London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 25, 2025

England begin Nations League with defeat in Hungary

England begin Nations League with defeat in Hungary

England's Nations League campaign got off to a losing start as a disappointing display brought a deserved defeat by Hungary in Budapest.

This international was billed as taking place behind closed doors as Uefa punishment for racist and homophobic behaviour by Hungary's fans during Euro 2020.

Dominik Szoboszlai (10) scored his sixth goal for Hungary


And yet it was played in front of a large crowd, consisting mainly of schoolchildren allowed in under Uefa rules - and the young supporters revelled in a poor England performance and Dominik Szoboszlai's winning goal from the penalty spot after Reece James fouled Zsolt Nagy.

The start of the game was overshadowed by loud jeering of England's players as they took the knee and what followed was a jaded, mediocre effort that carried all the hallmarks of the end of a long season.

West Ham's Jarrod Bowen worked hard on his debut but Leicester defender James Justin, also making his first appearance, suffered an injury and had to be replaced by Bukayo Saka - though the Arsenal man produced a rare England threat with a fine run and shot that Hungary keeper Peter Gulacsi saved with his legs.

England now move on to Munich, where they face Germany in their second Nations League A3 game on Tuesday.


England looking leggy


England went into this game on the back of a highly impressive, and lengthy, run of good form that saw them qualify for the World Cup in comfort, so this performance will come as a disappointment to manager Gareth Southgate.

They had not lost, other than to Italy on penalties in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley, since Belgium beat them in November 2020.

England cannot, however, have any complaints about this outcome, other than perhaps the concession of a rather soft penalty.

There are, of course, mitigating circumstances in that these competitive fixtures - although even seasoned internationals such as Belgium's Kevin de Bruyne argue they are little more than glorified friendlies - come at the end of a gruelling season for so many England players.

The visitors lacked spark and it was perhaps no surprise that the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold looked so jaded having figured in Liverpool's losing Champions League final against Real Madrid only a week ago.

What will concern Southgate was the sloppiness and lack of spark against a Hungary side who looked much fresher and more creative, especially Nagy, who won Szoboszlai's penalty, and Loic Nego.

Harry Kane, seeking his 50th England goal, sparked only fleetingly, although service was sparse, while Southgate's side lacked the energy and zip of their opponents.

There was a competitive edge to this game as far as Hungary and their fans were concerned and how they celebrated at the final whistle.

Southgate will have learned little from this but he would have hoped for better - and will need to get it in Munich if England are not to suffer a similar fate.


Surreal scenes in Budapest


This was meant to be a game played behind closed doors to punish Hungary and their fans for their behaviour at Euro 2020 and yet their victory was concluded amid joyous scenes and deafening roars at the final whistle.

Hungary invoked Uefa's Article 73 to invite children aged 14 and under to the game, who had to be accompanied by an adult.

It resulted in a large attendance, England's players being jeered when they took the knee before kick-off and then an almost festival atmosphere as Hungary's players went on a lap of honour.

As punishments go, this was allowed to become a celebration.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
×