Star shines bright, England dominates Costa Rica ahead of the 2026 World Cup

The English team wrapped up their World Cup 2026 buildup with a 3-0 win against Costa Rica, with Anthony Gordon and his squad displaying clear dominance.

Just days before embarking on their quest for the 2026 World Cup, England enjoyed a smooth dress rehearsal by defeating Costa Rica 3-0 in their final friendly under manager Thomas Tuchel.

The match got off to a rocky start due to bad weather delaying kickoff. However, as soon as the whistle blew, the "Three Lions" quickly took full control of the game.

In the 9th minute, England opened the scoring. Anthony Gordon broke down the left flank and crossed for Declan Rice, whose shot inside the box deflected off a Costa Rican defender, leaving goalkeeper Patrick Sequeira helpless and putting the hosts ahead 1-0.

Thomas Tuchel's side continued to apply heavy pressure. Harry Kane went down in the box in the 8th minute but was not awarded a penalty. In the 36th minute, Noni Madueke had fans groaning in disappointment as his shot hit the post.

Late in the first half, England thought they had earned a penalty after a foul by Shaun Johnson. However, following a VAR review, referee Ekaterina Koroleva overturned the decision, ending the first 45 minutes with a slim lead for the white-shirted team.

In the second half, England continued to dominate. In the 48th minute, Madueke missed yet another chance as his curler narrowly went wide of the far post.

Tuchel's subsequent substitutions proved effective. Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo, and Morgan Rogers were brought on to keep the key players fresh for the World Cup.

In the 68th minute, Anthony Gordon doubled the lead from the penalty spot. The Newcastle striker fired a decisive shot into the top-left corner, giving the Costa Rican goalkeeper no chance to save.

Costa Rica tried to pull one back but created few notable opportunities against England's solid defense. In the 87th minute, Ollie Watkins sealed the 3-0 victory with a close-range header after the ball rebounded in front of goal.

The convincing win over Costa Rica gave England a perfect final rehearsal ahead of the world's biggest football festival. With squad depth and the positive form of many players, Thomas Tuchel's men are generating high expectations before officially starting their 2026 World Cup campaign.

Team news England vs Costa Rica

• England:Full squad available.
• Costa Rica:Full squad available.

Predicted lineups: England vs Costa Rica

• England:Pickford (GK), Spence, Guehi, Stones, Quansah, Henderson, Mainoo, Rashford, Watkins, Rogers, Kane.
• Costa Rica:Sequeira (GK), Quiros, Mitchell, Faerron, Araya, Salazar, Mora, Galo, Soto, Alcocer, Ugalde.

Form and head-to-head record

• England's form:In their last five matches, England have won 3, drawn 1, and lost 1. They scored 6 goals and conceded 2.
• Costa Rica's form:In their last five matches, Costa Rica have drawn 2 and lost 3. They scored 3 goals and conceded 11.
• Head-to-head record:In the most recent encounter, England won 1. Meanwhile, Costa Rica lost 1.