Seven games, 20 goals, none conceded – England close in on perfection

England have cruised through World Cup qualifying, winning all seven of their games and scoring 20 unanswered goals, setting several records and leaving them on the cusp of another.

If Thomas Tuchel’s team beat Albania in Sunday’s final qualifier (17:00 GMT) and keep a clean sheet, they will become the first European side to play at least six qualifiers and win them all without conceding.

A clean sweep of victories – regardless of goals conceded – is also a rare achievement. Excluding the early years of the World Cup, when teams often played just a handful of preliminary matches, only four European countries have finished with a 100% winning record.

Germany were the last side to do so on the way to the 2018 tournament, though they went on to suffer a shock early exit in Russia. Spain and the Netherlands, who met in the 2010 final, both qualified for South Africa in perfect style, as did West Germany for the 1982 tournament.

England are not the only side on the verge of joining this exclusive list – Spain and Norway have likewise won all their 2026 qualifiers, with Luis de la Fuente’s team yet to concede a goal.