The spotlight in the first international break of the year will be on the remaining matches in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers and the players who can take the upcoming matches by storm. However, it also features some eye-catching friendlies, including England vs Uruguay at Wembley.
England made short work of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, winning all eight matches in Group K to book a spot at the quadrennial event. The Three Lions were dominant at both ends, scoring 22 goals and keeping a clean sheet in each game. With Thomas Tuchel showcasing his coaching chops in his first year as the head coach, he will be eager to see his squad build further momentum this month.
On the other hand, Uruguay had to work hard to secure a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. La Celeste finished fourth in the CONMEBOL leg of the qualification campaign, with Marcelo Bielsa’s men winning only seven of their 18 ties. They were not at their best towards the end of 2025, losing 5-1 to the USA and playing out a goalless stalemate with Mexico. So, Bielsa will be eager to get a better performance out of his players this week.
The most recent match between England and Uruguay was the heartbreaking 2-1 defeat in the disastrous 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign for the Three Lions, with Luis Suarez scoring a match-winning brace. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Thomas Tuchel has picked a 35-player squad for the first international break of the year. These are players who should be in contention to make the final group for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, England’s head coach will be bereft of the services of several players vs Uruguay on Friday.
Dean Henderson, Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, and Bukayo Saka will join the squad ahead of the game against Japan, and they will be unavailable to take on Uruguay. Meanwhile, Jarell Quansah and Eberechi Eze have withdrawn from the group, with Ben White and Harvey Barnes replacing them.
Jordan Pickford is an automatic pick between the sticks, with England lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Uruguay on Friday. The backline will feature Valentino Livramento, John Stones, Harry Maguire, and Lewis Hall.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton in the double pivot, with Jude Bellingham reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Jarrod Bowen will lead the line for England against Uruguay, with Cole Palmer and Marcus Rashford being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Livramento, Stones, Maguire, Hall; Mainoo, Wharton; Palmer, Bellingham, Rashford; Bowen
Unlike his counterpart in England’s dugout, Marcelo Bielsa has a full-strength squad ahead of the trip to Wembley. However, Uruguay’s head coach has not picked as comprehensive a group as Thomas Tuchel.
Meanwhile, Bielsa has made a few changes to the squad he picked for the most recent international break, with Kevin Martinez, Cristopher Fiermarin, Rodrigo Bentancur, Nahitan Nandez, Rodrigo Zalazar, Santiago Homenchenko, Luciano Rodriguez, and Ignacio Laquintana missing out due to fitness woes or other issues.
Fernando Muslera will take his spot between the sticks, with Uruguay lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs England on Friday. The backline will feature Guillermo Varela, Matias Vina, Ronald Araujo, and captain Jose Maria Gimenez.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Federico Valverde and Manuel Ugarte in the double pivot, with Giorgian de Arrascaeta reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Darwin Nunez will spearhead the away side’s attack against England, with Maximiliano Araujo and Jose Manuel Sanabria being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Muslera; Varela, Ronald Araujo, Gimenez, Vina; Valverde, Ugarte; Sanabria, De Arrascaeta, Maximiliano Araujo; Nunez
While Jarrod Bowen, Darwin Nunez, and Ronald Araujo were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Marcus Rashford as the Player to Watch for Friday’s clash between England and Uruguay at Wembley.
Recent weeks have been frustrating for Rashford, as he has struggled for regular game time at FC Barcelona. Additionally, there has been speculation that Barcelona may not seek a permanent move for the Englishman this summer. So, the 28-year-old has everything to prove on Friday, and a match-winning display will go a long way in helping his prospects ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Friday’s match at Wembley has many subplots from both sides. Thomas Tuchel has picked a whopping 35-player group, and every player will be scrambling for precious game time to prove his case and secure a spot in England’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On the other hand, Marcelo Bielsa’s charges have not been consistent under the Argentine tactician.
Meanwhile, history favours England, as the Three Lions have won their first match of the calendar year in 11 of the last 13 years (L2). Interestingly, one of their defeats in this 13-year run came against a South American side at Wembley, losing 1-0 to Brazil in 2024.
However, Uruguay will not have enough quality to trouble England, and the home side’s superb clean sheet run will continue on Friday, as Tuchel continues to stamp his authority as the Three Lions’ head coach. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for Tuchel and his charges.
