The World Cup 2026 qualifiers continue with one of the most intriguing clashes of the round as Serbia welcomes England to Belgrade. Thomas Tuchel’s unbeaten start as manager of the Three Lions faces its toughest examination yet, while Dragan Stojkovic’s side looks to prove themselves as genuine contenders for automatic qualification. And hovering over the contest is one central storyline: Dusan Vlahovic vs. Harry Kane. Could this heavyweight striker battle define a night under the lights at the Rajko Mitic Stadium?
England sit top of Group K with a flawless record: four wins from four. Tuchel’s men have seen off Albania (twice), Latvia, and Andorra without conceding a single goal. Yet, as efficient as the results look on paper, performances have lacked spark.
The most recent outing saw a 2-0 win over Andorra at Villa Park. Goals came via a Christian García own goal and a second-half strike from Declan Rice. Victory in Belgrade, however, would mean Tuchel joins an elite club. Only Fabio Capello, Ron Greenwood, and Sven-Göran Eriksson began their England careers with five consecutive competitive wins.
On the other side, Serbia has collected seven points from three matches, keeping them second in the group. After a goalless draw with Albania, they found rhythm with a 3-0 dismantling of Andorra before narrowly beating Latvia 1-0 away.
Serbia’s greatest strength remains its strike force. With Aleksandar Mitrovic—the nation’s all-time leading scorer—returning to the XI, Stojkovic is expected to unleash him alongside Dusan Vlahovic in a front line designed to trouble England’s defense.
Dusan Vlahovic vs Harry Kane
And now, the burning question: who comes out on top in this battle of number nines? Kane, England’s captain and all-time leading scorer, is set to win his 109th cap, moving him beyond the legendary Sir Bobby Moore. Vlahovic, meanwhile, has become Serbia’s spearhead, with his early strike sealing victory against Latvia last week. Both men thrive on service, and both defences will need to remain alert to avoid punishment.
Projected lineups revealed
Serbia predicted XI (3-5-2): Petrovic; Milenkovic, Erakovic, Pavlovic; Zivkovic, Gudelj, Lukic, Samardzic, Kostic; Mitrovic, Vlahovic.
For Serbia, Nemanja Gudelj and Nemanja Maksimovic are tipped to return in midfield, while Nikola Milenkovic is expected to anchor the defence.
England predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Pickford; James, Guehi, Burn, Lewis-Skelly; Anderson, Rice; Madueke, Gibbs-White, Gordon; Kane.
Tuchel may introduce fresh faces after criticizing his attackers against Andorra. Marcus Rashford and Eberechi Eze are under threat from Anthony Gordon and Morgan Gibbs-White. In midfield, Elliot Anderson impressed on debut and could keep his place alongside Rice.
