International Football
England qualify for World Cup with 10-goal rout of San Marino
England qualified for the World Cup in record-breaking style as Harry Kane scored four times in a 10-0 demolition of San Marino that ranked as the Three Lions’ biggest ever victory in a competitive match.
Needing a draw from their last Group I qualifier to reach next year’s tournament in Qatar, England went goal crazy on Monday (Nov 15) as they scored 10 in a single game for the first time since a 1964 friendly against the United States.
Harry Maguire put Gareth Southgate’s side in front early on before Filippo Fabbri’s own goal doubled England’s lead. England captain Kane took centre-stage after that, scoring four before the break to rewrite the record books.
Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe notched his first senior international goal in his maiden start. Tyrone Mings headed his first England goal after San Marino’s Dante Rossi was sent off, before Tammy Abraham and Bukayo Saka completed their country’s record-breaking win.
Kane has scored 16 goals in 2021 for England, setting a calendar year record for the Three Lions as he surpassed the 12-goal tallies of George Hilsdon in 1908 and Dixie Dean in 1927. The 28-year-old moved level with Gary Lineker on 48 England goals, with only Bobby Charlton (49) and Wayne Rooney (53) above him.
Kane is the first England player to score four times in a single game since Ian Wright against San Marino in 1993. After bagging a hat-trick in Friday’s 5-0 win over Albania, Kane is the first England player to score three or more in successive games since Tommy Taylor in 1957.
Southgate’s men ended a memorable 2021 on a fitting high note after they reached the Euro 2020 final in July – missing out on a first trophy since 1966 in a painful penalty shoot-out against Italy. Group winners England finished the qualifying campaign unbeaten in their 10 matches.
They will head to Qatar in 12 months established as one of the main contenders to win the World Cup.
Ruthless Kane
San Marino famously scored after just eight seconds against England in a qualifier 28 years ago. But there was never any danger of similar embarrassment for Southgate’s team as they took the lead in the sixth minute against a woeful San Marino team bottom of FIFA’s world rankings.
Phil Foden’s corner reached Maguire and he rose highest to score with a powerful header, making it two goals in two games for the defender.
With San Marino completely out of their depth, England struck again in the 15th minute. Maguire’s pass found Saka, who cut in from the left-hand side of the San Marino area and drilled a low shot that deflected in off Fabbri’s out-stretched boot.
Kane’s goal-spree started in the 27th minute after Rossi put his hand up to get the slightest of touches on Foden’s scissor kick, leading to a penalty that the Tottenham striker stroked in with ease.
England showed no mercy and Kane got his second in the 31st minute, guiding Smith Rowe’s cross into the bottom corner. Eight minutes later, Kane’s header was blocked by Alessandro D’Addario’s arm and he smashed the resulting spot-kick high into the top corner for his fifth England hat-trick.
Kane grabbed his fourth in the 42nd minute, weaving through the shambolic San Marino defence to slot home. It was the first time England had scored six in the first half since 1946.
Smith Rowe got the seventh with a predatory finish in the 58th minute. After Rossi’s red card for tripping Conor Gallagher, Mings headed in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick in the 69th minute.
Abraham made it nine in the 78th minute and, with England fans chanting “we want 10”, Saka obliged with a close-range header 60 seconds later.
-AFP
Brazil will round off their 2025 calendar with two friendly matches in Europe next month, taking on Senegal and Tunisia as part of their preparations for the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian FA (CBF) announced on Thursday.
The five-time world champions, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, will face Senegal on November 15 at Emirates Stadium in London and, three days later, they will meet Tunisia in Lille, France.
The CBF announced that these fixtures were designed to “provide the team with valuable experience against African opposition” ahead of next year’s tournament in North America.
After the conclusion of the South American qualifiers, the choice of opponents follows October’s encounters against Asian teams, which saw Brazil beat South Korea 5-0 but suffer a stunning first defeat to Japan.
With coach Ancelotti facing limited preparation time after arriving in May from Real Madrid, the matches form part of a broader plan to expose Brazil to a variety of playing styles in preparation for next year’s the World Cup.
Looking ahead to March 2026, the CBF has indicated that Brazil’s next set of friendlies will likely be against top-level European nations, with the U.S. as the expected venue.
Ancelotti has been steadily implementing his vision for the squad and has emphasised the importance of adapting to diverse tactical challenges, particularly against teams from other continents.
CBF sources indicated that the plan for the three remaining international breaks would be to make final observations regarding players and tactical adjustments in November, lock in the starting line-up in March and strengthen ties with Brazilian fans with a final friendly at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana before departing for the tournament.
The upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia will provide an opportunity to test Brazil’s readiness against two of Africa’s strongest sides.
Senegal boast a formidable squad featuring Sadio Mane, Nicolas Jackson and Kalidou Koulibaly. They shocked Brazil 4-2 in their last encounter, a friendly played in Lisbon two years ago.
Tunisia, meanwhile, are known for their defensive organisation and have consistently performed well in African competitions.
Back in September they were the second African team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup with two games to spare.
-Reuters
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Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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