England completed a flawless 2026 World Cup qualification campaign with a 2-0 win in Albania on Sunday, courtesy of captain Harry Kane's second-half double.

With the Three Lions already qualified and their hosts assured of a play-off place, there was little on the line, and that was evident both in Thomas Tuchel's team selection, which saw seven changes to the XI that started Thursday's 2-0 victory over Serbia, and an initially drab encounter.

But Kane's close-range goal 16 minutes from time and a header eight minutes later ensured England finished with eight wins from eight, also ending a perfect campaign without conceding a single goal.

That record was at risk early in the second half after an opening period that saw little by way of goalmouth action. Moments after Arber Hoxha tested Dean Henderson with a fine effort, the same man shot straight at the goalkeeper from a promising position.

The recalled Jude Bellingham created an opening that Eberechi Eze squandered, then blasted over himself, before Tuchel turned to his bench and introduced Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka – the latter was similarly wasteful on two occasions when played in on goal.

Saka had a role in the breakthrough goal, however, as his right-wing corner was flicked on by an Albania defender at the near post and found Kane unmarked in front of goal to stab past Thomas Strakosha.

Marcus Rashford, another substitute, supplied Kane's second with a superb cross from deep on the left that allowed his captain to nod in the clincher.

Data Debrief: Flawless at the back, belatedly firing in attack

England have now won their last 10 competitive matches to nil, equalling the record by a European nation, with Spain doing so between October 2014 and June 2016.

This is only the second time the Three Lions have gone an entire qualification campaign without conceding, also doing so ahead of the 1990 World Cup, with changes in personnel at the back seeing no change in their fortunes.

In fact, no England players saw more of the ball than their four defenders, with Dan Burn leading the way on 114 touches.

That was perhaps an issue in the first half, when England played in front of Albania and created little – their efforts were worth just 0.29 expected goals (xG) – but the introduction of attacking substitutes led to an upturn in that regard.

It was no surprise that Kane thrived when given the service, with this brace improving his tally against Albania to seven goals, making them his favourite international opponents.