England's manager, Thomas Tuchel, has stated that the absence of captain Harry Kane from a friendly match against Japan was a significant loss, but it is easier to win when he is in the team. Kane was unable to play due to an injury sustained the previous day. Other first-choice players who were unavailable included Manchester City defender John Stones, Arsenal pair Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, and Brentford's Jordan Henderson. Despite these losses, Tuchel remains hopeful about the team's performance in the upcoming tournament.