In a surprising development, England lost 0-1 to Japan during a friendly match held at Wembley Stadium on March 31, 2026. The only goal of the match was scored by Japan’s Kaoru Mitoma in the 23rd minute, marking England’s first ever loss to Japan in a friendly encounter.
This defeat ended Jordan Pickford’s impressive streak of 922 minutes without conceding a goal, a record that was broken by Mitoma’s strike. England struggled offensively throughout the match, managing only three shots on target.
Phil Foden had a particularly challenging game, recording the fewest touches of any England starter before being substituted. Cole Palmer’s loss of possession directly led to Japan’s goal, highlighting the team’s defensive vulnerabilities.
The match drew an attendance of approximately 80,000 fans, who witnessed a lackluster performance from the home side. England’s coach, Thomas Tuchel, expressed disappointment over the team’s display, stating, “I’m not the biggest person to talk about individuals, but if we put offensive players on the pitch, we demand offensive actions, creativity, dribbling, shots and assists and we clearly didn’t have enough.”
Teammate Marc Guehi echoed this sentiment, saying, “It’s obviously disappointing but we have to be realistic. This is why we play these games towards this time in the season; we need these tests as a team.”
Despite the loss, Tuchel emphasized the importance of learning from such matches, noting, “If we have the right perspective then these games help us to build, to be better, to improve, and to go into the next stage, which is the World Cup, and to be ready.”
Looking ahead, England’s next matches are scheduled against New Zealand and Costa Rica on June 6 and June 12, 2026, respectively. These games will be crucial for the team as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup.
Overall, England’s performance in this match raised questions about their readiness for the World Cup, as they aim to bounce back from this unexpected defeat.
