Why did France and England start looking for and developing new lands later than Portugal and Spain?

This is due to the fact that at that time, that is, in the 15-16th century, neither France nor England had a strong fleet. They did not have ships that could cross the oceans. At the same time, Spain was the ruler of the seas. Spanish sailors reached the most remote corners of the planet, conquering the endless expanses of the sea. Ultimately, the Spaniards and Portuguese were the first to open the way in India, as well as new lands.