Wow.
Yes, it really happened.
England have suffered their biggest defeat since 1964, and their worst at home since 1928…to Hungary.
A nightmarish start to the Three Lions’ Nations League went from pretty bad to God awful at Molineux, as the visitors ran riot and ensured they would take six points from two matches against Gareth Southgate’s side.
Things didn’t look too bad before kick off, with the England manager naming a young and experimental with plenty of exciting stars on display.
I actually like the look of a Gareth Southgate England lineup? pic.twitter.com/VrgqV6Bf5A
— FPL Konate (@Konate_FPL) June 14, 2022
I like this England lineup but if it is a back 4 why play both Saka and Bowen on the wing when we have grealish,sterling and Foden who can play lw
— Billy (@Billy42171817) June 14, 2022
However, it took just 16 minutes for things to go pear-shaped for the hosts, as Roland Sallai lashed home a fine finish after England failed to clear from a free kick.
It was…not great defending, with Kalvin Phillips at fault in particular.
England 0-1 Hungary
A free-kick lifted into the penalty areas sees John Stones out-jumped, Phillips switch off completely.
The result is the ball drifting through to Roland Sallai, who takes a touch before arrowing a volley in off the arm of Ramsdale. pic.twitter.com/vCIs14KGu0
— Lilian Chan (@bestgug) June 14, 2022
Hungary go 1-0 up through Roland Sallai after England fail to clear a free-kick. You just can’t switch off like that in the UEFA Nations League Group A3.
— Jack Pitt-Brooke (@JackPittBrooke) June 14, 2022
Reece James was the only reason it wasn’t 2-0 before the break, making an excellent goal-line clearance to deny Dominik Szoboszlai’s inswinging free kick.
England toiled but couldn’t find a leveller before half-time. If you’re expecting to read on and discover they would equalise and go one to win comfortably, well, you’d be badly, badly mistaken.
While Harry Kane came closest to scoring what would have been a measly consolation for England, Hungary scored THREE MORE in the second half as they ran riot in the Midlands.
Phillips’ nightmare continued as he was dispossessed and outmuscled by Hungary substitute Martin Adam in his own half, and he coolly laid the ball off for Sallai to bag his brace with what was clearly a toe punt that sailed straight through Aaron Ramsdale’s legs.
Substitute Martin Adam, on the pitch mere seconds, outmuscles Phillips and squares for Sallai to toe poke his second of the match underneath Ramsdale. Nice finish.
— matt maher (@mjmarr_star) June 14, 2022
Sallai compare thee to a summer’s hammering? https://t.co/sUZJpyebYA
— Ciarán Ó Raghallaigh (@Ciaran_O) June 14, 2022
Roland Sallai’s game by numbers vs. England:
100% shot accuracy
30 touches
3 tackles made
2 interceptions
2 shots
2 shots on target
2 goals
1 clearanceAn exceptional performance from the attacker. pic.twitter.com/Yh5JXdvNyq
— Squawka (@Squawka) June 14, 2022
At that point England probably still thought they had a chance of getting back into it, but after ten more minutes of toil they were sucker punched again by their incredibly clinical visitors.
This time it was wing-back Zsolt Nagy who produced the goods, walloping an unerring strike beyond Arsenal man Ramsale. 3-0 Hungary with plenty of the game to go. Cue chants of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ from the home crowd…
Great strike from Zsolt Nagy , 3-0 Hungary as the English fans chant you don’t know what you’re doing to Gareth Southgate. Pathetic defending again from the home side, a disgraceful performance from Gareth Southgate’s side this evening , haven’t really looked bothered.
— Josh Bunting (@Buntingfootball) June 14, 2022
80’ | GOAL GOAL GOAL!
WHAT IS HAPPENING????
ZSOLT NAGY SCORES!
🏴 ENGLAND 0-3 HUNGARY 🇭🇺
— Hungarian Football Xtra (@HunFootballXtra) June 14, 2022
Of course, no drubbing is complete without the customary red card for a frustrated player, and John Stones checked that box on the bingo card when he was given his marching orders a couple of minutes later.
It was pretty harsh, in truth, as he was perceived to have purposely blocked his man off the ball – but all in the name of ‘miscellaneous football thrashing bingo’.
That seems a very harsh yellow card for John Stones. Does the Hungarian player not run into him? #ENGHUN
— South Central Referee (@RefereeSouth) June 14, 2022
I means there’s harsh, extremely harsh and then theres john stones 2nd yellow
— Phil Gilman (@bookiemonster81) June 14, 2022
And now a red card for John Stones. Harsh but still piles the pressure on Southgate even more. No plan, terrible selection decisions, just an all round poor manager by the looks of it.
— Kevin Sheehan (@Kevinsheehan06) June 14, 2022
Substitute Daniel Gazdag completed England’s humiliation in the final minute, running through and lifting a delightful finish over the hapless Ramsdale for 4-0.
The result signalled Englands worst result for a good few generations and led to immediate questions about Gareth Southgate’s future, rightly or wrongly.
Gazdag makes it 4-0 to Hungary. Gaz from Dagenham launches his can of Carling at the telly
— Eddo (@eddo75) June 14, 2022
#eng 0-4 #hun England have completely fallen apart here. Gazdag makes it four.
— James Olley (@JamesOlley) June 14, 2022
England 0 Hungary 4, Gazdag with the cheeky finish. Absolutely unbelievable. What in the f*ck is happening?!
Hungary. Hungary happening, I guess.
— Gergely Marosi (@emgergo) June 14, 2022
If you are calling for Southgate to be sacked, you should be banned from hurling beer (or xmas mulled wine) around a Box Park when they score at the World Cup.
— Max Rushden 💙 (@maxrushden) June 14, 2022
Thankfully, this was England’s last game of a grubby Nations League campaign for a few months. Now let’s forget it ever happened.
