Thorgan Hazard scores - Belgium qualify for the World Cup

This means that Thorgan Hazard, Axel Witsel and Thomas Meunier will all definitely be at the upcoming World Cup. Belgium's 3-1 victory over Estonia means that nothing will stop them finishing top of the group with one game in hand. Axel Witsel was on the pitch for the full game on Saturday night at the König-Baudouin-Stadion in Brussels, with Thomas Meunier being substituted after 63 minutes. Thorgan Hazard came on for his brother Eden in the 62nd minute and scored to make it 3-1 in the 74th. Looking at the table, the Belgians can therefore take it easier in their last qualifier against Wales on Tuesday.  

The Dutch, on the other hand, still have to fight to finish top of their group table on the final matchday. Dortmund's Donyell Malen's team drew 2-2 against Montenegro in Podgorica on Saturday evening, despite leading 2-0. Malen was involved for the first half. With 20 points, the Dutch are still top of group G, but Turkey and Norway are close on their heels going into the final matchday, with both on 18 points. Malen and his team will face Norway directly on Tuesday, with the Norwegians having to do without Erling Haaland in the qualifiers' sprint finish.          

The biggest step was taken by the English national team on Friday evening, who Jude Bellingham re-joined this week after missing the previous international break. The emphatic 5-0 home win over Albania, in which Bellingham featured over the last half-hour, should be enough for the "Three Lions" to qualify directly, with a three-point advantage in the group and one remaining game against San Marino.       

On the other hand, it's a lot closer in qualifying group C, where European champions Italy are battling it out to finish top of the group against BVB defender Manuel Akanji's Switzerland on equal points with one game to go. Their game on Friday evening ended in a 1-1 draw - Akanji was on the pitch for 90 minutes in Rome's Stadio Olimpico - thus providing the foundations for a thriller next Monday. Switzerland, whose squad usually includes BVB goalkeeper Gregor Kobel (hip injury), only need to make up two goals in their long-distance battle against the 'Squadra Azzurra' to book a direct ticket to the World Cup, with the two teams sharing the same number of points. The Swiss will host Bulgaria, whilst the Italians travel away to Northern Ireland.  

On Thursday, the German national team, who had already qualified for the World Cup, put in a dominant display against Liechtenstein. BVB captain Marco Reus shone in the 9-0 (4-0) thrashing with a goal and three assists. After the game, he travelled back to Dortmund for strain management reasons, meaning he will therefore not be available to the DFB team for the final qualifying game against Armenia on Sunday (18:00 CET). Julian Brandt, who was not involved against Liechtenstein, thus remains the only Black & Yellow in the German squad for the trip to Armenia.    

Marin Pongracic, who is currently away with the Croatian national team, remained on the bench for the full 90 minutes against Malta. Ansgar Knauff also didn't play for Germany's U21s against Poland.