BARCELONA — England laboured in Barcelona against opponents ranked below Papua New Guinea in the world rankings.
A 1-0 win ensures their 100 per cent World Cup qualifying record endures but that is where the positives end.
Thomas Tuchel was rightly fuming with aspects of England’s display and will be sifting through the detritus in the run-up to Tuesday’s friendly against Senegal.
Here is who won and who lost from the weekend.
Harry Kane opens the scoring!
He becomes the first player to score in each of a mangers 1st three matches in charge of @England since Peter Crouch#ITVFootball | #ThreeLions pic.twitter.com/ouDYfXPKNH
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 7, 2025
Noni Madueke
A few minutes before kick-off at the RCDE Stadium, news broke of Chelsea agreeing terms with Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens. Another transfer window, another promising winger arrives on an eye-wateringly long contract at Stamford Bridge, and yet more competition for Madueke, who flitted between left and right wing against Andorra.
Kudos to Madueke for enduring through the mess at Chelsea. Last season wasn’t necessarily his best but he has all the tools to impact games and his transition into international football has been smooth. He looks like he belongs.
The challenge against Andorra was to ask questions and he did that consistently. While others meandered, presumably assuming their position in the World Cup squad is safe, Madueke provided a threat and that’s a big tick against his name – both in terms of attitude and ability.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane has scored in each of Thomas Tuchel’s three games in charge (Photo: Getty)Look, we all know the uncomfortable truth. Last summer at the Euros it felt like Kane was at the start of the precipitous drop-off that comes to even the best.
There were murmurings about his inability to press as Gareth Southgate wanted and what pace he ever had was slipping away.
But he remains, by far and away, England’s most essential player. He got the goal here – right place, right time – and was totally absolved in Tuchel’s criticism of some of his team’s application. He sets the standards and, a year out from the World Cup, there is no-one anywhere near replacing him.
Nigel Farage
Stick to football, right? That is what those of a certain political ilk will scream when players adopt causes or make gestures.
But everything is politics in these days of never ending culture wars and with the football so vapid, the chants about the Prime Minister made headlines.
The derogatory songs about Sir Keir Starmer from the England fans probably reflect the political bellwether among a certain constituency right now and will have probably been music to Nigel Farage’s ears. Which is ironic, really, as Starmer is by far the more authentic football fan.
Bukayo Saka
How his dynamism was missed by England. So far Saka hasn’t played a minute for Tuchel due to injuries and he will be eagerly anticipating being able to incorporate the Arsenal forward into a starting XI.
England consistently struggle against a low block and often it is Saka who gets them out of trouble.
For all the competition in attacking areas, Saka still feels like one of the first names on the teamsheet when fit.
Losers
Cole Palmer endured an afternoon to forget in Barcelona (Photo: Getty)Cole Palmer
After ending his season with a flourish there was hope that Palmer would transfer that form into an England jersey but it just never really happened for him here.
The word out here was that it was Palmer who sizzled in training and so Tuchel gave him a central, crucial role in England’s attack against Andorra. Yet there did not appear to be much urgency about his efforts.
Lasted only an hour, his set pieces were iffy and his performance generally flat. Missed a chance to lay a marker.
Jude Bellingham
A man of moments for England so far. For those of us hoping to see him hit a level of consistency in a white shirt, this was another frustrating evening.
He is consistently busy and attempts to make things happen but when confronted with opponents who want to frustrate, disrupt and get in his face his impatience often gets the better of him.
This felt like one of those days, a far cry from the shackles of effervescence of the late Lee Carsley era.
Thomas Tuchel
Well the honeymoon is now probably over. Three wins and three clean sheets it might be, but there is no fluency about his England right now – and there is only a year to go until the World Cup.
It is fascinating, really. Tuchel is one of a crop of super coaches who will be at the World Cup – Mauricio Pochettino and Carlo Ancelotti two other newish additions to the international management fray – and it will be intriguing to see how they fare against those who have become specialists in that area.
Southgate couldn’t hold a candle to Tuchel but he certainly got the unique demands of managing a team you only see every few months. For Tuchel, squaring that circle will determine whether he is a success or not and so far he has not managed it.
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The defence
The names used to reel off the tongue so easily. England’s defences and tournaments were a sure thing but what would England’s back line look like if they were lining up for a World Cup opener tomorrow?
Dan Burn has enjoyed a brilliant season for Newcastle but was a bit uncomfortable here. He is still good value for a World Cup squad place but who starts? Marc Guehi, presumably, although who plays alongside him is unclear. Given the importance of keeping it tight, that isn’t ideal.
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