England host Belgium at Wembley Stadium for an important international friendly on April 3. Gareth Southgate will look to rebound from their defeat against Brazil and complete his testing of his squad ahead of Euro 2024.
Southgate will have plenty of players to assess in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland before facing Slovakia at UEFA Euro 2024, such as Kobbie Mainoo and Jarrod Bowen who earned call-ups on Saturday.
Here we will discuss the main points of England National Football Team vs Belgium National Football Team Lineups.
England National Football Team
England will look to rebound after their disappointing defeat against Brazil and goalless draw with Ireland, in their final Nations League match before Euro 2024. They face Belgium – another side who have experienced doubts raised against them but eager to test themselves against a high-level opponent and finalise any adjustments they’ve made.
Gareth Southgate will be without Harry Kane due to a groin injury, giving Dominic Solanke and Ollie Watkins an opportunity to make their national team debuts. Ezri Konsa will also miss out due to a calf issue, with Morgan Gibbs-White and Noni Madueke getting the opportunity to shine off the bench instead.
England will field an inexperienced midfield that features many young players in this matchup against Ireland, giving England’s younger talent a chance to shine under manager Gareth Southgate. Phil Foden and Declan Rice, who played the entire game against Ireland, will be key figures; Jude Bellingham, Kobbie Mainoo and Jarrod Bowen will also play pivotal roles as they aim to impress in front of their boss.
Mainoo had an outstanding opportunity to score his inaugural international goal when he beat an opponent and drove towards the box, but his attempt was low and well saved by Matz Sels. Soon afterwards, Phil Foden attempted a shot but it was blocked effectively by Matz Sels.
Mainoo put in an outstanding performance to win a free-kick in the right channel and deliver an exquisite cross towards the edge of the area which narrowly misses scoring a goal.
86 mins: England are struggling to find a goal. Mainoo wins a free-kick after Amadou Onana fouled him, but is unable to direct it on target. Meanwhile Romelu Lukaku had his header blocked before Trossard attempted a shot from free-kick but it went wide of the bar.
The Three Lions have been given an ambitious task at this year’s European Championships by being placed in an extremely tough group alongside Spain, Belgium and Portugal. Additionally they will face Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iceland for their two remaining matches; this could prove crucial as England attempt to qualify for their first major tournament since 1990 in France; thus making this match-up full of excitement!
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate has made several alterations to the England team that reached the Euro 2024 final, with Jordan Pickford remaining the only holdover from their run to glory. Southgate trimmed down from 33 players down to 25, which sees Callum Wilson and Eberechi Eze drop out and Dominic Solanke join based on his goalscoring ability – adding depth to England’s attack.
Southgate has also recruited players with international experience. Joe Gomez earned his final of 11 senior caps for England in October 20/20 while Ivan Toney has returned after serving an eight-month ban for betting on football matches. Furthermore, Liverpool centre-back Jarrell Quansah received his debut senior England call up.
Harry Kane of Tottenham has been one of the more notable omissions from England squad, scoring 13 Premier League goals this season and becoming a key part of Spurs’ title challenge despite yet to receive regular starting opportunities due to injuries at club level in recent years.
Danny Welbeck from Arsenal stands out among the notable absentees as an example. Initially set to add to his four international appearances in September but then forced out due to injury days before the match, Welbeck will likely be overshadowed by more experienced players unless he returns quickly from injury. He was nonetheless named in this squad but may eventually be overtaken.
As Euro 2024 draws nearer, Southgate’s squad selection process becomes ever more crucial. He must strike a balance between bringing in new talent while maintaining consistency among his senior players who have guided England up until this point.
Southgate’s options are further limited by Uefa’s recent ruling allowing national teams to name squads of 23 players for Euro qualifiers following Covid-related rules changes, but with John Stones still struggling for full fitness and Luke Shaw ruled out by leg injury, England’s defence appears weak – leaving Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace and Phil Foden of Manchester United as possible alternatives for selection.