International Friendly: England’s Big Test… Number Two

England vs Belgium

Wembley will be packed again on Tuesday night when two of Europe’s finest teams come face-to-face. It’s an International Friendly: England vs Belgium. 

Gareth Southgate’s England come into the game on the back of a 1-0 defeat at home to Brazil, while Domenico Tedesco’s Belgium played out a goalless draw in Ireland, and both will be keen to get their Euro 2024 preparations back on track. 

It’s a game that promises real quality; Belgium are second in the FIFA World Rankings while England are fifth, but who will deliver for their fans on Tuesday? 

Talking Points

Second chance for England’s fringe players   

When the Three Lions hosted Brazil on Saturday, Southgate had a clutch of senior players unavailable, and he gave chances to a number of Euro hopefuls, but they failed to profit from home advantage and facing a Selecao side which has made a poor start to its World Cup qualifying campaign. Brazil are in sixth place in the CONMEBOL table, already eight points behind leaders Argentina after winning just two of their opening six fixtures. 

But while the home fans were hoping to see some of their young guns firing, it was Brazilian wonderkid Endrick who stole the show with his first goal for the Selecao at the tender age of 17. 

On the England side, only Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon increased his chances, as Southgate’s men managed just three shots on target to Brazil’s five. Aston Villa’s red-hot striker Ollie Watkins started in place of the injured Harry Kane, but he missed the best chance of the game, and that may mean Brentford’s Ivan Toney will get his chance against the Red Devils. 

In the latest International Friendly 2024 news, England have a new injury concern as Manchester City wingback Kyle Walker suffered a hamstring strain in the loss to Brazil, and that makes him doubtful to face Belgium, while Kane is confirmed as an absentee. England have the players to beat any team on their day, but Kane and Walker are big characters both on and off the pitch, and they will be sorely missed against another top-class opponent. 

Belgium shot a rare blank in Ireland

The Red Devils 0-0 draw in Ireland was the first time they had failed to score against a team outside the FIFA top 50 since 2010. Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard didn’t have the best of games, and he could well make way for Manchester City’s livewire Jeremy Doku, and Red Bull Leipzig’s Lois Openda may have missed his chance too, with Romelu Lukaku likely to start against the Three Lions. 

Johan Bakayoko and Youri Tielemens are likely to keep their places in support of the attackers, and Tedesco will expect results against a weakened England defence. At the other end of the pitch, Luton Town stopper Thomas Kaminski might get his first start after he replaced Matz Sels late in the game against Ireland. 

The International Friendly 2024 betting odds back the Three Lions as favourites, but they may be on the receiving end of a backlash from a team that is unlikely to draw another blank. 

History

These are two perennial underachievers in terms of competition wins; both England and Belgium have had a ‘golden generation’ that has, so far, failed to deliver. The Three Lions were World Champions in 1966 but have been potless since, and they spurned a huge chance when they lost the Euro 2020 final on home soil against an ageing Italy side.

The Red Devils have been the top ranked team in the world for much of the last decade, but they have never won a major tournament, making the European final back in 1980 and reaching the World Cup semi-final in 2018. 

The head-to-head England vs Belgium results tell the story of two well-matched teams, and the FIFA rankings still back that up. Both teams have won three of the eight encounters; the last meeting was won by Belgium 2-0 in a 2020 Nations League clash with goals from Tielemens and Dries Mertens. 

The Red Devils have the very slightest edge in terms of recent form, with four wins and two draws from the last six games, while England have won four, drawn one, and lost one, and Belgium are unbeaten in 12 games and unbeaten in 12 on the road. 

Betting Tip

England are at SBOTOP odds of 1.96 to win this game, with the visitors at a price of 3.07 and the draw is 3.20.

Both teams are on strong runs, though England have already stuttered this week and have more injury problems than their visitors. I can’t see the hosts getting a clean sheet, and for a correct score line, a 1-1 draw at odds of 5.99 may well be on the cards. 

 

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