Gareth Southgate's England side have been relegated from the top tier of the Nations League following a 1-0 defeat to Italy at the San Siro. The decisive moment came late in the second half when Giacomo Raspadori curled a superb shot past Nick Pope after being given too much room by Kyle Walker.
The result means England finish bottom of their group with three draws and two defeats from five matches, scoring just one goal from open play in the process. It is their worst run since 2014 under Roy Hodgson, with no wins in five games.
Southgate was booed by the travelling supporters after the match as he applauded them from the pitch. The manager had hoped for a performance to restore belief after the 4-0 humiliation by Hungary in June, but instead saw his side struggle for creativity and cohesion.
England failed to register a shot on target in the first half and rarely threatened Gianluigi Donnarumma's goal. Phil Foden was a rare bright spot in possession, but the attacking plan lacked penetration against an Italian defence marshalled by Leonardo Bonucci.
The relegation will affect England's seeding for Euro 2024 qualifying and means they will face weaker opposition in future Nations League campaigns, reducing opportunities to test themselves against top sides. With the World Cup starting in November, Southgate faces a major challenge to lift his team before their opening match against Iran.
