It is their first assembly at Wembley since 1995.
England welcome Uruguay to Wembley for the primary time in over 20 years as they ramp up their preparations for the World Cup, with a bunch of gamers trying to cement their place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the journey to North America.
The Three Lions’ first of two friendlies earlier than Tuchel’s squad for the 2026 World Cup is known as will happen nearly 21 years to the day since La Celeste drew 0-0 on the residence of English soccer on their final go to.
That recreation was forgettable, however England followers have painful recollections of their most up-to-date conflict with Uruguay, a 2-1 defeat on the 2014 World Cup that despatched Roy Hodgson’s out within the group stage.
There are nonetheless a few gamers who featured that day in São Paulo among the many squads for England and Uruguay. Jordan Henderson retains a spot among the many England midfielders, whereas Fernando Muslera is without doubt one of the three goalkeepers in Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay squad.
This recreation, although, is not going to have any of the drama of that absorbing contest, settled by a late Luis Suarez winner, with the main focus for Tuchel on evaluating these gamers whose spot on the aircraft for the World Cup is way from safe.
Tuchel named a 35-man squad for this recreation and the following pleasant with Japan. Nevertheless, 11 gamers chosen is not going to be a part of up till after the sport with Uruguay, whereas a number of of these within the camp will depart forward of the assembly with Japan.
Goalkeeper Dean Henderson, centre-backs Dan Burn, Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa and Manchester Metropolis’s EFL Cup-winning hero Nico O’Reilly have all been rested, as have midfielders Elliott Anderson and Declan Rice. Additional ahead, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka and talisman Harry Kane can even not report till after Friday’s contest.
With England set to area a much-changed aspect, Uruguay might even see this take a look at as an opportunity to revive a constructive feeling of their camp and banish recollections of a 5-1 loss to United States of their most up-to-date fixture.
Uruguay are set to characteristic of their fifth successive World Cup, with their closing pleasant earlier than Bielsa names his squad going down in opposition to Algeria in Torino on Tuesday.
Star midfielder Federico Valverde didn’t characteristic in that chastening defeat to the USA, and might be one of many hazard males for Uruguay as they goal to grow to be the primary crew to beat Tuchel’s England at Wembley, the place the Three Lions haven’t misplaced since a shock October 2024 defeat to Greece within the UEFA Nations League.
Staff information for England v Uruguay
With 11 of the squad who seem more likely to go to the World Cup ignored for this recreation, it is going to be a really completely different England aspect that takes the pitch at Wembley.
Jordan Pickford might captain the aspect in purpose, whereas one among Tino Livramento or Djed Spence will seemingly play at right-back. It could be a shock if Livramento’s Newcastle United team-mate Lewis Corridor doesn’t begin at left-back. In the midst of the again 4, Harry Maguire, John Stones and Fiyako Tomori will hope for an opportunity to impress.
Cole Palmer and Phil Foden will every have their eyes on the quantity 10 position within the absence of Rogers, although Jude Bellingham might additionally begin in that spot.
Marcus Rashford, Noni Madueke and Jarrod Bowen are in competitors for enjoying time on the wings with Saka and Gordon rested. Dominic Calvert-Lewin needs to be the frontrunner to start out up high in Kane’s stead.
Uruguay are with out Rodrigo Bentancur because the Tottenham midfielder recovers from hamstring surgical procedure, however there might be loads of acquainted faces in Marcelo Bielsa’s aspect, with Actual Madrid’s Valverde and Manchester United’s Manuel Ugarte more likely to characteristic within the engine room.
Former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez figures to steer the road for Uruguay.
Predicted line-ups for England v Uruguay
England: Pickford; Livramento, Maguire, Stones, Corridor; Wharton, Mainoo; Madueke, Palmer, Rashford; Calvert-Lewin.
Uruguay: Rochet; Varela, Gimenez, R. Araujo, Olivera; Valverde, Ugarte, De Arrascaeta; Pellistri, Nunez, M. Araujo.
The place to observe England v Uruguay: TV and on-line streams
England v Uruguay kicks off at 7:45pm UK time on Friday. It will likely be broadcast on ITV 1 and might be streamed by way of ITV X. Sky subscribers may also stream the sport by way of Sky Go.
Stats for England v Uruguay
- That is the primary assembly between England and Uruguay because the 2014 World Cup, when the Three Lions had been crushed 2-1 and knocked out of the event below supervisor Roy Hodgson. England have only a 27% win ratio in opposition to them (P11 W3), solely having decrease in opposition to Brazil (15%, P27 W4) and Romania (25%, P12 W3) amongst nations they’ve confronted 10+ occasions.
- Two of the 4 earlier video games between England and Uruguay at Wembley have ended 0-0, with these goalless video games on the 1966 World Cup and in a 1995 pleasant. They’re one among solely three nations England have drawn multiple recreation 0-0 in opposition to at Wembley, together with Wales (3) and Sweden (2).
- England have received two of their final 11 matches in opposition to South American nations (D5 L4), beating Brazil in February 2013 and Peru in Could 2014. They’re winless in 5 since that Peru win (D3 L2).
- England have saved a clear sheet in 11 of their final 12 matches, together with the final six in a row since a 3-1 defeat to Senegal in June 2025. One other clear sheet on this recreation will equal the Three Lions’ document for consecutive clear sheets in June/July 2021, a run of seven.
- Uruguay misplaced their final match, struggling a 5-1 defeat to the USA. They haven’t misplaced consecutive video games since shedding 4 in a row in October/November 2021 of their closing 4 video games below Oscar Tabárez.
- Bielsa will handle his third recreation in opposition to England – he drew 0-0 at Wembley in February 2000 and misplaced 1-0 on the 2002 World Cup as Argentina boss. This recreation might be 26 years and 32 days since his final recreation at Wembley, a document for a supervisor in video games versus England – Bernd Stange has the present document (25 years and 32 days, Sept 1984 with East Germany – Oct 2009 with Belarus).
Prediction for England v Uruguay
This recreation is extra concerning the audition for these England gamers trying to break into the World Cup squad, however the Three Lions ought to nonetheless have simply sufficient to prevail even with a few of their regulars absent.
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