Credit: Manh Tung - Breaking Media

Samuel Fabre

Wed 1 April 2026 16:10, UK

Ezri Konsa was praised away from Aston Villa for his display in England’s 1-0 friendly loss to Japan on Tuesday.

After not featuring in the 1-1 draw with Uruguay, the centre-back came back into the side against the Blue Samurai, who stunned Thomas Tuchel’s side.

Kaoru Mitoma’s first-half strike condemned the Three Lions to their first-ever defeat at the hands of an Asian nation, as Konsa played 83 minutes at Wembley.

He has led Villa’s backline remarkably in 2025-26, and he has quickly become one of the best defenders in the Premier League.

Aston Villa would struggle without Konsa, and it’s not a shock that he was one of the more promising players on a dreadful night for England.

Ezri Konsa provides hope for England in loss vs Japan

In November, Konsa equalled an England record that saw him win 11 games in a row for the Three Lions, and that typifies the impact he has for both club and country.

With John Stones always fighting to maintain full fitness, the 28-year-old has now surpassed both him and Marc Guehi as Tuchel’s most valuable centre-back.

According to Sofascore, Konsa completed 97 per cent of his passes and won 100 per cent of his aerial duels against Japan.

And it’s safe to say that several media outlets were impressed with the 28-year-old, with the Daily Star saying: “A genuine Tuchel favourite. He at least attempted to keep the defence organised.”

The Daily Mail handed him a six out of 10 rating, saying: “Strong in the air when needed and recovered from a loose pass early on. Emerging as a steady enough presence alongside Guehi.

Meanwhile, BBC Sport also gave Konsa a six, saying: “In with a big chance of starting the first game at the World Cup. One crucial block to deny Ayase Ueda with the shot, hitting the bar and going over.”

The Guardian was less complimentary and gave the Villans star a five out of 10 rating, saying: “Got the offside trap wrong but recovered to deny Ayase Ueda. Shaky distribution at times.”

Why Konsa’s journey to the top is inspirational

Since moving to Aston Villa from Brentford in 2019, he has made 258 appearances for Emery’s side, highlighting his gradual rise in English football.

The 28-year-old joined Villa when they were solely focused on avoiding Premier League relegation, and times have certainly changed since then.

He has gone from scoring a dramatic winner over relegation rivals Watford in January 2020 to scoring a huge goal in a Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain in April 2025.

In the top flight this season, he has registered a pass accuracy of 95.1 per cent, won 65.6 per cent of his ground duels and 58 per cent of his aerial duels.

With his first England cap not coming until November 2023, he’s certainly had to be patient for his opportunities, and his loyalty to Villa has certainly paid off.

Villa’s number four is turning into a modern-day legend, and the sky is the limit for what he can go on to achieve for both club and country.