Key events
Albania assistant coach Pablo Zabaleta, once of Manchester City and West Ham, speaks to ITV. “It’s great to be back in England, that’s for sure … we expect a very difficult match … they have a new coach … new players … new ideas … we focus … we are positive … play with belief … we have a good team … we are organised and don’t concede much at the back … we can have some chances … it’s going to be tough but we need to be positive.”
… but now I come to think about it, it’s probably more relevant to relive the last time England met Albania, isn’t it. Here’s how they fared home and away during the qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup.
Retro MBM department. Walker’s first game for England was against then-world-champions Spain in 2011. Fancy reliving that one? A game decided by Frank Lampard’s second-half header from three inches out? No? OK, but the option’s there to click below if you change your mind.
Kyle Walker – who made his debut under Fabio Capello and has subsequently played for Roy Hodgson, Sam Allardyce, Gareth Southgate and Lee Carsley – talks to ITV. “It’s been good … it’s exciting … a new era … I fully enjoyed it under Gareth Southgate … many great memories … turn the page and start again … Tuchel wants a high-intensity game … energy … being smart as well … we don’t want it to be 6-6 … we want to win at the end of the day.”
Thomas Tuchel begins his reign as England manager by handing out two new caps. Man-of-the-moment Dan Burn, a scorer at Wembley five days ago as Newcastle slaked their 70-year domestic thirst, and Arsenal prodigy Myles Lewis-Skelly are the debutants. Marcus Rashford makes his first start for England since facing Malta in November 2023.
Albania are captained by Atalanta defender Berat Djimsiti. Kristjan Asllani of Internazionale and Rangers winger Nedim Bajrami also start. Armando Broja, currently on loan at Everton, is on the bench. Their manager Sylvinho, formerly of Arsenal and Manchester City, played at the old Wembley for Brazil in a 1-1 draw in 2000, and was assistant boss of the Seleção at the new Wembley in 2017, when England and Brazil played out a goalless draw.
The teams
England: Pickford, Walker, Konsa, Burn, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Jones, Foden, Bellingham, Rashford, Kane.
Subs: Dean Henderson, Trafford, James, Guehi, Jordan Henderson, Colwill, Eze, Rogers, Gordon, Solanke, Bowen, Livramento.
Albania: Strakosha, Balliu, Ajeti, Djimsiti, Aliji, Laci, Ramadani, Asllani, Asani, Uzuni, Nedim Bajrami.
Subs: Kastrati, Sherri, Shehu, Manaj, Mihaj, Kumbulla, Medon Berisha, Muci, Ismajli, Pajaziti, Hoxha, Broja.
Referee: Alejandro Hernandez (Spain).
Preamble
It’s the start of England’s bid to win the 2026 World Cup. It’s the first game of the Thomas Tuchel era. It’s a showdown with Albania, who are zero-and-six against the Three Lions, England having rattled up an historical aggregate score of 19-1. On balance, then, this is intriguing rather than exciting, though it’ll be quite the story should the Kuqezinjtë – the Red and Blacks – break precedent and steal away from Wembley with a point or more. It’s number four in the Fifa rankings versus number 65. It should be a home banker. It kicks off at 7.45pm GMT. And it’s on.
