Kane qualifies for World Cup

The Bundesliga’s top scorer and England captain Kane helped the Three Lions to qualify in style with a brace in a 5-0 win over Latvia on Tuesday night. Bayer Leverkusen's Jarell Quansah was also part of the squad led by former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel but has pulled out with injury. England have won all six of their qualifiers so far, with Kane scoring six goals.

Watch: Kane wins September's Player of the Month

France is the Bundesliga’s second-best represented nation after Germany, and that also shines through in Didier Deschamps’ current France squad. 

Bayern Munich's Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano both started in France’s 3-0 win against Azerbaijan, with several former Bundesliga stars, including Hugo Ekitiké, Kingsley Coman and Jean-Philippe Mateta, also featuring. Former Mainz man Mateta made his international debut in the win.

Upamecano and Olise started again in France’s 2-2 draw against Iceland on Monday night with Mateta scoring his first international goal, but the result means that Les Blues will have to wait until November before they can secure a place at the World Cup finals.

Switzerland had a host of Bundesliga talent to call upon when they faced Sweden in their quest for qualification, with Dortmund goalkeeper Kobel, Mainz captain Silvan Widmer, Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Nico Elvedi and Augsburg’s Fabian Rieder all starting. As the game progressed, VfB Stuttgart’s Luca Jaquez and Freiburg’s Johan Manzambi were added to the mix, with the latter scoring Switzerland’s second in the 2-0 win.

Aurèle Amenda, Miro Muheim, Isaac Schmidt and Bundesliga 2 striker Cedric Itten were all unused subs in that match. Kobel, Widmer and Elvedi retained their places in a 0-0 draw against Slovenia while Rieder and Manzambi made substitute appearances, but the stalemate means that Die Nati will have to wait until November before securing their place.

Elsewhere, former Dortmund striker Erling Haaland all but booked Norway’s place in next summer’s World Cup, which would be their first qualification for a major tournament in 25 years, with a hat-trick in a 5-0 victory over Israel. 

Watch: Haaland's Bundesliga best bits

RB Leipzig's Antonio Nusa assisted twice as the goals flew past Hamburg’s Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz for Norway to extend their perfect lead at the top of their group, with six wins from six. Dortmund’s Julian Ryerson and Mainz’s Andreas Hanche-Olsen also played pivotal roles.

Leverkusen’s Spanish duo of Alejandro Grimaldo and Aleix García also have high hopes of featuring at next year’s tournament. A 2-0 win over Georgia, against whom García made a cameo appearance, followed by a 4-0 victory over Bulgaria on Tuesday night moved them closer to qualification, results elsewhere in October means that they will have to wait until November before officially booking their spot.

Meanwhile, Bayer goalkeeper Mark Flekken was on the bench for the Netherlands, whose 4-0 win over Finland ensured they remain three points ahead of a Poland side still being powered by ex-Bayern and Dortmund star Robert Lewandowski.

Watch: Grimaldo's magic wand

There was familiarity in the Danish ranks, with Wolfsburg trio Christian Eriksen, Jonas Wind and Joakim Mæhle in the squad for their 3-1 win over Greece, which ensures Group C remains a two-horse race for automatic qualification between Denmark and Scotland.

The same goes for the Austria camp, where no fewer than 11 Bundesliga players were called up for the latest round of internationals. Their perfect record was ended by a 1-0 defeat to Romania, meaning Marcel Sabitzer, Konrad Laimer and Co. are now just two points clear at the top of Group H.

Over in Group L, Croatia are now one win from qualification after a 3-0 victory over Gibraltar, despite Wolfsburg’s Lovro Majer missing from the penalty spot. Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramarić came off the bench in that game, while Augsburg’s Kristijan Jakić was an unused substitute.