Without Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Aaron Ramsdale, or Jarrad Branthwaite—and without Thomas Tuchel on the sidelines either—England didn’t miss a beat.
In fact, their 3-0 win over Greece at the Olympic Stadium marked their most impressive performance of the year.
Tuchel, England’s incoming head coach, chose not to attend, a pity given he missed a thrilling showcase of the young talent he’ll soon lead. Led by interim manager Lee Carsley, the team delivered a standout performance despite an onslaught of injury-related absences.
Carsley viewed the loss of senior players as an opportunity rather than a setback, benching Harry Kane in favor of Ollie Watkins, who promptly scored the opening goal.
Debuts were also handed to Curtis Jones, Lewis Hall, and Morgan Rogers, all of whom rose to the occasion. Noni Madueke claimed Man of the Match honors, while 19-year-old Rico Lewis was also superb.
In the immediate term, the win positions England at the top of their Nations League group and one victory away from securing promotion to League A, needing only to defeat the Republic of Ireland at Wembley on Sunday.
Looking further ahead, this performance underscored the wealth of talent awaiting Tuchel when he officially assumes his role on January 1.
