After the final whistle, the England team, led by Gareth Southgate, were left to take a disappointing lap of appreciation around a nearly empty Wembley Stadium. The big screen displaying “Next Stop Euro 2024!” was a stark reminder of the team’s underwhelming performance. England faced booing from the fans at half-time and full-time, and many left the stadium before the game concluded, demonstrating their disapproval of the team’s lackluster performance.

With just over a week until England’s group opener with Serbia, the team’s prospects seemed bleak. The defensive display was a shambles, and there were doubts about the midfield and overall team performance. The defeat brought back memories of the dismal Euro 2016, signifying a setback despite the progress made under Southgate’s management. The warm-up friendlies were meant to boost the team’s confidence, but instead, the performance had the opposite effect.

Despite some individual displays, the overall team performance fell short of expectations. Even a string of second-half substitutions failed to turn the game around. The match against Iceland saw England struggle defensively and fail to capitalize on scoring opportunities. The game served as a reminder of the challenges the team had faced in the past and highlighted the work still needed to reach the desired level of performance.

Ultimately, it was a wake-up call for England, prompting reflection on the team’s performance and highlighting areas for improvement before the upcoming tournament.