Seven Games, 20 Goals, None Conceded - England Close In On Perfection

England person cruised done World Cup qualifying, winning each 7 of their games and scoring 20 unanswered goals, mounting respective records and leaving them connected nan cusp of another.

If Thomas Tuchel's squad hit Albania successful Sunday's last qualifier (17:00 GMT) and support a cleanable sheet, they will go nan first European broadside to play astatine slightest six qualifiers and triumph them each without conceding.

A cleanable expanse of victories - sloppy of goals conceded - is besides a uncommon achievement. Excluding nan early years of nan World Cup, erstwhile teams often played conscionable a fistful of preliminary matches, only 4 European countries person vanished pinch a 100% winning record.

Germany were nan past broadside to do truthful connected nan measurement to nan 2018 tournament, though they went connected to suffer a daze early exit successful Russia. Spain and nan Netherlands, who met successful nan 2010 final, some qualified for South Africa successful cleanable style, arsenic did West Germany for nan 1982 tournament.

England are not nan only broadside connected nan verge of joining this exclusive database - Spain and Norway person likewise won each their 2026 qualifiers, pinch Luis de la Fuente's squad yet to concede a goal.

The Three Lions person qualified for 8 consecutive World Cups since missing retired connected USA '94, pinch information progressively regarded arsenic a formality by supporters - but that has not ever been nan case.

They missed retired connected back-to-back World Cups successful nan 1970s and only narrowly came done reliable but memorable qualifiers to book their spot successful 1990, 1998 and 2002.

Terry Butcher's battling show against Sweden successful 1989, erstwhile his garment was near drenched successful humor by a caput wound, and David Beckham's stoppage-time free-kick against Greece successful 2001 are still remembered arsenic iconic England moments.

Those type of heroics person not been needed successful caller campaigns, pinch nan team's triumph percent steadily rising - though nan deficiency of jeopardy intends games person not ever been compelling viewing.

England person not mislaid a World Cup qualifier since 2009, erstwhile they were beaten 1-0 successful Ukraine.

That conclusion was not costly arsenic Fabio Capello's broadside went into nan crippled already assured of their spot successful South Africa, though it prevented them from finishing pinch 10 wins from 10.

Since past England person been utterly dominant, avoiding conclusion successful 38 consecutive World Cup qualifiers and winning each but 8 of them.

They person scored 111 goals successful this tally and conceded conscionable 10 - balanced to 1 each 342 minutes.

Tuchel's players person an opportunity successful Albania this play to adjacent nan European grounds for astir competitory wins successful a statement without conceding a goal.

England's existent tally of 9 games is 1 awkward of nan grounds group by Spain, whose streak encompassed qualifying for Euro 2016 and their first 2 fixtures of that tournament.

England's adeptness astatine shutting retired nan guidance is successful nary mini portion acknowledgment to goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who has established 2 records for his state this year.

The 31-year-old has now kept 10 England cleanable sheets successful a row, including friendlies, surpassing nan erstwhile grounds for a keeper of 7 - which he jointly held pinch legendary 1966 World Cup victor Gordon Banks.

Pickford's existent tally includes 9 competitory internationals - different record. He past conceded a extremity while playing for England successful October 2024, erstwhile Vangelis Pavlidis scored doubly to springiness Greece a shock, but deserved, triumph at Wembley successful nan Nations League.

England's protect parsimony is allied pinch attacking potency - they person scored successful 19 matches successful a statement for nan first clip successful much than a century.

The existent run, during which England person amassed 46 goals, started pinch Jude Bellingham's overhead footwear to equalise successful stoppage clip against Slovakia astatine Euro 2024.

It is nan third-longest scoring series successful history by England's men. The apical 2 streaks of 52 and 32 games successful nan precocious 19th and early 20th Centuries were divided by a azygous goalless tie distant to Wales successful March 1902.

And, finally, England could extremity 2025 pinch their highest triumph percent successful a almanac twelvemonth since 1946.

The Three Lions would make it 9 victories from 10 games by beating Albania connected Sunday. If they negociate that, it will beryllium only nan 3rd clip England person ended a twelvemonth pinch a 90% aliases amended triumph percent since nan commencement of nan 20th Century.

The only blemish connected Tuchel's different flawless grounds truthful acold is nan 3-1 location conclusion by Senegal successful a June friendly.