By Edmund J. Rogers 
England secured qualification for Euro 2024 by defeating Italy 3-1 at Wembley; Jude Bellingham played an important role in the victory by kicking a penalty that helped the English equalize the score and then scored an excellent second goal; Harry Kane distinguished himself from the captain by scoring two goals, but Calvin Phillips fought with all his might.
Jordan Pickford (7)
Shortly before the break he made a decisive save, tying the score 1-1. He crouched down and deftly repelled Destiny Ujoji’s blow with a strong left hand. He also impressed his legs when he made some good long and accurate assists to adjust the strikes.
Kyle Walker – 7
Italy was never happy for him. The right-back is a reliable part of the English national team’s defense and in this victory he showed once again his experience and leadership qualities.
John Stones-6
After starting for the first time since the Community Shield on August 6, the Stones felt unbalanced when they lost Gianluca Scamacca, scoring the first goal of the Italian national team. But the Manchester City defender recovered well to get into the game and learned a lesson from his Scamacca mistake by allowing Davide Frattesi to repel a shot from the near bar.
Harry Maguire – 7
An excellent result was shown by the Manchester United defender. He handled the ball well and defended well, making a good block that repelled a peril shot from Domenico Berardi on goal in the first half.
A strong game that was a great response to his nightmare game last time out as part of the England squad in a match against Scotland in September.
Kieran Trippier 6.
Playing in the left-back position, Trippier became the target of the Italians, many of whose strikes were carried out from the right. In the first half, he sometimes struggled to cope with the situation, but in the second period, the Newcastle captain was much more confident.
Declan Rice – 7
A great game in the midfield while eliminating peril moments and dictating the course of the game from the midfield. He rarely made a mistake in the game.
Calvin Phillips-5
From the first minutes, when he gave the ball away and then committed a reckless foul with a high shoe, it seemed that he lacked rhythm.
Then the midfielder was sent off the pitch in the ninth minute for a bad shot on goal by Frattesi, a foul that was a clear example of his failed game, and is not surprising given his lack of playing time at Manchester City. And as for that foul in the second half for which a straight red card could have been obtained, not to mention the second yellow, even Phillips himself subsequently admitted that he was “lucky” not to have been eliminated.