Latvia faces England at Wembley; Pahars optimistic
Latvia will face England for the first time in football history at Wembley Stadium on Monday. The Latvian team, managed by Paolo Nicolato, has never played against the Three Lions since Latvia became an independent nation. This will be a tough match for Latvia, as they are ranked 140th in FIFA standings, near the bottom of European teams. Marian Pahars, a former Premier League player for Southampton, is now a specialist at FIFA, working under Arsene Wenger. He expressed his excitement and the challenge of Latvia facing a team with stars like Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, and Marcus Rashford. Pahars noted that Latvia has struggled historically against top European teams. Latvia recently achieved a 1-0 win over Andorra in World Cup qualifying, putting them second in Group K behind England. However, their current squad lacks the star power seen in the past, and their captain, Kristers Tobers, is injured and cannot play. Pahars observed that Latvia's players mostly come from their local league and lack extensive international experience, making it justifiable for fans to be cautious about the upcoming match. Despite the challenges, Pahars remains hopeful that his team can put on a good performance. A strong showing against England could boost their confidence and gain respect from their fans, which is something they aim for in this historic encounter.