England go into their final warm-up against Costa Rica with the same basic problem hanging over them, they have not scored more than once in a game in 2026. Harry Kane's header against New Zealand kept the win in place, but it did not erase the wider issue around England's final-third rhythm. This is Thomas Tuchel's last proper look before the World Cup, and it is still more about how England attack than the result itself.
Why England still need a sharper attacking edge
The New Zealand game bought England time, not clarity. Harry Kane scored the only goal with a header on the stroke of half time, taking his international tally to 79, which at least confirmed his finishing is not the problem. The bigger question is whether the side around him can start creating a more convincing pattern in the areas that matter.
There is some help arriving. Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke have joined the squad after extended rest following their Champions League final commitments with Arsenal. That gives Tuchel more of his preferred attackers back in camp, and it should make this friendly a better read on the structure he wants to use.
The recent numbers still point to a side that has not settled. England's last five results read W-D-L-W-L, and that is about as mixed as it gets for a team trying to sharpen its attacking patterns before a World Cup. Kane has looked sharp too, with a 7.76 average rating across his last five club matches, so the focus now is less on the centre-forward and more on the supply line around him.
Costa Rica can still make England work
Costa Rica are not arriving as simple filler for a final friendly. They took 12 points from 12 in the second round of CONCACAF qualifying, then drew four of their six matches in the next phase and finished behind Haiti and Honduras. Fernando Batista is still waiting for his first win in charge, but that does not make the side harmless, it makes them awkward.
Their recent five-match form is L-W-L-D-L, which looks messy rather than settled. England should have more quality across the pitch, but Costa Rica have already shown they can keep games uncomfortable, and the 0-0 draw in their 2014 World Cup meeting is the clearest reminder of that. Tuchel's team do not need to blaze through this match, but they do need to show a clearer attacking shape than they have managed so far this year.
If England leave this friendly with the same familiar issues, the World Cup questions only get louder. If they use the returning attackers properly and give Kane better service, this stops looking like a team waiting for fluency and starts looking like one that has found a workable pattern before Dallas.
Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →