Phil McNulty
Chief football writer at Wembley
Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson (right) celebrates after giving Iceland the lead at WembleyGetty

Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson (right) celebrates after giving Iceland the lead at Wembley

England concluded preparations for Euro 2024 with a dismal performance in defeat by Iceland at Wembley.

Manager Gareth Southgate rang the changes after Monday’s win against Bosnia-Herzegovina at St James’ Park in Newcastle but will have been bitterly disappointed with a pedestrian performance.

Iceland - infamous conquerors of England at Euro 2016 - cut through poor defending and keeper Aaron Ramsdale, in for Jordan Pickford, may have done better with Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson’s low shot after 12 minutes.

Harry Kane missed a great chance for England while Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, one of the brighter performers, also had opportunities but Southgate’s side look rusty as they finalised plans for their opening Euro 2024 game against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on 16 June.

England also looked vulnerable at the back throughout, with Iceland also having chances to extend their advantage after the break.

Key defender John Stones was substituted at half-time after taking a heavy knock early on and Southgate will be desperately hoping there is not a serious problem with his regular defensive partner Harry Maguire ruled out of the tournament in Germany because of injury.

England feel Wembley wrath

If this was designed to be a glorious send-off for Southgate and his players before they head to Germany then this was a plan that went badly awry.

England can have no complaints about this embarrassing loss to the side ranked 72nd in the Fifa rankings and the loud jeers that greeted them at half-time and the final whistle were a fair reflection of a poor performance.

If Southgate was looking for any more clues to his Euro 2024 starting line-up here, then they were negative.

Palmer did show some bright touches, even though he missed a couple of second-half opportunities, and Anthony Gordon also impressed in flashes.

Elsewhere, Phil Foden could not flourish in the number 10 role and there was rarely a time when the Iceland goal was under sustained pressure - England had one shot on target.

Indeed, Iceland had chances to increase England’s pain in the second half but could not take them.

Of course, this game was all about preparation, looking at his squad and coming through unscathed before the serious business starts next week - but even so there is little good news about losing to international minnows such as Iceland at any time, especially at Wembley.

Iceland might even be starting to regard themselves as England’s bogey side after they dumped them out of Euro 2016 at the last-16 stage.

England’s players went on a lap of appreciation at the final whistle as a farewell before they go to the Euros - it was a measure of this limp and laboured effort that there was hardly anyone left inside Wembley to show any appreciation.

Southgate will hope this night knocked off a few elements of rust in England, but it was hardly the stuff to send them into Euro 2024 bursting with optimism.

Follow reaction to England's shock Iceland defeat

Player of the match

J. Þorsteinsson
7.38
19 T. Alexander-Arnold
5.49
7 C. Palmer
4.76
11 A. Gordon
4.59
4 D. Rice
4.55
8 K. Mainoo
4.28
6 M. Guéhi
4.20
9 H. Kane
4.20
15 E. Konsa
4.17
21 E. Eze
4.13
1 A. Ramsdale
4.11
2 K. Walker
4.11
25 B. Saka
4.09
3 K. Trippier
4.04
5 J. Stones
4.03
12 J. Gomez
3.98
10 P. Foden
3.96
17 I. Toney
3.59
Back to team tabs

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.

Related topics