In this article…
England v Albania
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Kick Off: Friday 21st March at 19:45
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Competition: World Cup 2026 Qualifiers
Thomas Tuchel takes charge of his first competitive game as England manager under the arch of Wembley Stadium with the Three Lions welcoming Albania for their World Cup qualifier curtain raiser. Tuchel raised some eyebrows with his squad selection for this round of qualifiers, and there are still plenty of question marks as to how he will get the most out of this England side, particularly the attack, which ultimately cost his predecessor his job.
Albania is ranked 65th in the world but is developing as a footballing nation. They performed admirably in the European Championships but ultimately exited in the group stages. They finished bottom of their Nations League group but this was a closely contested group with just one point separating second and fourth. Albania have more and more talent emerging in the top five leagues in Europe but are likely to fall short of any surprise at Wembley here.
⭐ England v Albania Best Bet
Harry Kane has scored 69 goals across his 103 caps for England, he partners up with Thomas Tuchel again who got so much out of him at Bayern last season, a campaign in which Kane scored 44 goals across his 45 appearances in all competitions. Kane has scored 28 goals across his 36 appearances at Wembley, more than any other player has managed for England.
Kane is really reliable in an England shirt when it comes to these qualifiers, he scored three goals across his five appearances in the Nations League group stage as well as three goals on England’s run to the final of the European Championships last summer. Kane is on penalties for his country which could prove to be a viable route to goal for Thomas Tuchel’s men given that they will spend large parts of the game around Albania’s box which should lead to plenty of opportunities for Kane to find the back of the net.
Kane has continued his excellent goalscoring form from last campaign to score 32 goals across his 37 appearances for Bayern Munich this season, this is something he can translate to the international stage under a new manager. England’s forward players have struggled a little with the pressure of the shirt, a lot of them are quite young so someone with the experience of Kane is invaluable to Tuchel finding some stability with this squad on the international stage. He should continue to be reliable and score in front of the Wembley crowd again here to kick off England’s qualifier campaign.
👕 England v Albania Predicted XI
🔍 England v Albania Players to Watch
⚪ Jude Bellingham
Bellingham could be utilised in a variety of roles under Thomas Tuchel but regardless of where he fits into the midfield setup, he’s likely to be a real nuisance for Albania. Bellingham’s power and marauding bursts through the middle of the park naturally invite challenges, this is evident in his fouls won record this season. He’s won 48 fouls across his 22 appearances for Real Madrid in La Liga this campaign (2.39 per 90) and drew 14 fouls across his four appearances in the Nations League (3.60 per 90). Albania will have to undertake the majority of the defensive work here with England set to dominate the ball, they averaged 11.3 fouls committed per 90 in the group stage of the Nations League which is something that should translate to their World Cup qualifier campaign.
🔴 Kristjan Asllani
Albania don’t have many players that can hurt England but Asllani stands out as a player that could cause Thomas Tuchel’s side some problems. Asllani plays for Inter Milan and is one of the most talented players in the current crop of Albanian players, he’s averaging 1.65 shots per 90 across his 16 appearances for Inter Milan this season in Serie A. Asllani tends to be slightly higher for his national side, evidenced by the jump to 2.33 shots per 90 in Albania’s Nations League campaign. He also averaged 2.67 shots per 90 across his three appearances at the European Championships last summer, further highlighting how often he gets into advanced areas for his country.
📂 England v Albania Cheat Sheet
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💻 England v Albania Form and Tactics
It’s yet to be seen what formation and tactical set up Thomas Tuchel goes with for his first competitive game as England manager. The squad he’s called up looks suited to a back three, possibly a similar system he played when in charge of Chelsea in guiding them to Champions League glory. Some of the inclusions have raised question marks but what is certain is that this squad of players has more than enough talent to navigate these qualifiers comfortably.
The main task Tuchel will have is getting some of the younger players used to the pressure of international football. The quality throughout the side is undeniable but there have been psychological barriers that have prevented England from winning the top trophies in international football. This is possibly why he’s included the likes of Jordan Henderson and Kyle Walker in an attempt to keep some of the positive culture Gareth Southgate had instilled into the England camp.
Albania is certainly developing as a football nation and their experience at last summer’s European Championships will aid them in their bid to qualify for the World Cup for the very first time. England should top the group quite comfortably but outside of that, the race is quite open with Andorra, Latvia, and Serbia making up the remaining sides. Albania will feel they can compete with these countries giving them a great chance of reaching the World Cup next summer.
Albania has a few players who play across the top five leagues in Europe, including Armando Broja, Kristjan Asllani, and Berat Djimsiti who can help carry Albania through the qualification period. Asllani is probably the key man in the squad that can make a difference for Albania but it’s likely that they’ll have to wait to get some points on the board with England being heavy favourites here.
🏁 England v Albania Ref Watch
- Referee: Alejandro Hernandez
| Average Cards (Y / R) | 4.55 / 0.25 |
| Fouls Given | 24.65 |
| Penalties | 0.30 |
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