The first chapter of a potentially monumental year for England did not follow the script on Saturday night as 17-year-old Endrick’s late goal helped Brazil to a 1-0 win and handed Gareth Southgate’s side their first defeat since the 2022 World Cup quarter-final against France.
England were rhythmic and fluid in attack but more than a little defensively suspect in their first match of a year in which they hope can deliver major silverware for the first time in 58 years at the European Championships this summer.
Southgate was unable to call on Harry Kane or Bukayo Saka for this fixture due to niggling injuries, affording Ollie Watkins another deserved start amid another prolific season at Aston Villa, as well as a debut out wide for Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon — close to making the November squad but here now and bright throughout.
Brazil had been hit even harder by injury, with Dorival Junior forced to name five debutants in his first starting line-up as Brazil manager, including Wolves’s Joao Gomes. So this prestige friendly was rather more experimental than it had once looked like being.
And a friendly though this was, its nature was not always so. Lucas Paqueta could have been shown a second yellow before the break after two cynical fouls on Conor Gallagher before later felling Jude Bellingham. The Real Madrid star, meanwhile, scythed down Bruno Guimaraes.
Brazil started the more composed, in sync with each other as they passed their way through England. And they ought, really, to have taken the lead when Vinicius Junior broke free, shot past Jordan Pickford, but did so tamely enough to allow Kyle Walker back to block.
A twinge of the hamstring saw Walker, captain on the night, substituted after 20 minutes, replaced by debutant Ezri Konsa who filled in at right-back while Harry Maguire took the armband.
The energy of Bellingham, Gallagher and Declan Rice in midfield helped the hosts turn the tide, and they came closest in the first half when Ben Chilwell’s free-kick was nodded just over by Maguire.
Paqueta missed by mere whiskers with an effort in each half, including striking the post with Pickford beaten midway through the first 45. Certainly, that effort was more composed than Chilwell’s two hashed volleys from England corners. If Luke Shaw returns from his muscle injury in time for Euro 2024, it will be he who starts at left-back — not Chilwell.
Any sense of intensity present in the first half did not return after the interval as a sold-out Wembley was consigned to a second-gear second half that only came alive with ten minutes to play.
There was an understandably raucous applause when Manchester United’s 18-year-old starlet Kobbie Mainoo came on for his debut late on, but that noise was soon replaced by cheers from fans in the Brazil end.
Mainoo was outshone by 17-year-old substitute Endrick — who will join Real Madrid this summer. There he was to tap the winner into an empty net after Pickford had parried from Vinicius Junior.
Not an ending, nor result, to fill Southgate or England with much early confidence about what 2024 might have in store.
