Match ends, San Marino 0, England 10.
England hit double figures for the first time since 1964 as they secured qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with embarrassing ease in San Marino.
Harry Kane also racked up the records by scoring four in the first half to go level with Gary Lineker on 48 England goals, additionally setting a new high of 13 for his country in a calendar year as he followed up his hat-trick in the 5-0 win against Albania.
Only Sir Bobby Charlton and Wayne Rooney are ahead of Kane in the England goalscorers list. He now stands just five behind record-holder Rooney's tally of 53.
Kane also became only the fourth player to score a hat-trick in consecutive England games after Vivian Woodward, Dixie Dean and Tommy Taylor, and the first to score four since Ian Wright, also against San Marino in 1993.
Harry Maguire's early header set England on their way and Bukayo Saka's shot was deflected in off Filippo Fabri before Kane took centre stage with two penalties and a couple of trademark finishes in the area.
England continued to punish San Marino after the break with Emile Smith Rowe and Tyrone Mings scoring their first international goals with a crisp finish and angled header respectively.
The rout continued with goals from substitute Tammy Abraham and Saka as England hit 10 for the first time since they beat USA 10-0 in New York City in May 1964, and the first time ever in a competitive fixture.
The scoreline again raises questions about the worth of fixtures such as this.
San Marino are ranked 210th out of 210 in the Fifa rankings and the only bonus for their players may be that they can say they shared a pitch with stellar names such as Kane, because otherwise this was simply an exercise in humiliation for a country that has won only one fixture out of 186.
It was a good night for Kane, who made no mistake with penalties given for handball against Dante Rossi, who was later sent off for two yellow cards, and Alessandro D'Addario. He scuffed one finish but showed neat footwork for another, although he was helped by hapless San Marino defending.
Smith Rowe made a good impression in his first England start and deserved his goal, while Conor Gallagher, so impressive on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea, also got on for his first cap.
England's only obstacle was a slightly treacherous surface which meant one of the other aims of the night was ensuring all their players emerged unscathed to return to their clubs.
For England, this was a case of job very comfortably done. Now Southgate can start all the planning in earnest for next year's World Cup as he tries to improve on reaching the semi-final in Russia in 2018.
'Players responded to every challenge' - what they said
England boss Gareth Southgate: "We gave a performance that was enjoyable for the supporters that travelled, was clinical in the way we went about it, and then showed some exciting young players coming through.
"Of course we will have much tougher tests but I've been involved in nights like this with England that have been horrible, where the crowd were on our backs, where the whole environment was very different.
"It was nice to see young players going in and enjoying themselves and giving a good showing.
"I just like the fact we have got a mentality where we don't take our foot off the gas and whatever the challenge I have set the players they have responded to it."
A big win after a big year - England in numbers
- England last scored 10 goals in one game in 1964 when they beat the USA.
- England have scored 52 goals in 2021.
- Harry Kane has scored 16 of those goals.
- It is back-to-back hat-tricks for Kane. It has been 64 years since an England player -Tommy Taylor - scored hat-tricks in consecutive international matches.
- With 38 goals, England have finished with their highest tally in any European or World Cup qualifying campaign.
Player of the match
KaneHarry Kane
San Marino
Avg
- Squad number19Player nameNanniAverage rating
5.45
- Squad number3Player nameCensoniAverage rating
5.41
- Squad number15Player nameContiAverage rating
5.40
- Squad number10Player nameVitaioliAverage rating
5.40
- Squad number17Player nameGolinucciAverage rating
5.35
- Squad number13Player nameGrandoniAverage rating
5.33
- Squad number1Player nameBenedettiniAverage rating
5.31
- Squad number5Player nameLunadeiAverage rating
5.21
- Squad number7Player nameTomassiniAverage rating
5.21
- Squad number2Player nameD'AddarioAverage rating
5.20
- Squad number8Player nameGolinucciAverage rating
5.20
- Squad number20Player nameHirschAverage rating
5.18
- Squad number22Player nameBattistiniAverage rating
5.16
- Squad number11Player nameMularoniAverage rating
5.16
- Squad number16Player nameFabbriAverage rating
5.11
- Squad number6Player nameRossiAverage rating
5.07
England
Avg
- Squad number9Player nameKaneAverage rating
7.44
- Squad number11Player nameSmith RoweAverage rating
7.38
- Squad number3Player nameSakaAverage rating
7.35
- Squad number7Player namePhillipsAverage rating
7.32
- Squad number2Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating
7.21
- Squad number8Player nameBellinghamAverage rating
7.03
- Squad number18Player nameGallagherAverage rating
6.96
- Squad number10Player nameFodenAverage rating
6.95
- Squad number1Player nameRamsdaleAverage rating
6.93
- Squad number17Player nameAbrahamAverage rating
6.51
- Squad number5Player nameCoadyAverage rating
6.37
- Squad number6Player nameMingsAverage rating
6.34
- Squad number12Player nameChilwellAverage rating
6.29
- Squad number14Player nameJamesAverage rating
6.24
- Squad number16Player nameStonesAverage rating
5.92
- Squad number4Player nameMaguireAverage rating
5.91
Line-ups
San Marino
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Benedettini
- 22BattistiniBooked at 54mins
- 16FabbriSubstituted forContiat 81'minutes
- 6RossiBooked at 67mins
- 7TomassiniBooked at 16minsSubstituted forVitaioliat 45'minutes
- 5LunadeiSubstituted forGrandoniat 74'minutes
- 8Golinucci
- 11Mularoni
- 2D'AddarioBooked at 38minsSubstituted forCensoniat 45'minutes
- 19Nanni
- 20HirschSubstituted forGolinucciat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Censoni
- 4Tomassini
- 9Zonzini
- 10Vitaioli
- 12Benedettini
- 13Grandoni
- 14Zafferani
- 15Conti
- 17Golinucci
- 18Ceccaroli
- 21Battistini
- 23Marconi
England
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Ramsdale
- 4MaguireSubstituted forChilwellat 45'minutes
- 5Coady
- 6Mings
- 2Alexander-Arnold
- 8Bellingham
- 7PhillipsSubstituted forGallagherat 45'minutes
- 3Saka
- 10FodenSubstituted forAbrahamat 45'minutesBooked at 73mins
- 9KaneSubstituted forJamesat 63'minutes
- 11Smith RoweSubstituted forStonesat 73'minutes
Substitutes
- 12Chilwell
- 13Johnstone
- 14James
- 15Walker
- 16Stones
- 17Abraham
- 18Gallagher
- 22Pickford
- Referee:
- Rade Obrenovic
- Attendance:
- 2,775
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home15%
- Away85%
- Shots
- Home2
- Away22
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away13
- Corners
- Home1
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, San Marino 0, England 10.
Post update
Jude Bellingham (England) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Enrico Golinucci (San Marino).
Post update
Foul by John Stones (England).
Post update
Nicola Nanni (San Marino) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Tammy Abraham (England) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Alessandro Golinucci (San Marino).
Post update
Foul by Tammy Abraham (England).
Post update
Giacomo Conti (San Marino) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, San Marino. Giacomo Conti replaces Filippo Fabbri.
Goal!
Goal! San Marino 0, England 10. Bukayo Saka (England) header from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Goal!
Goal! San Marino 0, England 9. Tammy Abraham (England) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Post update
Hand ball by Bukayo Saka (England).
Substitution
Substitution, San Marino. Andrea Grandoni replaces Lorenzo Lunadei.
Substitution
Substitution, England. John Stones replaces Emile Smith Rowe.
Booking
Tammy Abraham (England) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
VAR Decision: No Goal San Marino 0-8 England.
Post update
Foul by Tammy Abraham (England).
Post update
Lorenzo Lunadei (San Marino) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Comments
Join the conversation
I've played for Sunday league teams that would give San Marino a game 😳
Time for UEFA to start properly seeding these international qualifying matches
A pointless fixture.
There really should be qualifying rounds for teams like Gibraltar and San Marino.
This result does not help the game.
Bet Harry Kane wishes he could play Albania, Andorra and San Marino every week. He would surpass Cristiano Ronaldo in no time at all.