Joe Hart is confident that England’s fresher faces will learn a great deal from defeat to Spain after the Three Lions’ unbeaten run came to an end in Alicante.
Roy Hodgson’s side arrived in Spain having not tasted defeat since the World Cup in Brazil, including a perfect ten wins from ten in their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.
But reigning European champions Spain showed their cutting edge with superb second-half goals from Mario Gaspar and Santi Cazorla.
Spain 2-0 England
International match
Estadio Jose Rico Perez, Alicante
Friday 13 November 2015
However, Hart believes the likes of Eric Dier – who made his senior England debut – and his teenage Tottenham team-mate Dele Alli will benefit from the experience ahead of a clash with France at Wembley on Tuesday night.
“There is loads to improve but we have built a good basis,” said the goalkeeper. “We have put people like Dele and Eric in, boys who haven’t played that many games.
“I was an old man out there today and I’m 28 years old. That is one promising thing.
“We had some chances and we were in the game but we lost and we have to dust ourselves off and perform better against France.”
England threatened down the left flank on more than one occasion in the first half, Ryan Bertrand causing his fair share of problems, but without reward.
Hart – captain for the night in Wayne Rooney’s absence – made a pair of smart saves after the break, but there was no stopping the opener.
After 72 minutes Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas sent a chipped ball towards full-back Gaspar, who spun around on the edge of the box to send an acrobatic volley over Hart and into the far corner.
Mario Gasper celebrates his stunning goal
Spain then doubled the lead six minutes from time when Arsenal midfielder Cazorla sent a pinpoint left-footed shot just inside the post from 18 yards out.
England finished with a flourish, as substitute Rooney hit the crossbar and Harry Kane was denied by Iker Casillas, but not before Michael Carrick left the pitch on a stretcher.
And Hart admits there was very little he could do about a stunning opening goal, which evoked memories of David Platt’s volley against Belgium at the 1990 World Cup.
“It is a special goal that has ultimately decided the game,” he added. “We have got players who are highly capable of that, but so have they. It was a great goal.
“But we showed that when we were brave, we were able to break through Spain and we did that on enough occasions.”
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