
The Fulham star put in a solid showing in midfield.
LM: Filip Kostic – 6.5/10
Silenced by a strong performance from Reece James. Did break clear in the second half and could have teed up an equaliser.
ST: Dusan Vlahovic – 5/10
Really struggled. Incredibly isolated and lost almost every duel that he went in for. Missed a big chance in the second half.
Sub: Aleksandar Stankovic – 5/10
Sub: Lazar Samardzic – 5/10
Had a wonderful chance to equalise but sent his volley just wide.
Tottenham have been handed a major blow in their efforts to sign Marcus Rashford this summer, according to the i Paper, as the Manchester United ace is not currently open to join the club.
It comes as Spurs have been linked with the winger as a potential option to improve the forward ranks, as talks continue over the signing of some key players up front.
There is also interest in Cody Gakpo, who offers slightly more experience. Then there’s Rashford, who is available on the market, but he has seemingly made his mind up over a deal in North London.
It’s stated that the 28-year-old doesn’t want to join another Premier League club, despite his previous success in the division, as he looks for an exit outside of England.
It follows on from Rashford’s successful loan spell at Barcelona, which saw him become a useful squad option for the club, where he could enjoy his football once again.
However, the Blaugrana opted against a permanent deal to sign the Man United star, who had a permanent clause in his loan move, with a move for Anthony Gordon going through instead.
Barcelona are claimed to be open to another loan move for Rashford, though the Red Devils prefer an exit in the region of £40 million, which could drop to £25 million in the coming weeks.
It means Tottenham will miss out on a move, unless the player’s stance changes in the near future. That said, it will save the club on wages.
You scored
out of 20
Rashford Wage Boost
Nathan Ray Seebeck via Reuters
Tottenham’s move for Rashford would’ve been expensive in the long-term, not due to the transfer fee, but due to the likely wages the club would have to take on.
It’s a monumental amount that would smash through the current wage structure for the Lilywhites, as they look to invest even more in the market.
However, with Rashford seemingly turning down the possibility of moving to Tottenham and other Premier League clubs, that may save the club a huge amount that can be invested elsewhere in the squad.
Cody Gakpo’s girlfriend, Noa van der Bij, has posted an emotional statement to confirm that their son has passed away during pregnancy.
The Liverpool star and his partner announced in May that they were expecting another boy. They already have one son, Samuel, who was born in 2024.
Gakpo is currently representing the Netherlands at the 2026 World Cup, while Van der Bij is in the United States of America to support him from the stands. The latter took to Instagram to share the news that their baby, who they named Elijah Raphael Gakpo, had passed.
Cody Gakpo and Noa van der Bij Lose Son
Jay Biggerstaff (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters)
Van der Bij posted to her Instagram story on Saturday afternoon, saying: “With broken hearts, we share the devastating news that our baby boy passed away during pregnancy. Thank you for your love and support. Elijah Raphael Gakpo Forever loved. Forever our son.”
She then shared a heartbreaking story of how the couple and their son, Samuel, went to light a candle at church and came across another little boy called Elijah. Her next post stated:
“We went to church to light a candle. Afterwards, we walked to the church playground with our son Samuel. There was only one other child there. His name was Elijah.
“There could not have been a more beautiful sign from God He reminded us that our little boy is never far away.”
A billionaire tennis player has chosen not to share a hotel with her Wimbledon competitors, previously claiming that she needs better facilities to help her recover efficiently and effectively.
Staying at the official Wimbledon hotel is the default expected choice for many of the tournament participants. It serves as a financial necessity for many lower-ranked players, juniors, and doubles specialists who rely on the tournament’s organisers to cover the expensive costs of hotels during their time competing.
This does rule out those that can afford to prepare for the tournament while prioritising comfort over free accommodation.
World’s Richest Tennis Player Chooses Her Own Hotels
Andrew Couldridge via Reuters
From Monday, as the tournament gets underway, the widely considered world’s richest tennis star will be staying in a premium, independent hotel of her own choosing, and will be looking to improve on her best-ever run to the quarter-finals in 2023.
She will enter the prestigious tournament as fourth seed, but has still yet to reach a major championship, with her run to the US Open final in 2024 being the closest she has ever come.
She believes that choosing her own hotel room, away from the other players, could lead to success, explaining that as she has become older, the small details matter, like having a better pillow and a quiet space to relax, with both being vital for recovery.
Why She Chooses Her Own Hotels
“We’re either on the court or we’re in the hotel room,” she said. “It’s such a big part of our lives, and as I’ve gotten older, a good hotel has become more of a priority.
“When you’re 20, and you’re just starting to travel, you’re not complaining that much: you’re more out there grinding and embracing life on tour. Once you hit 30 and kind of need a better pillow, that stuff honestly becomes really important.”
During last year’s French Open, Jessica Pegula, the daughter of the NFL Buffalo Bills owner, Terry Pegula, first decided to take this approach before realising how mentally draining it had become to share her space with her direct rivals.
“Oh my gosh, being away from everyone else is a massive thing for me,” Pegula admitted. “I think that’s what maybe sparked this, as well. I just felt like, ‘I can’t do [player hotels] anymore.’
Szymon Gorski via Reuters
“When you’re staying at a tournament hotel, I feel like it’s so mentally draining. It’s not like anyone is a problem.”
The American star is scheduled to come up against unseeded Czech Darja Vidmanova at 11am on Monday.
The 32-year-old has amassed over $2 million worth of prize money so far in her career and has really highlighted the importance of her recent decision.
“If you were going to work with someone, you would necessarily want to eat breakfast with them, practice with them, have lunch, go to the locker room, and the physio room with them, and see them in the elevators and the hallways.
“I don’t think people realise that shouldn’t happen, not with the people you’re working and competing with every single week. We play pretty much every week together, and so, all of that together, you’re ready to lose it.”
