England 3-0 Costa Rica: Three Lions End World Cup Warm-Up Campaign in Style
June 2026Date: 10 June 2026 | Venue: Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, Florida | Competition: International Friendly.
This match will see England v Costa Rica in what promises to be an exciting international fixture.
England signed off their pre-World Cup preparations with a commanding 3-0 win over Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday evening, sending Thomas Tuchel’s squad into the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the back of a convincing performance and a growing sense of genuine belief. Goals from Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins, combined with a staggering 4.63 expected goals on the night, painted the picture of a team building real momentum at the right time.
It was not without its quirks. A violent thunderstorm battered Orlando in the build-up to kick-off, flooding the surface and forcing a one-hour delay. Once the skies cleared, England wasted little time making their intentions known.
Match Summary: How England Beat Costa Rica 3-0
Rice Sets the Tone
England were ahead inside nine minutes. Anthony Gordon, the new Barcelona winger who is fast becoming one of the most exciting names in this squad, sprinted down the left flank, beat his man and cut the ball back perfectly for Declan Rice, who swept it home with the kind of composed finish that belies his reputation as a pure destroyer in central midfield. The England vice-captain was back in the squad after injury, and he looked sharp from the off.
The first half was lopsided from that point on. England pressed, created and dominated. But they could not convert their dominance into a second goal before the break. Noni Madueke missed the chance of the match, managing to miss the target altogether after rounding the goalkeeper with the goal gaping a moment that will haunt him. A Kane header was well saved by goalkeeper Patrick Sequeira, a disallowed goal from a quickly-taken free kick added to the frustration, and a stoppage-time penalty was controversially overturned by referee Katja Koroleva after a VAR review with Kane waiting on the spot before being waved away.
England went in at 1-0. Given the chances created, it flattered Costa Rica considerably.
Gordon Doubles the Lead from the Spot
Tuchel brought on Bukayo Saka, carefully managing an Achilles issue, and Eberechi Eze just past the hour mark, and England’s superiority began to translate into goals. Eze drew a handball in the area in the 68th minute and Gordon stepped up, driving the penalty into the top-left corner with conviction. It was a finish that summed up his performance: direct, assured and full of intent.
Jude Bellingham, who took the captain’s armband when Kane was substituted, had quietly been England’s most influential player behind the scenes. A stunning through ball for Madueke’s earlier chance and a mazy dribble past four Costa Rica defenders in the build-up to Eze winning the penalty underlined his quality even in a game that did not require him to be at his peak.
Watkins Puts the Gloss On It
Three minutes from time, substitute Morgan Rogers drove into the area and forced a smart save from replacement goalkeeper Abraham Madriz, whose parry fell kindly for Ollie Watkins to poke home from close range. It was a simple finish, but Watkins, a consistent match-winner for Aston Villa, knows where the net is, and his composure in front of goal will be valuable in the coming weeks.
The final whistle drew chants of “Football’s Coming Home” from the travelling England support. The atmosphere in a sold-out Inter&Co Stadium told its own story.
Key Statistics
| Stat | England | Costa Rica |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 3 | 0 |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 4.63 | 0.03 |
| Shots on Target | 7 | 1 |
| Possession | ~68% | ~32% |
| Passes Completed | High | Low |
Costa Rica managed a single shot across the entire 90 minutes, and even that barely troubled Jordan Pickford, despite England’s goalkeeper gifting them possession on more than one occasion.
Player Ratings
England players pose for photographers before the start of the International friendly soccer match between England and Japan in London, Tuesday, March 31, 2026 . (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Jordan Pickford — Had little to do but made one uncomfortable moment for himself, giving the ball away cheaply. Solid otherwise. 6/10
Reece James — Disciplined and composed at right back, showing his quality going forward in moments. 7/10
Marc Guehi — Assured in possession and commanded the backline with authority. 7/10
Harry Kane — Hit the bar, had a goal disallowed and was denied by Sequeira. Looked lively and sharp before being substituted in the second half. 7/10
Declan Rice — Back from injury and back to his best. Opened the scoring and controlled the tempo in midfield throughout the first half. 8/10
Jude Bellingham — Did not need to impose himself but showed his class when it mattered: four defenders beaten, a sublime assist and the armband. 8/10
Anthony Gordon (Barcelona) — The standout performer. Pace, directness, an assist for the opener and a confident penalty to double the lead. Tuchel will have no doubts about his starting role against Croatia. 9/10
Noni Madueke — Worked hard, created danger and then missed the most remarkable chance of the half. A shocker of a miss that he will want to forget quickly. 6/10
Ollie Watkins — Came on, scored. Simple as that. Exactly what a squad player should do off the bench. 7/10
Eberechi Eze — Sharp and intelligent after coming on, won the penalty that put the game to bed. 7/10
What Tuchel Said
Speaking after the match, Thomas Tuchel left Orlando with a clear sense of satisfaction:
“We deserved to win, we should have scored more, created a lot. The attitude, intensity and energy were on a very high level. Everyone did well. A very good team performance. We wanted to push to the next level and we got it.”
It was a markedly different tone to Saturday’s narrow 1-0 win over New Zealand, after which Tuchel was openly critical of England’s lack of width and attacking enterprise. This time, the width was there: Gordon on the left, James on the right, and the creativity flowed.
England’s World Cup 2026 Chances: Can They Win It?
The 3-0 win over Costa Rica is the latest data point in what has been a quietly impressive build-up to this tournament under Thomas Tuchel. England qualified for the 2026 World Cup without losing a single game, winning all eight qualifying matches and conceding zero goals. That included a 5-0 thrashing of Serbia in Belgrade and a clean sweep through their group.
Now the question turns to whether that form can translate in North America.
Group L: The Easy Part
England’s World Cup begins on Wednesday 17 June against Croatia in Arlington, Texas (kick-off 9 pm BST). Their group also includes Ghana (Boston, 23 June) and Panama (East Rutherford, 27 June).
On paper, this is a favourable draw. England are priced as heavy favourites to top Group L, with Croatia the only realistic challenger. Ghana have real athletic quality; Mohammed Kudus at West Ham is a genuine attacking threat, but England’s defensive organisation under Tuchel makes them difficult to break down. Panama, making only their second World Cup appearance, face a significant step up in class.
Group L winner odds currently have England at around -280 to -310 (implying roughly a 74–76% probability), with Croatia as the nearest challenger.
The Knockout Stage: Where It Gets Interesting
England’s projected route through the knockout rounds is one of the most manageable brackets for a top-four favourite. Avoiding the likely Group A and Group C heavyweight collisions until the later stages means Tuchel’s side could feasibly reach a semi-final without meeting Spain or France, the two nations currently ahead of England in the outright World Cup market.
England’s World Cup outright odds of around +750 place them third in the betting, behind Spain and France. That is a significant position. This is not a team being written off. This is a team that analysts, bookmakers and the broader football community believe has the depth, structure and quality to challenge for the title.
The Case For England
The squad is better balanced under Tuchel than it has been in years. The defensive record throughout qualifying was extraordinary, conceding nothing across eight competitive games. Rice and Bellingham in midfield is one of the most effective partnerships at international level. Up front, Kane still leads the line with the experience of three major tournaments behind him. Gordon’s emergence adds a new dimension on the left. Saka, when fit, offers elite quality on the right.
England also have genuine squad depth. Eze, Watkins, Rogers, and Madueke none of them are passengers. The Costa Rica performance showed Tuchel is comfortable rotating without a drop in quality.
The Concerns
The first half against Costa Rica exposed some lingering issues. England’s finishing was wasteful, Madueke’s howler being the most glaring example, and converting chances will matter at the knockout stage against better sides. The Costa Rica xG of 4.63 tells a positive story, but teams like Croatia or a potential last-eight opponent will not sit as deep or allow England the same freedom.
Saka’s Achilles issue will need monitoring. He came on cautiously in the second half, and losing him at any stage of the tournament would be a significant blow to England’s attacking options.
The mental side of things cannot be ignored either. England have been here before: the EURO 2020 final, the EURO 2024 final. The ability to perform in the decisive moments, rather than getting to them, is the final frontier for this generation.
England’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Stage — Match 1 | 17 June | Croatia | Arlington, Texas |
| Group Stage — Match 2 | 23 June | Ghana | Boston |
| Group Stage — Match 3 | 27 June | Panama | East Rutherford |
The Verdict
England head into the 2026 FIFA World Cup with momentum, organisation, and a genuine sense that this squad is capable of going all the way. The Costa Rica friendly was not a stress test it was never going to be, but the performance was bright, fluid and full of the kind of confidence that carries teams in tournament football.
Gordon was excellent. Rice was back. Bellingham was Bellingham. Tuchel has a settled structure, a deep and talented squad and an opening group that should see the Three Lions through with points to spare.
After 60 years of hurt, the hope is real, and the belief is genuine. The tournament starts on Wednesday.
England take on Croatia in their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener on Wednesday 17 June, kick-off 9 pm BST, in Arlington, Texas.
