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England face Japan at Wembley in their final friendly before Thomas Tuchel announces his 2026 World Cup squad
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The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member features. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Want to add more newsletters? Five times a week Four Four Two Daily Fantastic football content straight to your inbox! From the latest transfer news, quizzes, videos, features and interviews with the biggest names in the game, plus lots more. Once a week . .. And it’s LIVE! Sign up to our FREE live football newsletter, tracking all of the biggest games available to watch on the device of your choice. Never miss a kick-off! Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. England's 1-1 draw with Uruguay at Wembley on Friday night can be chalked down as a missed opportunity. The result was ultimately irrelevant, even though England head coach Thomas Tuchel will have been annoyed that his side were denied a victory by Federico Valverde's stoppage-time penalty. What will have given the England boss more cause for concern, though, was the number of players who failed to take their chance in the penultimate friendly before he names his initial squad for this summer's World Cup.
The Three Lions return to the national stadium for their final friendly on home soil ahead of the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico, offering several players one last opportunity to star in an England shirt before the initial squad is announced. They face a Japan side ranked 18th in the world, so it is as good a time as any for these five players to step up and show Tuchel they should be part of his summer plans.
The Manchester City star was handed the No. 10 shirt against Uruguay, but his most notable moment of an underwhelming display came when he was sent flying by a nasty challenge from Ronald Araujo. Foden failed to seize his chance on Friday, but he has remained with the squad so may get another opportunity tonight, fitness permitting. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. The 25-year-old last scored for England in September 2023 and has struggled for form since being named Premier League Player of the Season in 2023/24 so he may face a fight to make the squad, with Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer arguably all ahead of him. A positive display tonight - albeit one that is likely to come from the bench - would do his chances no harm.
Chelsea forward Palmer is another player who has struggled to recreate his form of the 2023/24 campaign, which ended with him scoring the equaliser in England's defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final. The 23-year-old replaced Foden against Uruguay and made an impact, delivering the corner that led to Ben White's opener and setting up Dominic Calvert-Lewin for a chance the striker should have buried. Rogers currently appears to be Tuchel's preferred No. 10 and is expected to start there tonight, but the German is known to rate Palmer highly.
A European Championship winner with England Under 21s in 2023, Garner received his first senior call-up for these internationals - and went straight into the starting line-up against Uruguay. The Everton midfielder, 25, marked his first cap with a tidy display and could play a part again tonight, after Arsenal's Declan Rice pulled out of the squad due to injury. While Rice and Elliot Anderson look certain of a World Cup spot, and Jordan Henderson remains a Tuchel favourite, there is no reason why Garner cannot claim one of the remaining midfield places if he ends the campaign strongly - and another solid performance would give him a great chance.
The Manchester United midfielder started the Euro 2024 final aged 19, but made only one international appearance between that day in July 2024 and Friday's friendly with Uruguay. Mainoo was recalled to the England squad after regaining his place in the United side under Michael Carrick, having had a difficult relationship with former boss Ruben Amorim. It has put the 20-year-old back in contention for a World Cup place and he could start against Japan, giving him the perfect platform to show Tuchel why he should go to North America.
Tottenham Hotspur striker Solanke is unlikely to get many minutes tonight, with Harry Kane set to return to the starting line-up. But with Calvert-Lewin dropping out of the squad following the friendly with Uruguay, the 28-year-old is the only natural No. 9 behind Kane - so he could get another chance to impress. Solanke started on Friday and worked hard with little reward, but tonight's friendly could offer a lifeline to his hopes of being an understudy to the England captain this summer. James Roberts is a freelance sports journalist working for Four Four Two. He has spent the past three years as a sports sub-editor for various national newspapers and started his career at the Oxford Mail, where he covered Oxford United home and away. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
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