England qualified for next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa with an emphatic victory over their nearest group rivals Croatia.

The win ensured qualification with two group games left, an unprecedented achievement for an England side.

They kicked-off moments after Belarus and Ukraine’s draw, a result which left them requiring just a point.

But they showed no signs of knowing this, tearing into the hapless Croatians immediately and effectively finishing the game as a contest within 20 minutes.

Manager Fabio Capello acknowledged England’s lightning start. He said: “It was our best performance at Wembley since I became manager. The first 20 minutes were fantastic.

“Everything we tried in training worked. Our quick movement and pressing was excellent.”

England were ahead on seven minutes. Aaron Lennon was unceremoniously upended in the box by Josip Simunic and Frank Lampard confidently slammed home the spot-kick.

Lennon was provider again on 18 minutes, floating a far-post cross for Steven Gerrard to head past keeper Vedran Runje.

But for Runje, and some indifferent finishing, England would have been out-of-sight by half-time.

Runje saved well from Lampard, Lennon and Emile Heskey; and the latter fluffed another opportunity when clean through on half-time.

Croatia were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty on 55 minutes when Glen Johnson leant on Arsenal’s Eduardo da Silva inside the six-yard box.

Within three minutes, Johnson had turned from potential villain to hero, supplying a fine cross for Lampard to head home England’s third.

It was 4-0 on 66 minutes, Wayne Rooney setting up Gerrard’s second headed goal of the match.

Eduardo pulled one back for the Croatians five minutes later, after the otherwise under-employed England keeper Robert Green had made two excellent blocks.

But with thirteen minutes left, the previously excellent Nunje horribly miskicked a clearance straight to Wayne Rooney who side-footed the ball into the empty net.