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England player ratings against Costa Rica: Anthony Gordon shines as the Three Lions finish World Cup preparations with a confident 3-0 victory
Priya Nambiar | June 15, 2026 3:35 PM CST

England wrapped up their World Cup preparations with a comfortable 3-0 win over Costa Rica in their final warm-up match on Wednesday, which was delayed by heavy rain. Despite a tough physical challenge from their opponents, Thomas Tuchel’s side maintained composure and dominated in the hot and humid conditions in Orlando, thanks to goals from Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon, and Ollie Watkins.


The kickoff at Orlando was delayed by an hour due to a thunderstorm that left the pitch waterlogged, but that did not affect England’s early rhythm. The Three Lions took the lead within ten minutes as Rice finished neatly after a deflection, following excellent work down the left side from the lively Gordon. Jude Bellingham had already come close earlier, his shot narrowly missing after a deflection.


Harry Kane’s smart header was well saved midway through a dominant first half, while Noni Madueke missed a golden chance to double the lead after rounding the goalkeeper but striking the post with the goal wide open. England were denied a penalty at the end of the half after VAR ruled that Gordon had gone down too easily.


The pattern continued into the second half, with England firmly in control. Madueke’s fierce shot went just wide soon after the restart, and Gordon made it 2-0 in the 66th minute from the penalty spot after a Costa Rica handball. Substitute Morgan Rogers later missed a one-on-one chance, but Aston Villa’s Watkins sealed the result late on with a close-range header.


Here are England’s player ratings from Orlando:


Goalkeeper & Defence


Jordan Pickford (6/10): Operated almost as a sweeper, stepping out of goal several times. One misplaced pass could have cost him dearly.


Reece James (6/10): Handled Costa Rica’s limited attack comfortably and distributed the ball well.


Ezri Konsa (7/10): Engaged in a physical contest throughout but otherwise had a straightforward outing.


John Stones (6/10): Linked defence to attack effectively with his passing, performing his usual role with composure.


Nico O’Reilly (6/10): Combined well with Gordon on the left and defended solidly when required.


Midfield


Elliot Anderson (8/10): Passed smoothly and contributed defensively, showcasing yet another confident performance in England colours.


Declan Rice (8/10): Scored early with a calm finish on his weaker foot to open the scoring. Combined intelligently with Gordon throughout.


Jude Bellingham (7/10): Saw less of the ball as play focused on the flanks but nearly assisted Madueke’s missed chance. Displayed lovely footwork before the penalty decision.


Attack


Noni Madueke (7/10): Energetic and pressed well, though his missed open goal was glaring—chose the wrong foot when a goal seemed certain.


Harry Kane (6/10): Mostly quiet apart from a well-saved header, but dropped deep to link play and produced some sublime passes.


Anthony Gordon (8/10): Extremely lively down the left, assisting Rice’s opener after beating his marker with pace. Initially denied a penalty but later scored confidently from the spot.


Substitutes & Manager


Eberechi Eze (7/10): Delivered a lovely through pass to set up Rogers, which should have resulted in an assist.


Djed Spence (6/10): Steady performance covering for James.


Bukayo Saka (6/10): Not as threatening as Madueke but came close with one effort.


Morgan Rogers (6/10): Missed a one-on-one chance but contributed to Watkins’ goal with his shot.


Marc Guehi (6/10): Slotted into defence calmly and maintained composure.


Dean Henderson (6/10): Had little to do after coming on but distributed the ball efficiently.


Ollie Watkins (7/10): Added the finishing touch with a close-range header late in the match.


Marcus Rashford (6/10): Looked lively after coming on, but Gordon’s performance will keep him on alert.


Jarell Quansah (6/10): Filled in at the back without much defensive work to do.


Dan Burn (6/10): Used his physical presence effectively higher up the pitch.


Kobbie Mainoo (6/10): Passed accurately and kept England’s rhythm steady.


Thomas Tuchel (8/10): This was the perfect final warm-up performance he would have hoped for—controlled, disciplined, and threatening throughout against tough opposition. His substitutes made an impact too.


How far can England go at the World Cup?


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