Brazil’s five-time world champions defeated England 1-0 at Wembley to start England’s Euro 2024 preparations with Wonderkid Endrick scoring his first goal for his country.
With nine minutes left, the 17-year-old wonder gave Europe a sneak peek at his potential with a poacher’s finish after Jordan Pickford denied Vinicius Jr. a one-on-one opportunity. The sensation will sign a £62 million contract to join Real Madrid from Palmeiras this summer.
Endrick had just entered the game as a substitute, and he was ecstatic. With the final kick of the match, Pickford then denied him a second time in a cameo.
Brazil could have been ahead long before that breakthrough. In the first half, Rodrygo fired wide after Harry Maguire mishandled, Lucas Paqueta struck the post, and Kyle Walker hurt himself trying to stop a goal-bound Vinicius shot. The English defence was shoddy.
The home team believed Ollie Watkins, who was given the opportunity in place of injured captain Harry Kane, should have scored when he blasted over inside the box. However, West Ham’s Paqueta was handed a second yellow card for fouling Jude Bellingham prior to halftime.
Long stretches of the second half saw England, who were without twelve regulars from the squad, struggle, but in the end it was an injury-plagued Brazil, with a new manager in control and on their worst run of results in 22 years, who emerged victorious.
If Gareth Southgate’s England are to prove why they are considered one of the favourites to win the European Championship in Germany this summer, they will need to find more of a spark and more defensive togetherness when they play Belgium at the national stadium on Tuesday.
England boss Gareth Southgate: “I was pleased. Clearly we don’t like losing football matches but I thought there were a lot of very good individual performances from players who have hardly played for England. More regular players were very good. We had as many attempts on goal as they have and the difference was one moment.
“There were a couple of great quality passes [from Brazil]. You’re talking about players at the very highest level of the game. You’re going to have moments where your keeper has to make a save or defender block. We had those moments at the other end. If it finished a draw it would have been fair.
“We’re playing a top team. Chances are going to be limited. Perhaps we had the chances from set-pieces to capitalise on one of them. I was pleased with the players that went in. We need to find out about them. I thought Ollie did a good job. Didn’t get that clear chance on goal you might want. A lot of his work was very good.”
On Walker’s injury: “He’s not sure if it’s just tightness. We’ll know more in the next 36 hours.”
On Kane’s injury: “Kane will go back [to Bayern Munich]. He won’t be fit for Tuesday.”
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