CRUISING INTO WORLD CUP FINALS

England, Portugal and Norway powering through qualifiers but Italy in trouble again

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England and Portugal are in pole position to win their respective 2026 World Cup qualifying groups with two games to spare, with several other European nations also hoping to secure berths at the Finals in the upcoming games.

And Norway may be only one victory away from reaching the tournament for the first time since 1998, which could leave Italy staring at a third successive World Cup watching from the sidelines.

Thomas Tuchel’s England laid down a marker in September with an impressive 5-0 thrashing of Serbia in Belgrade and are yet to concede a goal in five qualifiers.

They are not in Group K action until Oct 14, when a victory over Latvia in Riga would secure a place at the 2026 Finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada, if Serbia do not beat Albania on Oct 11.

The Three Lions boast a seven-point lead over Albania with three matches to play, with Serbia a point further back but with a game in hand.

Several players who were not previously considered first choices starred in Serbia, leading Tuchel to leave out big names Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish from his latest squad.