Bukayo Saka is the youngest player to score an England hat-trick since Theo Walcott against Croatia in September 2008Bukayo Saka scored the first hat-trick of his career as England made it four wins out of four Euro 2024 qualifiers by thrashing North Macedonia at Old Trafford.
Gareth Southgate's side are well on course to qualify for the tournament in Germany next summer and, even though North Macedonia provided meagre opposition, England still demonstrated the dazzling array of attacking options they have at their disposal.
And at the heart of it all was Arsenal's Saka who struck a superb treble before departing to a standing ovation with the game won.
England actually laboured in the early stages in the face of determined Macedonian defence but once captain Harry Kane scored his 57th international goal - turning in Luke Shaw's cross at the far post after 29 minutes - the floodgates opened.
Saka added the second from Kyle Walker's pass nine minutes later and Marcus Rashford scored third on the stroke of half-time after unselfish work by Jordan Henderson.
The highlight of this one-sided affair came two minutes after half-time when Saka controlled a perfect long pass by Trent Alexander-Arnold before sending a thunderous left-foot finish high past keeper Stole Dimitrievski.
Saka completed his landmark hat-trick after racing clear on to Kane's pass, prompting Southgate to make a host of changes which allowed substitute Kalvin Phillips to get in the act with a simple tap-in to make it six.
Kane scored his second from the spot with 17 minutes left after John Stones had been fouled as England went on a goal rampage to record their biggest win since the 10-0 victory over San Marino in November 2021, and inflict North Macedonia's heaviest defeat.
Unstoppable England on course for Germany
England could not have done a more convincing job of plotting their route to Euro 2024 with maximum points and their most testing assignment out of the way with victory over Italy in Naples.
This is a group England have to qualify from - there would be a serious inquest if they did not - but the manner in which Southgate's side have gone about their work is admirable and a sell-out Old Trafford crowd was given quite a show of attacking football.
England may face a familiar problem of not being fully put to the test until they face elite competition in the heat of a major tournament but this does not mean Southgate will not learn anything from qualifiers, even if the passage is comfortable against inferior opposition.
The attacking riches the manager can manipulate were on show among his goalscorers and England's strength in depth was emphasised as Manchester City's Champions League-winning duo of Jack Grealish and Phil Foden came off the bench while Real Madrid's new teenage superstar Jude Bellingham was not present because of injury.
This must all be framed by the fact North Macedonia were nowhere their class but England could not have done a much better job of dismantling them.
Saka the jewel
Saka grows into a more accomplished England footballer with every game and it was clear just how popular Arsenal's 21-year-old is with his team-mates by their show of sheer joy when he completed his hat-trick.
The big bonus for Southgate is that, with Alexander-Arnold's move into midfield, it has quickly become clear he and Saka are right on the same wavelength.
They combined for a goal in Malta in Friday night's win and linked again here as Alexander-Arnold picked out Saka for his second and England's fourth, a real "wow" moment as the latter applied a spectacular finish.
Saka's England colleagues sought him out with the match ball at the final whistle. He will hope it is the first of many and he certainly has the talent to collect more.
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North Macedonia
Squad number1Player nameDimitrievski
Squad number3Player nameAshkovski
Squad number13Player nameRistovski
Squad number14Player nameVelkovski
Squad number4Player nameZajkov
Squad number8Player nameAlioski
Squad number10Player nameBardhi
Squad number5Player nameAdemi
Squad number7Player nameElmas
Squad number9Player nameTrajkovski
Squad number23Player nameNestorovski
Squad number2Player nameBejtulai
Squad number6Player nameSerafimov
Squad number11Player nameAtanasov
Squad number16Player nameBabunski
Squad number20Player nameBabunski
Line-ups
England
Formation 4-3-3
1Pickford
2Walker5Stones6Maguire3Shaw
10Alexander-Arnold4Rice8Henderson
7Saka9Kane11Rashford
1Pickford2Walker5Stones6Maguire3Shaw10Alexander-Arnold4RiceBooked at 41minsSubstituted forPhillipsat 59'minutesBooked at 77mins8HendersonSubstituted forGallagherat 58'minutes7SakaSubstituted forFodenat 59'minutes9KaneSubstituted forWilsonat 74'minutes11RashfordSubstituted forGrealishat 58'minutesSubstitutes
12Trippier13Ramsdale14Guéhi15Phillips16Mings17Grealish18Maddison19Gallagher20Foden21Eze22Johnstone23WilsonNorth Macedonia
Formation 5-3-2
1Dimitrievski
3Ashkovski13Ristovski14Velkovski4Zajkov8Alioski
10Bardhi5Ademi7Elmas
9Trajkovski23Nestorovski
1Dimitrievski3Ashkovski13RistovskiSubstituted forBejtulaiat 45'minutesBooked at 72mins14Velkovski4ZajkovSubstituted forSerafimovat 57'minutes8Alioski10BardhiSubstituted forBabunskiat 67'minutes5AdemiSubstituted forAtanasovat 58'minutes7Elmas9TrajkovskiSubstituted forBabunskiat 57'minutes23NestorovskiSubstitutes
2Bejtulai6Serafimov11Atanasov12Iliev15Manev16Babunski17Doriev18Elezi19Ristovski20Babunski21Dimoski22ShishkovskiLive Text
Match ends, England 7, North Macedonia 0.
Second Half ends, England 7, North Macedonia 0.
Attempt saved. Kalvin Phillips (England) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Harry Maguire with a headed pass.
Corner, England. Conceded by Darko Velkovski.
Attempt blocked. Phil Foden (England) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jack Grealish.
Corner, England. Conceded by Nikola Serafimov.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Darko Velkovski (North Macedonia).
Kalvin Phillips (England) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by David Babunski (North Macedonia).
Foul by Conor Gallagher (England).
David Babunski (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Kalvin Phillips (England) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Kalvin Phillips (England).
Ilija Nestorovski (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jack Grealish (England).
Jani Atanasov (North Macedonia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, England. Callum Wilson replaces Harry Kane.
Goal! England 7, North Macedonia 0. Harry Kane (England) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top left corner.
Egzon Bejtulai (North Macedonia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
