Stuart Pearce believes the 2-0 defeat to France was a vital lesson for his England Under21 side ahead of the European Championships.

The friendly at Nottnginham Forest's City Ground was England's first home defeat in almost three-and-a-half years and came against a side who failed to qualify for June's European Championships in Sweden.

But Pearce emphasised the importance of the experience gained by the younger players.

"There are positives that we can take from the game," said the boss. "I don't think there is a player that hasn't learned something and that can only serve us well for the summer."

And Pearce is confident his players will bounce back.

He added: "The players are disappointed but they will come out next time and be better."