England v Uruguay
International fixture
7.45pm GMT, Friday 27 March 2026
Wembley Stadium

Thomas Tuchel spoke to the media on Thursday evening ahead of the game, and below are some of his answers. You can see the full press conference and all of his quotes in the England app.

The players that are here will be thinking this international window is their last chance to impress you before you've got a big decision to make. Some of these players aren't going to be here for the second half of the camp as well. Do you sense an extra intensity amongst the group because of all of that?

“No, there are a lot of players who are new with me, or complete newcomers in the England camp or they've had a long break and they're back, so their first time with us. It's a good atmosphere. We addressed it straight away that this is the last camp, because it is a reality so why not address it and encourage everyone to be the best version of themselves and also be good teammates. We know that they want to impress. We know that they want to compete. We try to build a team, it's a team effort and everyone behaves in that way. We demanded a positive attitude and that everyone tries to connect as quickly as possible to each other, which they did. It was a very positive atmosphere and I think we are ready to have a good match tomorrow.

“Will everything work smoothly and automatically on the pitch? Maybe not, but it is not easy to take a chance like this and it comes with a bit of pressure and it comes with scrutiny, but that's the job for the players and that's the situation in which they are in. It's a very positive pressure because they fight for England and they fight for a ticket to the World Cup. There is also a lot of football still to be played at club level and European level so I will be in the stadiums and I will be in front of the TV and will keep on watching. Decisions will be made late in May and tomorrow is just a chance to impress.”

When will you make the decision [on squad split], or are there players who you've got this week who you planned to send away that are going to stay longer than planned?

“I will make the decision on Friday night after the match because then we have a clear feedback about injuries and about the guys who are coming in and then are in camp. So we also need to re-evaluate their situation and then we take the decision. Some players know that this will be the case and they've had enough time to digest it because it's more of a chance than of a negative thing. There are many ways to impress. You can impress, of course, tomorrow on the pitch with a top performance, but you can also impress as a teammate, you can impress in training, you can impress off the pitch on a social level.

“At the moment, everyone believes that he can start tomorrow. Decisions are not made yet and there will be disappointment but I think this is normal and on Saturday morning when we split the group, the group that stays in the second camp deserves our full attention and deserves to be a small group so that we can support them and push them to the second match.”

Looking at Dominic Calvin-Lewin and Dominic Solanke, who have come into the squad, how hard is it to find the player to come into the squad as the understudy to Harry Kane or the man to step in when Harry Kane is not available?

“Very difficult, because Harry is our captain and the goal getter and of course a starter for us. The question is then always, if we are chasing a result do we really take Harry off and when is the chance to be a substitute for Harry? When is that moment, or do we even look for someone who can play with Harry? So these are the questions that we have to answer. But first of all, it's important that the two of them understand that it's a big chance to be in camp without Harry and not to sit on the bench and wait for ten minutes or 15 minutes, but to actually compete for a real chance to start and get good quality minutes. That's the challenge for the both of them. They're very positive about it and I feel that they really want to show what's in them. We had a very good training session yesterday and hopefully they can prove the point tomorrow.”

Can you tell us who your captain will be tomorrow?

"Good question. Normally I would say between John Stones, Jordan Henderson and Jordan Pickford. It depends on who starts and then I will decide.”

The last friendly here in October against Wales, the atmosphere was a little quiet. Do you need a bit of patience from the fans tomorrow night, given what you're working towards?

"That would be ideal. But I understand if you come, you have also high expectations. So will everything work out smoothly from the start and will everyone will find their position and rhythm? There will be some but there will also be some nervous players there and they will find their way into this game. We play, don't forget, against a high quality opponent with high quality players. They play for top clubs, it's a top coach so it's a tricky one. So we all need to be patient, but at the same time, I expect us to play with freedom and to play with excitement and to take the chance and not hesitate."

Before past World Cups, England would often play opposition from around the world to prepare them for the group stage, but is that so important now because a lot of the players play in Europe so there's a familiarity. Are all styles around the world becoming a little bit more familiar?

“I'm not sure if the styles become familiar. I have the feeling everyone is doing really complicated things. I see new stuff in every opponent that I haven't seen before and we need to come up with new solutions, be it against Wales last time which was so difficult to find the right press, be it against Serbia who had a new coach where we needed to adapt our press after 20 minutes because we couldn't get it fully right. And if you don't get it fully right, everyone plays now with the goalkeeper, everyone has options to play short, everyone has options to go long and everyone tries to catch you out in a one-on-one movement. There are so many different styles. Now we play against Bielsa, everything is of textbook, so we need to be on our top level and I have the feeling it doesn't matter anymore who you play from which part of the world. It's getting more and more complicated.”

In the past few camps, you've been very clear about having a system and roles for players. But do you see tomorrow and Tuesday as an opportunity to change your system up a bit as well?

“I mean, we have so many new players and the players who were with us, it's really like a long time since we were together. So we've focused on re-establishing the things that we were good at and then adapt to what the opponents demand. We have the feeling that, or we predict, that Uruguay will play with three very mobile midfielders, which is a bit similar to the Albania game. So they change position, they rotate, they play with two wide, aggressive wingers and the classic number nine, Nunes. So a lot of quality and a very unique style of playing, of build-up and how they want to create chances.

“They’ll be very physical, with a lot of running that we have to match, otherwise it's not possible. But we’ll try to re-establish our principles in the structure and then we adapt details in order to make the press easier or to make the starting positions easier for the players to not end up in awkward positions or in awkward moments. But we cannot fully predict everything because opponents are strong and opponents change their style of play."

Head to head

The Three Lions have faced Uruguay a total of eleven times, winning three of those previous encounters, having most recently come up against the Sky Blue in 2014.

Last three meetings v Uruguay

 

Uruguay 2-1 England, FIFA World Cup,19 June 2014

Luis Suarez came back from injury to haunt England with two goals at the 2014 World Cup as Wayne Rooney scored his first goal at the tournament in Brazil.

England 2-1 Uruguay, International,1 March 2006

Three months before the World Cup in Germany, the Three Lions came from behind and ran out winners at Anfield as Peter Crouch and Joe Cole both made the scoresheet.

 
England 0-0 Uruguay, International, 29 March 1995

Played at the old Wembley, England played out a goalless draw with Uruguay under Terry Venables, with the likes of Teddy Sheringham, John Barnes and Tony Adams lining up for the Three Lions.

England Squad News

Ticket Information

 

 

How to watch or stream

There are senior debuts for James Trafford and James Garner as Thomas Tuchel names his starting XI to face Uruguay at Wembley Stadium.

The Three Lions boss has opted for a mix of new, returning and familiar faces in his line-up for this evening’s clash in the Send-Off Series.

England: 22 James Trafford, 2 Tino Livramento, 6 Harry Maguire, 7 Phil Foden, 8 Jordan Henderson (C), 9 Dominic Solanke, 11 Marcus Rashford, 14 Fikayo Tomori, 16 Djed Spence, 17 Noni Madueke, 21 James Garner

Substitutes: 1 Jordan Pickford, 3 Lewis Hall, 4 Adam Wharton, 5 John Stones, 10 Cole Palmer, 12 Ben White, 13 Aaron Ramsdale, 15 Kobbie Mainoo, 18 Dominic Calvert-Lewin, 19 Harvey Barnes, 20 Jarrod Bowen, 23 Jason Steele

England had to settle for a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Uruguay in their penultimate game on home soil before this summer’s FIFA 2026 World Cup in North America.

Arsenal’s Ben White opened the scoring in the 81st minute, when he poked the ball home from a corner to mark his first England appearance since March 2022 by getting his name on the scoresheet.

But Uruguay skipper Federico Valverde levelled in the 94th minute after White’s foul on Federico Vinas in the box.

England started brightest under the lights in north London in their first game of 2026 and looked dangerous early on.

The opening ten minutes saw debutant James Garner’s cross punched clear by Fernando Muslera, before Noni Madueke’s attempted shot was snuffed out by Uruguay’s defence and Dominic Solanke’s strike was deflected wide.

Uruguay’s first real foray forward resulted in Rodrigo Aguirre's effort finding the gloves of another debutant, James Trafford, via a heavy deflection.

A lengthy delay soon followed as a serious-looking injury to Joaquin Piquerez forced him off on a stretcher, but England continued to look sharp as Solanke once again found an opportunity to shoot.

Agustin Canobbio was the gleeful recipient of Fikayo Tomori’s attempted headed clearance, as Uruguay searched for a goal on the break, but the 27-year-old Fluminense man’s drive sailed into the crowd.

Marcus Rashford looked creative throughout the opening 45 minutes, and it was his mazy run just before the break that caused the visitors significant problems, but the Barcelona forward’s eventual cross flashed through Uruguay’s penalty area without being met by a red shirt.

The second half began in a similar vein to the first half, as England continued to press for an opener, however Phil Foden’s shot didn’t trouble Muslera after a jinking run.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin looked promising upon his introduction with some cute touches and a deflected effort, while Giorgian De Arrascaeta’s free kick never looked like troubling Trafford.

Calvert-Lewin then had a great chance to break the deadlock in the 71st minute but he was unable to guide Cole Palmer’s wicked cross towards goal with his header at the back post.

Uruguay’s resolve was finally broken with nine minutes of normal time remaining when substitute White stabbed the ball home on the line after fellow replacement Harvey Barnes flicked on Palmer’s dangerous corner.

But the South Americans ensured the spoils were shared after captain Valverde converted an injury-time penalty, after White was adjudged to have fouled Vinas after a VAR check.

The Three Lions will be back in action at Wembley on Tuesday 31 March when they host Japan in their final home game before this summer's World Cup.

England: 22 James Trafford (Manchester City), 2 Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), 14 Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), 6 Harry Maguire (Manchester United), 16 Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), 21 James Garner (Everton), 8 Jordan Henderson (Brentford) (c), 17 Noni Madueke (Arsenal), 7 Phil Foden (Manchester City), 11 Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), 9 Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)

Substitutes: 20 Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) for Madueke 38’, 4 Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace) for Henderson 45’, 10 Cole Palmer (Chelsea) for Foden 56’, 18 Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United) for Solanke 57’, 19 Harvey Barnes (Newcastle United) for Rashford 69’, 15 Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United) for Garner 69’, 3 Lewis Hall (Newcastle United) for Spence 69’, 12 Ben White (Arsenal) for Tomori 69’,

Substitutes not used: 13 Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle United), 23 Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion), 1 Jordan Pickford (Everton), 5 John Stones (Manchester City)

Goal: Ben White 81’,

Head coach: Thomas Tuchel

Uruguay: 23 Fernando Muslera, 4 Ronald Araujo, 5 Manuel Ugarte, 10 Giorgian De Arrascaeta, 13 Guillermo Varela, 14 Agustin Canobbio, 15 Federico Valverde ©, 16 Mathias Olivera, 20 Maximiliano Araujo, 22 Joaquin Piquerez, 26 Rodrigo Aguirre

Substitutes: 2 Jose Maria Gimenez for Piquerez 16’, 19 Federico Vinas for Rodrigo Aguirre 64’, 11 Facundo Pellistri for M. Araujo 64’, 18 Brian Rodriguez for Ugarte 87’, 9 Darwin Nunez for De Arrascaeta 88’, 6 Juan Manuel Sanabria for Olivera 88’,

Substitutes not used: 1 Sergio Rochet, 12 Santiago Mele, 3 Sebastian Caceres, 7 Nicolas de la Cruz, 8 Emiliano Martinez, 17 Matias Vina, 21 Facundo Torres, 24, Jose Luis Rodriguez, 25 Nicolas Fonseca

Goal: Federico Valverde 90+4’

Head coach: Marcelo Bielsa