England’s opening fixture in the Nations League ended in heartbreak, as reigning World Cup winners Spain came from behind to secure a dramatic 3-2 triumph at Wembley.
The visitors made an electric start, needing barely two minutes to break through when Marc Guehi’s defensive lapse handed possession straight to Lamine Yamal, who calmly finished past goalkeeper James Trafford, standing in for Jordan Pickford.
Despite weathering further pressure, Thomas Tuchel’s men fought back impressively. Goals from Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane turned the tie on its head, giving the hosts a surprising advantage heading into the interval.
That momentum, however, did not survive the restart. Kane failed to convert from the spot shortly after Jude Bellingham had been fouled inside the area, a miss that proved pivotal. Spain seized the opportunity that followed, as replacement forward Alex Baena punished a defensive slip from Nico O’Reilly to level matters. Mikel Oyarzabal then sealed the comeback with an elegant chip that capped off a slick passing move, securing all three points for the visitors.
The result stretches Spain’s remarkable run without defeat to 39 matches, underlining their status as the team to beat in international football.
For England, the takeaway is clear: individual errors of this nature simply cannot happen against opposition of this calibre. Tuchel will now be looking for greater intensity and sharper concentration from his squad if they hope to compete at the top level going forward.
