England 0 Brazil 1: Three Lions tamed by Endrick, 17, as Southgate’s side suffer Wembley nightmare in ‘woke’ new kit
GET your prayer mats out and ask the big man upstairs to keep Harry Kane fit for the Euros.
Because it was no Kane, no party as England suffered their first defeat since the World Cup, courtesy of a late strike from Brazil’s new wonderkid Endrick.
While Gareth Southgate’s first-choice XI are widely fancied to be crowned champions of Europe this summer, this performance suggests the Three Lions lack squad depth in many areas.
Ollie Watkins was unconvincing as Kane’s understudy and an error from sub Lewis Dunk led to Brazil’s winner.
This was also the Three Lions’ first home loss since the infamous 4-0 drubbing by Hungary at Molineux in 2022 and their first defeat at Wembley inside 90 minutes since 2020.
England don’t lose very often but then Kane doesn’t miss many England games.
The nation’s all-time record goalscorer has 62 goals in 89 caps and also has the ability to drop deep and make things happen in a No10 role.
The Bayern Munich man is two players in one and impossible for Southgate to replace.
So while his current ankle injury is a minor one, the England chief will be desperate for there to be no repeat in Germany this summer.
Jude Bellingham’s performance was patchy – he might have been sent off early on, but at times he showed neater feet than any Brazilian.
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER
And of those auditioning for a place in the squad – Anthony Gordon, Conor Gallagher and Watkins – nobody made a cast-iron case for inclusion.
Amid the culture war over a tiny cross on the back of the England shirt, the ‘woke’ FA displayed nine massive St George’s flags on the Wembley pitch before kick-off and as many servicemen as you’d expect to see paraded under your average military junta.
There was precious little anger around Wembley but precious little noise of any sort – it was a surprise that it took as long as half an hour for the first paper aeroplane.
But while the atmosphere was virtually non-existent and the tempo was typical of a friendly, there was no lack of goalmouth incident.
Vinicius Junior, whose Brazil form rarely lives up to his stellar Real Madrid performances, showed why he receives so much criticism in his homeland with a couple of early mishaps.
First he was sent clean through on goal but his weak shot was comfortably cleared off the line by skipper Kyle Walker – who then pinged the ball into the back of Harry Maguire.
And Vinicius followed that up with an extraordinarily unconvincing dive when he brushed against Walker and appealed for a penalty.
Bellingham was guilty of a horrible challenge on Bruno Guimaraes, which earned him a yellow card and might have been a red in a competitive fixture.
The Real Madrid man’s occasional episodes of rashness must be a concern for Southgate.
Watkins spooned over from close range after Gallagher had chipped a pass into his path.
Walker’s night as captain was cut short when he limped off after just 19 minutes, with Ezri Konsa replacing the Manchester City man and Maguire taking the armband.
There was no great pattern or rhythm to the contest but it was end-to-end and often wild.
Ben Chilwell, who was looking unconvincing at left-back, delivered a decent free-kick which offered Maguire a free header but the Manchester United defender sent it over.
While passing up chances at one end, England were offering a fair few at the other.
One scrambled sequence ended with Lucas Paqueta firing a shot against the post, a let-off for an untidy England defence.
Gordon, lively on debut, then cut in from the left and had a curling shot pushed away by Bento.
The other side of half-time, Declan Rice sent a free-kick to the back post where Gordon had another shot pushed out by Bento.
There will be a lot of competition for wide places in the Euros squad if everyone is fit but the Newcastle player was putting down a decent marker.
Bellingham was certainly trying to make things happen, there had been an attempted rabona in the Brazil box in the first half, a couple of soft-shoe shuffles and then a cushioned chip which sailed over the bar when something conventional might have been more appropriate.
But the Real man was withdrawn in favour of Jarrod Bowen as Southgate made a host of changes.
Kobbie Mainoo was handed a debut in place of Gallagher as the game was threatening to peter out.
But Dunk, another man just off the bench, was guilty of a poor header straight to Andreas Pereira whose cunning pass caught out John Stones and freed Vinicius.
The Real man’s shot cannoned off Jordan Pickford and fell to Endrick who was presented with a simple tap-in.
Rashford had a late header blocked as England staged a late rally but they ended up with their first blank since a goalless draw against the United States in Qatar – Pickford denying Endrick a second in the last attack of the game.
Get well soon, Harry.