Tuchel confident England’s 1-0 friendly loss to Japan won’t hurt World Cup chances

LONDON (AP) — Thomas Tuchel insisted England’s dispiriting 1-0 loss to Japan in a friendly on Tuesday will have no bearing on the team’s chances at the upcoming World Cup.

England has lost some of the momentum built up under Tuchel by drawing with Uruguay at Wembley Stadium on Friday and then succumbing to Kaoru Mitoma’s first-half goal for Japan at the same venue four days later.

Tuchel has fielded experimental lineups for both games, with key regulars like captain Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka missing because of minor injuries.

The German coach also said many of his players are “heavily invested” in their club campaigns at this stage of the season.

For that reason, Tuchel felt sure “this camp will not define us.”

“It’s just a reality if teams like Uruguay or Japan come well-drilled, with their top lineup, it’s a difficult task,” Tuchel said.

“It was not necessary to lose the match. Unfortunately, we lost it, which is disappointing, and I hate losing, like no one else, and it will take a while to digest. But it will not affect us massively for when we arrive in the U.S.”

Cole Palmer and Phil Foden are star players in the Premier League but battling to simply make England’s squad for the World Cup, and were given another chance to impress Tuchel after being handed starts against Japan.

They failed to take it, with England especially poor in the first half when the team failed to manage a shot on target for the first time in a friendly match since 2017, according to statistics company Opta.

With Morgan Rogers and Jude Bellingham other options as attacking midfielders, Palmer and Foden face anxious waits to see if they make the plane for the tournament.

“I’m not the biggest fan of talking about individuals, but, of course if we put offensive players on the pitch, we demand offensive actions, we demand creativity, we demand shots, we demand assists, and we clearly didn’t have enough. We could not create,” said Tuchel, who deployed Foden as a so-called “false nine” in Kane’s absence.

“We made it difficult for us to find them in the half-spaces. We struggled to open up these spaces. We played against the deep 5-4-1. We didn’t use the width of the field enough to make the difference, and our offensive players struggled to make the difference.”

Tuchel accepted that the absence of Kane hurt his team.

“No team in the world has the same threat (without Kane),” he said. “It’s just normal. On top of it, Harry dropped out so we lost not only him as a player, but we lost him as a personality. It’s always a bit disruptive if the captain leaves the last training after 15 minutes and is out of the squad.

“We can win games without Harry,” Tuchel added. “We will win without Harry. We have won without Harry, but it’s easier to win matches with Harry, of course.”

In other friendlies, Euro 2024 champion Spain was held 0-0 by Egypt, and the Netherlands — another title hopeful this summer — drew 1-1 at home to Ecuador after playing most of the game with 10 men after Denzel Dumfries’ 12th-minute red card.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Japan players celebrate after winning the International friendly soccer match between England and Japan in London, Tuesday, March 31, 2026 . (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

England's Phil Foden reacts after his team lost the International friendly soccer match between England and Japan in London, Tuesday, March 31, 2026 . (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

England's Harry Kane reacts after his team lost the International friendly soccer match between England and Japan in London, Tuesday, March 31, 2026 . (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

England's head coach Thomas Tuchel looks on before the start of the International friendly soccer match between England and Japan in London, Tuesday, March 31, 2026 . (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

England's head coach Thomas Tuchel reacts during the International friendly soccer match between England and Japan in London, Tuesday, March 31, 2026 . (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the suspensions of two U.S. Army helicopter pilots who hovered next to entertainer Kid Rock’s swimming pool while he clapped and saluted over the weekend have been lifted.

Hegseth said in a social media post that there was “No punishment. No Investigation. Carry on, patriots.”

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.”

The crews of two AH-64 Apache helicopters that hovered next to Kid Rock's swimming pool while he clapped and saluted on Saturday have been suspended from flying pending a investigation of their actions, a U.S. Army spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The suspension is a discretionary, but not unusual, step when an investigation is underway, Maj. Montrell Russell said.

“The Army has confirmed that on March 28, two Apache helicopters from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell conducted a flight in the Nashville area that has attracted public and media attention," according to a statement from the Army on Tuesday. The Army is reviewing "the circumstances surrounding the mission, including compliance with relevant FAA regulations, aviation safety protocol, and approval requirements."

Kid Rock, an entertainer who is an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump, told WKRN-TV on Monday that it's not uncommon for helicopters from nearby Fort Campbell to fly near his home. He said he is a big supporter of the military and he's performed for troops overseas in Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries.

“I think they know this is a pretty friendly spot,” he said. He noted that last Thanksgiving he was at Fort Campbell, a sprawling Army base on the Tennessee-Kentucky border, with Vice President JD Vance. “I've talked to some of these pilots. I've told them, ‘You guys see me waving when you come by the house?' I’m like, ‘You guys are always welcome to cruise by my house, any time,’” he said.

Kid Rock posted two short videos on social media Saturday. Each shows a helicopter hovering alongside his swimming pool while the entertainer claps, salutes and raises his fist in the air. One post included a caption by Kid Rock disparaging Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a frequent Trump critic.

Speaking at the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump suggested maybe the crews shouldn’t have done it before adding, “I like Kid Rock, maybe they were trying to defend him, I don’t know.”

In the videos, Kid Rock stands next to a replica of the Statue of Liberty and a sign by the pool that reads, “The Southern White House.” His home on a hill overlooking Nashville was built to resemble the White House.

The helicopters were on a training mission when they stopped by Kid Rock's house, said Maj. Jonathon Bless, public affairs officer for the 101st Airborne Division. The helicopters also flew over a “No Kings” protest against Trump in downtown Nashville, but Bless said their presence had nothing to do with the protest.

Kid Rock said he thought it was “really cool” that they stopped to hover at his house.

“If it makes their day a little brighter for their service to our country, protecting us, I think that’s a great thing," he said.

Asked about possible repercussions for the crews, he said, “I think they’re going to be all right. My buddy’s the commander in chief.”

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Associated Press reporter Collin Binkley contributed to this story from Washington, D.C.

FILE - A military helicopter flies over a No Kings protest Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

FILE - Kid Rock comes on stage to speak and introduce Vice President JD Vance during a visit to Fort Campbell, Ky., Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/John Amis, File)