My Transformation from Premier League Star to Arsène Wenger’s Loyal Companion: The Story of Facing Latvia as an England Rival
AFTER Thomas Tuchel’s initial match against Albania, England is poised for another remarkable clash on Monday as they face the underdog team from Latvia.
The Baltic nation has functioned as an independent entity since the Berlin Wall’s collapse, but they have yet to compete against the Three Lions.
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However, this will soon change at Wembley as Italian coach Paolo Nicolato takes his team against stars like Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, and Marcus Rashford.
This is a significant challenge, and Latvian football legend Marian Pahars has stated, “It’s tough to even articulate the difficulties of confronting such an opponent… I’m just glad to be a spectator!”
Latvia has historically struggled against Europe’s top teams — a trend that continued throughout Pahars’ playing days — but the current situation may be even more daunting.
On Friday night, a goal from Dario Sits in the 58th minute secured a 1-0 win over Andorra, placing Latvia second in World Cup qualifying Group K, just behind England.
Ranked 140th in the FIFA standings, they sit between Burundi and the Dominican Republic.
Only seven European teams are lower—Lithuania, Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, and the officially weakest football nation, San Marino.
Latvia’s peak ranking was as high as 45th and they even qualified for Euro 2004.
While a young Wayne Rooney was making headlines at that tournament in Portugal, Latvia achieved their best result with a 0-0 draw against Germany, although they did not advance from the group stage.
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The team at that time had four players who were involved in or had played in the Premier League.
In contrast, there is no player of that caliber in Nicolato’s current squad.
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Pahars, a former forward for Southampton, emerged as the standout success story from that time, making 129 appearances in the Premier League for the Saints from 1998 to 2005, scoring 42 goals.
Igors Stepanovs could also be mentioned, having clinched the Double with Arsenal in 2002, despite only making 17 Premier League appearances.
Now 48, Pahars collaborates with legendary Gunners manager Arsene Wenger as a high-performance specialist for FIFA, focusing on Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Lithuania.
He remarked: “I prefer not to compare generations; however, we had strong personalities on our team. Unfortunately, that isn’t as evident now.
“We had players with bigger names than me who were winning European trophies, like Stepanovs at Arsenal.
“Our squad was filled with leaders in every position—goalkeeper, defense, midfield, and attack.
“We played confidently because we were from strong clubs and leagues.
“Consequently, we faced no fear. Each match offered opportunities to compete against opponents of similar skill.
It’s difficult to even describe them facing that kind of opponent . . . I’m quite happy just to be a spectator!
Marian Pahars, on Latvia facing England
“In contrast, many current players are from local leagues and lack substantial international experience.
“This lack of confidence is one reason we don’t see standout players among us presently.”
Captain Kristers Tobers, 24, who plays for Aberdeen, is perhaps Latvia’s most notable player — though he is out due to a leg injury.
Nicolato’s squad has secured just three victories in their last 21 matches since November 2022 when they were competing in the Baltic Cup while England was at the World Cup.
Two of those wins were against the Faroe Islands, the other against Armenia.
Pahars noted: “We recognize who we are up against. We’re not inexperienced.
“We strive to deliver a commendable performance that garners