Southgate Vows England Will Improve After Iceland Defeat Ahead Of Euro 2024

Gareth Southgate has pledged that England will learn from their unexpected 1-0 defeat to Iceland as they prepare for the Euro 2024 campaign starting next week. England's send-off at Wembley Stadium was lacklustre, with Jon Thorsteinsson's low strike making the difference. Despite Southgate selecting a strong lineup featuring Harry Kane, Phil Foden, and Cole Palmer, the Three Lions managed just one shot on target and recorded only 0.89 expected goals (xG) from 13 attempts.

This marks the first time England has lost their final game before an international tournament since Euro 1968, having won 15 and drawn five of their previous 20 such matches. Southgate acknowledged the team's below-par performance but remains confident that issues will be resolved before they face Serbia in Gelsenkirchen in nine days.

"It was obviously a disjointed and disappointing performance, and we didn't show enough character," Southgate told Channel 4. "But I think it's good for us before an international tournament. I think we've got to be better without the ball. There were a lot of reasons for that, and across the two games, we probably haven't had our full side out."

Southgate added, "We've been able to look at people and learn about the balance of the team. I've been involved in a lot of last matches leading into a tournament. Inevitably, players have one eye on what's coming in terms of early challenges. There are no excuses on the result, but there are a lot of things we can put right quickly."

England has now conceded first in each of their last three games at Wembley—against Brazil and Belgium in March and versus Iceland on Friday. This is the first time they have conceded first in three successive matches at the national stadium since between October 1953 and November 1954, a period which included an infamous 6-3 defeat to Hungary in November 1953.

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The defeat to Iceland also marks the first time England has lost their final match before a major international tournament since losing to Germany in their last match before Euro 1968.

The Three Lions will need to address these issues quickly as they prepare for their opening match against Serbia. Southgate's focus will likely be on improving defensive solidity and ensuring that his team is more effective without the ball.

The upcoming Euro 2024 campaign will be crucial for England, and fans will be hoping that this recent setback serves as a valuable lesson rather than a sign of things to come.