England's Rising Stars Shine in Convincing Win Over Wales

On October 5th, 2025, England breezed through their friendly match against Wales at Wembley, taking a commanding 3-0 lead within the first 20 minutes. The home side's young stars shone brightly, with Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, and Bukayo Saka all finding the back of the net.

However, the match was not without its concerns, as Watkins was forced off the field just before halftime due to an injury. The Aston Villa forward, who has struggled for form at the club level, had earlier justified his selection by doubling England's lead. He was replaced by Marcus Rashford at the interval, with Thomas Tuchel experimenting with Anthony Gordon as a lone striker.

Despite Watkins' early exit, the depth of Tuchel's squad was on full display. Elliot Anderson, the 22-year-old Nottingham Forest midfielder, continued to impress in the heart of the England midfield, cementing his place as a key option for the manager ahead of next summer's World Cup.

With players such as Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane absent, the victory demonstrated the strength in depth available to Tuchel as he prepares his team for the upcoming tournament. The players also wore shirts without names on the back in the second half, marking their link-up with the Alzheimer's Society.