How does Wolves' 2025/26 pre-season compare to previous years?

Wolves fans pay a lot of attention to results, while past and present players will insist that wins, draws or losses make little difference.

The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, with performance paramount but something to be said for building confidence with positive results.

This summer Wolves have failed to win any of their six pre-season matches - losing four - as they now prepare to take on Manchester City at Molineux in the opening match of the season this weekend.

But how does this pre-season compare to previous years and the start to those campaigns?

2024/25

Wolves prepared for the season with Gary O'Neil in charge and had a strong start to the summer with three consecutive wins, including a 3-1 win over West Ham in America.

That was followed up by a 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace, before an impressive 3-0 victory against German side RB Leipzig.

Wolves returned to England with some strong results and performances - including a starring role from new signing Rodrigo Gomes - but tasted defeat in the final pre-season game at Molineux to Rayo Vallecano, losing 1-0.

That carried into the season as Wolves struggled against a tough fixture list. 

A 6-2 loss at home to Chelsea was the stand-out defeat as Wolves earned just three points from the opening 10 games and waited until early November for their first win, as they were embroiled in a relegation battle. O'Neil was then sacked in December.

2023/24

Julen Lopetegui took charge of the whole of pre-season in the summer of 2023, but behind the scenes he was preparing to walk due to financial constraints and a lack of signings - eventually leading to O'Neil being appointed just days before the season started.

However, friendly results did not match the turmoil off the pitch and Wolves were unbeaten in six matches, winning four of them.

Highlights included a 1-0 win over Porto in Portugal, while Lopetegui's last game in charge was a 3-1 Molineux win over Rennes.

Under O'Neil, Wolves lost the opening two games before beating Everton and they had to wait until the end of September for the next win, which kick-started their campaign.

2022/23

Under Bruno Lage, Wolves won half of their eight summer matches, which included some behind-closed-doors training games.

They scored 11 goals in their opening three games, including a 4-0 win over Alaves in Spain.

A 3-0 win over Turkish giants Besiktas rounded off a successful trip to Spain, before a draw with Sporting in Portugal.

Regardless of those results, it was another difficult start to the season as an opening day defeat at Leeds saw Wolves pick up just three points in the opening five games, before beating Southampton on September 3. Lage was then sacked less than a month later.

2021/22

Lage's first pre-season in charge began with a 3-0 win over Forest Green Rovers in July 2021, followed by a loss to Crewe before they embarked on a tour of Spain.

Wolves beat Real Betis and Al Shabab, either side of a defeat to Las Palmas before returning to the UK with a draw at Stoke.

They then beat Coventry 2-1 before finishing pre-season with a 1-0 loss at Molineux to Celta Vigo - which is exactly how Vitor Pereira has ended pre-season this summer.

Wolves won four of their eight games before starting the top fight campaign with three consecutive 1-0 losses.

But Lage got Wolves going with a win at Watford ahead of a relatively successful season in which they fought for European places.