Interim boss Lee Carsley signed off in style as England capitalised on Liam Scales’ sending off in a 5-0 thrashing of the Republic of Ireland that sealed promotion back to the Nations League top tier.
The 17th and final fixture of a year that saw the national team reach another European Championship final marked the end of the Under-21s coach’s six-game stint as Gareth Southgate’s stand-in.
Thomas Tuchel begins his quest to win the 2026 World Cup in the new year and takes over on the back of Nations League elevation after Carsley oversaw a comfortable win against the country he represented as a player.
Heimir Hallgrimsson’s Ireland had started well and frustrated England in the first half, only to spiral after Scales received his second yellow card for bringing down Jude Bellingham in the box shortly after half-time.
Captain Harry Kane, back in the starting line-up, struck home the resulting penalty, with Anthony Gordon then lashing in and Conor Gallagher scoring from close range just as Group B2 rivals Greece took the lead in Finland.
Substitute Jarrod Bowen netted with his first touch and fellow introduction Taylor Harwood-Bellis completed a dream debut by heading in to wrap up a win that saw Carsley’s men top the pool.
Greece finished level on 15 points but England’s 3-0 win in Athens on Thursday meant they boasted a superior head-to-head record.
The Republic were already guaranteed to be in the relegation play-offs before a match that started with fans jeering one another’s national anthem.
England began brightly and Curtis Jones saw a shot blocked after Caoimhin Kelleher stopped Noni Madueke’s threat with his feet.
Kyle Walker headed over the resulting corner, and another shortly afterwards, but Ireland saw out the early storm.
Carsley had the control he craved but lacked any cutting edge, epitomised by Madueke making space only to shoot into a crowd from close range as his penalty appeals for handball were ignored.
Half-hearted claims and half chances punctuated the end of a flat 45 minutes that ended with well-drilled Ireland growing in confidence.
Hallgrimsson held his arms aloft on the touchline when Walker made contact on Sammie Szmodics in the box and Festy Ebosele’s work was impressing the Irish support, who cheered loudly when Scales made a strong tackle on Kane following a heavy first touch.
Both players were booked in separate incidents as referee Erik Lambrechts dished out five yellow cards just before the break.
The Belgian showed another in the 51st minute, changing the course of the contest.
Kane drilled a beautiful low ball into the box and Bellingham intelligently cut inside away from Scales, who caught the midfielder’s trailing leg.
Lambrechts pointed to the spot and dished out a second yellow card to the defender, with Kane scoring after a stuttering run-up to his 53rd minute spot-kick.
England kept their foot down and added another two minutes later. Irish defenders failed to deal with a cross from debutant Tino Livramento and Newcastle team-mate Gordon impressively volleyed home his first international goal.
Wembley celebrated a third in the 58th minute as Hallgrimsson’s men continued to wobble.
This time a Madueke corner was headed on by Marc Guehi to the far post, where Gallagher converted from close range to open his England account.
Carsley rung the changes after those goals, handing Harwood-Bellis his debut before a triple change that had an immediate impact as Bowen fired home from just inside the box from a set-piece routine.
Harwood-Bellis had a first touch to remember, staying up after a set piece and brilliantly guiding home a Bellingham cross from close range, wheeling off in celebration after the 79th-minute goal.
Bellingham saw a shot blocked and Kane was denied as England sought a sixth, with Bowen proving a handful before the final whistle.