England’s Under-21 side began their European Championship qualifying campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win over Kazakhstan, but the result was quickly overshadowed by an unsettling off-field incident.
Lee Carsley’s team stamped their authority on the tie inside the opening half-hour. Arsenal teenager Ethan Nwaneri broke the deadlock with a composed finish before Borussia Dortmund’s Jobe Bellingham doubled the lead with a towering header, giving the Young Lions complete control at the Ortalyq Stadion.
After sealing the three points, the squad returned to their dressing room in high spirits — only for those celebrations to be disrupted. According to The Sun, the players noticed a supporter had climbed onto a window ledge to spy on them and record video footage. Clips of the incident later surfaced on X, sparking anger among fans and raising questions over security at the venue.
The footage showed the individual filming directly into the players’ private space as they changed and wound down after the match. Understandably, members of the squad were furious at the invasion of privacy. Reports suggest several players confronted the situation, with Ethan Nwaneri particularly outspoken in voicing his frustration.
The account Scout in Eurasia, which shared the clip online, wrote: “It is reported that the England U21 youth team was unhappy about being filmed in the locker room.” They added that Nwaneri, in particular, “strongly opposed it.”
For Carsley and his young squad, the incident took some shine off what had otherwise been a perfect start to their qualifying campaign. England will now hope future fixtures focus on their football — and not on breaches of privacy off the pitch.
