A Harry Kane hat-trick and Raheem Sterling goal gave England another comfortable Euro 2020 qualifying victory as they moved back to the top of their group.
After finishing third in the inaugural Nations League over the summer, the Three Lions got their international season under way at the stadium they hope to end the campaign at when Wembley hosts the Euro 2020 final.
England are among the favourites to lift the trophy next summer and qualification for the finals is well in hand, with March's drubbings of the Czech Republic and Montenegro followed by a 4-0 win against Bulgaria thanks to Kane's treble and a Raheem Sterling goal.
Despite humility being the buzzword around the camp in the build-up, this was the kind of result expected by the sell-out Wembley crowd on Saturday.
Bulgaria are not the side they once were and the 1994 World Cup semi-finalists set up to frustrate England, only for needlessly overconfident play at the back to bring about Kane's opener midway through the first half.
The England captain netted his second when Marcus Rashford was brought down in the box early in the second half, with the striker turning provider as Sterling bundled home minutes later.
Kane would end the day celebrating his second international hat-trick after scoring his second penalty of the day, adding gloss to another big win that England will look to build on against Kosovo in Southampton this Tuesday.
England v Bulgaria goal highlights
Tap-in for Sterling
Kane completes hat-trick
England 4-0 Bulgaria - Match stats
- England are unbeaten in their 11 matches against Bulgaria (W7 D4 L0) – against no nation have they faced more times without ever losing (11 - level with Finland & Turkey).
- England have avoided defeat in each of their last 42 EURO/World Cup qualifying matches (W33 D9 L0), since losing 0-1 to Ukraine in October 2009.
- Bulgaria haven’t won an away match in qualifying for the World Cup or the European Championships since June 2015 against Malta, drawing two and losing eight since then.
- Harry Kane became the first player to score 25+ goals in his first 40 appearances for the England men’s team since Gary Lineker (27 goals). It was his 13th hat-trick for club and country (11 for Spurs, 2 for England).
- Harry Kane has been directly involved in 25 goals in 30 competitive appearances for England (20 goals, 5 assists), having a hand in all four goals vs Bulgaria (3 goals, 1 assist).
- Harry Kane has scored eight penalties for England (excluding shootouts) - only Frank Lampard (9) has netted more for the Three Lions.
- Raheem Sterling has been directly involved in nine goals in his last seven appearances for England (7 goals & 2 assists); as many goal involvements as he registered in his previous 33.
- Kieran Tripper (Atletico Madrid) became the first player representing a Spanish team at club level to play for the England men’s team since David Beckham (Real Madrid) in June 2007.
England 4-0 Bulgaria - As it happened
Fast Results
Scores
