Arsenal legend Ian Wright highlighted that England’s lack of a traditional target man was a key factor in their 1-0 friendly loss to Japan on Tuesday, March 31, at Wembley.
With star striker Harry Kane sidelined due to injury, The Three Lions faced challenges in their attacking fluency. Phil Foden struggled in the false nine role, as Japan, ranked 18th, became the first AFC team to defeat England.
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Despite having only 25% possession, Japan secured the game’s only goal through Kaoru Mitoma in the 23rd minute, enhancing their preparations for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
“Japan deserved the win,” Wright stated in the ITV Sport studio (as per Metro). “It was similar to the performance against Uruguay the other day, the kind of display you might see in a tournament. They were very ruthless, very good defensively, attacking-wise.”
He added:
“Without Harry Kane, there was no focal point, and England couldn’t seem to make an impact on them. Losing in the manner we did, I can’t stress because there were too many changes.”
“I think Japan is a very strong team, quite underrated, and they demonstrated that. Our lack of a focal point was a massive issue, and I think that’s why Phil Foden was tried in that position. If that’s the approach, we might see Anthony Gordon or Marcus Rashford up there.”
England has two more friendlies lined up against New Zealand and Costa Rica in June before their World Cup opener against Croatia in Arlington, Texas, on June 17.
A look back at England’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign
England had a flawless qualifying campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, winning all eight games in Group K without conceding a goal. They defeated Albania, Serbia, Latvia, and Andorra both at home and away.
The Three Lions scored 22 times during this period, with their most significant victories—both 5-0—coming away against Serbia and Latvia. Thomas Tuchel’s team finished 10 points ahead of group runner-up Albania, who had 14 points.
Striker Harry Kane was the team’s top scorer with eight goals, finishing second in the European qualifiers for the World Cup, eight goals behind Norway’s Erling Haaland, who scored 16.
Edited by Bhargav
