Chile loss is a timely reality check for England’s fans

Many lessons to be learned for Hodgson after Wembley setback.

Sixty years ago this month, Hungary came to Wembley and won 6-3.

The game is generally recognised as a watershed moment for English football.

The Mighty Magyars, inspired by Ferenc Puskas, taught a team that included Stanley Matthews and Billy Wright a lesson in skills, tactics and fitness as they became the first foreign side to win in the shadow of the Twin Towers.

The old assumptions that the English way was best because we invented the game were swept mercilessly aside. It was the ultimate reality check.

Over subsequent seasons, Matt Busby’s passion for European football, Bill Nicholson’s Hungary-based Spurs double team and Alf Ramsey’s professionalism at international level all combined to bring those changes about.

No-one is pretending that Friday night’s defeat by Chile is as significant.

It does, however, have one very important similarity. It should shake England out of their complacency, and make them realise that any talk about winning World Cups would be laughable right now.

Roy Hodgson fielded an experimental team. So what did he discover?

That maybe Southampton isn’t quite the pot of gold some people thought? That Gary Cahill can’t cope with strikers who move? That he can’t afford to ditch Ashley Cole for Leighton Baines just yet?

He will also have noted that Joe Hart is still his best keeper, that Frank Lampard is beginning to look like his race is almost run and that Jack Wilshere’s injuries have put the brakes on his progress.

And, as if he needed confirmation, he knows that if Wayne Rooney doesn’t play well, neither do England.

All negatives, perhaps, but useful if only to give everyone a more accurate reading on where England really stand.

Germany come to Wembley on Tuesday and it’s not outside the bounds of possibility that they will win.

If they do, history will be made in a similar way as it was by Hungary in 1953 because England have never lost consecutive matches against foreign opposition at

Wembley. Ever!

Now that would be a reality check!