birmingham – elliott Anderson delivered a standout debut performance for england, contributing to a 2-0 victory over Andorra in the 2026 World Cup Qualification on saturday, September 6, 2025, and has quickly become a key consideration for manager Thomas Tuchel. the Nottingham Forest midfielder’s performance has unlocked tactical flexibility for England, allowing Declan Rice to play a more advanced role.
Anderson, deployed as a deeper-lying midfielder alongside Rice in a double pivot, impressed with his defensive work and distribution. He won seven duels, completed two tackles, regained possession 15 times, and completed seven accurate long passes with a 94 percent overall pass accuracy, also registering a shot on target in the second half. His performance earned him Man of the Match honors and praise from British media.
Tuchel acknowledged Anderson’s initial nerves in training but highlighted his subsequent strong performances. “He was a little nervous at the beginning of training but than he trained well and we decided to try it. He proved himself to be a very good player,” Tuchel told ITV.
The manager indicated Anderson’s successful debut positions him for further opportunities, stating, “This (against andorra) is a test for him and I think he graduated. There is no reason for him not to play against Serbia if we decide to give him the position. He is ready to play.”
England will next face serbia in Belgrade on Wednesday, September 10, at 01:45 WIB. Anderson’s emergence provides Tuchel with a valuable option in midfield as the qualification campaign progresses.
