England's "Three Lions" will host Japan's "Blue Samurai" in a friendly match at Wembley Stadium. Manager Thomas Tuchel stated that he hopes to improve the attacking team's goal-scoring statistics and overall performance, and will approach the 2026 World Cup with a competitive mindset.

In an earlier friendly match, England scored a goal through substitute Ben White, but in the final stages, Ben White's defense led to a penalty for the opponent, resulting in a 1-1 draw against Uruguay.

Speaking about Ben White's return to the national team after several years, which was met with boos from fans, England manager Thomas Tuchel said, "He has our support, and I think he feels the support from us and the whole team. I know similar situations have happened to other players, and hopefully that's in the past. If he plays tomorrow, it's possible, because it's reasonable to field some fit players who haven't started."

“If he performs well in training, he will be considered for the starting lineup. I haven’t been involved in all the communication and discussions between the players because I’ve spent a lot of time studying issues such as Japan. He’s performing very well and integrating well into the team in training.”

Regarding the forwards' performance and statistics, Tuchel said, "I really like my players, especially the attacking players, but looking at the statistics, apart from Kane, the stats of our wingers and other players haven't actually reached our usual expectations. What's the reason for that? Is it because the defenders in the league are too strong, making it difficult to score goals and provide assists?"

“I wish they could have better stats, including Saka, Maduk, Eze, and Gordon, even Palmer and Morgan Rodgers. Not Bellingham, but Foden. Who can consistently put up these great numbers like Kane? Who can decide the course of a game? That’s the fact, and it shows that we have to solve problems as a team.”

In addition, England will play Costa Rica in a friendly match in June before embarking on their journey to the 2026 World Cup.

Tuchel stated, "We won't go to the US as the top favorite, that's a fact. But we will compete for the championship as contenders. We have the right to believe, the right to dream, and we hope to make that possibility a reality."

"In major competitions, the fatigue from league and cup matches can be a significant factor, as players become very tired. This is perhaps one of the reasons, and we will face this situation as well."

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