England dismantle Wales in rampant first-half display

The ball fizzed off the instep of Bukayo Saka and curled viciously into the top corner.

- JACK RATHBORN

England were three goals clear of Wales and a grin from the Arsenal man captured the ever-changing mood when it comes to representing Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions: joy.

No longer a burden, or a feeling of being peeled away from club duty, Tuchel appears to have inspired an urgency and delight at the opportunity to represent the national team as he counts down the days to the 2026 World Cup. Inflicting a 3-0 defeat on their old enemy further emphasised a developing meritocracy, too, with club status no longer enough to seize a shirt. There was no starter from Chelsea, Liverpool or Man United for the first time since 1992.

Tuchel has lauded the New England Patriots in the buildup to this friendly, underlining his desire to replicate the iconic NFL franchise's reluctance “to collect the most talented players” and instead “build a team”. Craig Bellamy might scoff at the second part and its difficulty when you can still showcase a team bursting with talent, despite the controversial absence of Jude Bellingham, with Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish, Reece James and the skipper Harry Kane, among others, also absent.