England Player Ratings: Central Midfielders
Jude Bellingham 9/10
‘Who else?’ Jude Bellingham turned up for England and single-handedly dragged them through games. The Real Madrid man bagged six goals and an assist on his way to the semi-final, gave everything for the team, and, more importantly, believed in the dream. He optimised England’s spirit against Mexico, scoring twice and dragging England to the final whistle. Against Norway, he fronted up, again scoring a brace and getting England into the semi-final. He fronted up to the media throughout the tournament, took the pressure on his shoulders, and silenced any doubters.
It’s safe to say that without Bellingham, England wouldn’t have made it as far as they did. At just 23, if you didn’t already know, the future is bright for Bellingham. The highest scorer on our list of England player ratings for 2026.
Declan Rice 8/10
Declan Rice carried his fine form for Arsenal into the US with a number of solid, reliable performances. His only dip in form came against Norway when he was clearly not fit after suffering from a sickness bug. He often goes under the radar when playing alongside the likes of Bellingham and Harry Kane; however, he does the basics phenomenally, drove England up the pitch, and marshals the midfield well. Another solid tournament for the 27-year-old.
Elliott Anderson 8/10
Like Rice, Elliott Anderson carried his solid club form into the World Cup. After the announcement that he had signed for Manchester City during the tournament, you could forgive him for taking his eye off the ball; however, this wasn’t the case. He played the vast majority of minutes during every game and was vital in breaking up play, being relentless in his pursuit of gaining possession back, and allowing those around him to play their natural game. A solid first tournament for England.
Eberechi Eze 5/10
Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze struggled for minutes throughout the tournament and was brought on by Tuchel to help see games out, rather than to make a lasting impact. Cameos against Ghana, Panama, and DR Congo, and 74 minutes against Norway, saw no real highlights.
Morgan Rogers 5/10
Like Eze, Morgan Rogers struggled for minutes, despite many believing that he deserved a place in the starting XI ahead of Jude Bellingham. Appearances off the bench came more often for the Aston Villa man; however, a starting spot against Argentina was his highlight. He provided the assist for Anthony Gordon with a well-whipped cross, but aside from that, a forgettable first tournament for Rogers.
England Player Ratings: Forwards
Anthony Gordon 8/10
After a slow start, Barcelona’s new man, Anthony Gordon, grew into the tournament during the knockout stages. Coming off the bench against DR Congo, Gordon made the difference, provided two assists, and helped England win the game.
His tireless effort against Mexico saw him win the ball back ahead of the second goal, as well as winning the penalty for the third. An assist against Norway capped off an impressive effort, and the goal against Argentina was nothing but deserved after a tough first half. When he was dragged by Tuchel, it all went wrong as any counter-attacking threat dissipated. He’ll likely continue to feature in the starting England XI, especially after his big summer move to Barcelona.
Marcus Rashford 4/10
Speaking of players who have played on the wing for Barcelona recently, Marcus Rashford had a disappointing tournament by his standards. Coming off the bench against Croatia, he notched a goal, but a 90-minute stint against a Ghanaian low block didn’t suit his style. An hour against DR Congo saw his last meaningful minutes, and he’ll return home a little disappointed not to see more game time.
Noni Madueke 6/10
Noni Madueke arguably saw more minutes than even he expected during England’s World Cup campaign. He impressed against Croatia and DR Congo and had average games against Ghana and Panama. His speed on the break was useful, but his end product wasn’t sufficient in feeding Harry Kane. A poor showing against Norway saw him subbed at half-time, and he wouldn’t feature against Argentina.
Bukayo Saka 7/10
An injury struck tournament for Bukayo Saka saw him not complete 90 minutes, something he hasn’t done for club or country since mid-May. With three assists and only three starts, it’s safe to say Saka wasn’t at his sparkling best. Solid performances against Mexico and Norway weren’t enough to see him feature against Argentina, despite his pace on the break potentially being useful. In the games that he did feature in, he played well.
Harry Kane 8/10
Harry Kane’s goalscoring form is inevitable. With 61 goals for Bayern Munich this season, he carried his form into the World Cup. The England captain picked up six goals and an assist on the way to leading England to a semi-final exit; however, his performances against both Norway and Argentina were somewhat lacklustre, as well as giving away a penalty against Mexico.
Read More: Inside Harry Kane’s 500 goals
At 32, there’s a good chance that we have seen Harry Kane’s last performance at a World Cup, and he can be proud of the performances that he’s put in. His boots are going to be huge to fill, and it’s up to Thomas Tuchel to find a diamond in the rough.
Players who didn’t play enough to feature in our list of England Player Ratings: James Trafford, Dean Henderson, Trevor Chalobah, Kobbie Mainoo, Ivan Toney, and Ollie Watkins.
