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Lamine Yamal's predatory instinct proved decisive at Wembley on Saturday, where world champions Spain came from behind to beat England 3-2 in a UEFA Nations League encounter that delivered a European record for Luis de la Fuente's side and left Thomas Tuchel's hosts reeling after another damaging defeat.
The victory extends Spain's remarkable unbeaten run to 39 matches, a benchmark no European national team has previously reached. Coming off their Euro 2024 final success over these same opponents, the Spaniards again demonstrated a capacity to absorb setbacks and impose their will, turning a nervous opening into a statement of superiority that keeps the three-time winners favourites for deep runs in the tournament.
England, whose World Cup campaign had ended painfully at the semifinal stage against Argentina, had hoped Saturday would mark the beginning of a fresh chapter. Tuchel was notably guarded in his pre-match comments, insisting the fixture did not signal a new start. Whatever intentions he harboured were evident for only a matter of seconds, as his team produced an error-strewn opening that undercut any suggestion of a clean slate.
The chaos began almost immediately. Manchester City defender Marc Guehi, presented with the chance to clear inside the opening minutes, inexplicably turned back towards goalkeeper James Trafford without registering that the teenage Yamal was looming directly behind him. The Barcelona forward collected the loose ball and curled a left-footed effort off the inside of the post for the opener. The goal was a combination of defensive naivety and composure, and it immediately exposed the home side's discomfort at being pinned deep in their own half.
Spain's early dominance was not confined to a single moment. Ferran Torres found himself repeatedly at the centre of the action, seeing one effort ruled out for offside, another kept out by Trafford — who started in place of longtime number one Jordan Pickford — and also failing to take advantage of a clear one-on-one opportunity. Yamal later supplied Dani Olmo, only for Olmo to flash his effort narrowly wide as Spain lamented yet another missed opening. The visitors could easily have been three goals ahead before England had time to settle.
What followed was a swing in momentum that transformed the atmosphere inside the stadium. England, criticised for their ultra-defensive approach against Argentina, suddenly showed adventure of their own and were rewarded in the 36th minute. Pressing deep in their own half, the home side won the ball back and launched an incisive counter-attack. Gordon was involved early in the move before surging forward to collect a pass from Jude Bellingham and steer the ball decisively beyond Unai Simon, giving the hosts a route back into a contest they had looked set to lose comfortably.
Just four minutes later, England were ahead. Harry Kane rose to head home a cross from Nico O'Reilly, the delivery taking a decisive touch off Marc Cucurella and leaving the captain with a largely unassailable finish. The turnaround inside Wembley was stark: a team that had been overwhelmed within the first half-hour now led against the champions, with the home crowd galvanized by a performance that finally resembled the attacking intent of their World Cup runs.
England's advantage, however, threatened to evaporate as the second half unfolded. They began brightly and were awarded a penalty when a Rodri foul on Bellingham was identified following a VAR check. Kane, having earned the chance to effectively seal the result, slipped slightly on his approach and crashed his shot against the crossbar. It was a moment of high drama, and one that would haunt the hosts as Spain sensed a shift in momentum and began picking at the defensive errors that had characterized England's chaotic opening.
Spain took full advantage. Substitute Alex Baena steered home on the hour mark after O'Reilly surrendered possession to Olmo — a sequence that epitomized the sloppiness that had defined the home side's defending. The goal forced England to push forward in search of a response, and the space that opened was swiftly exploited. Baena then turned provider for fellow substitute Mikel Oyarzabal, who produced a composed finish by dinking the ball over the advancing Trafford.
The two late strikes from substitutes were as much a reflection of Spain's depth as of England's frailty. De la Fuente's squad has become a machine of fine margins, its starters and bench alike capable of changing the character of a match, and Saturday's contribution from Baena and Oyarzabal suggests a squad that remains potent even when the first-choice XI is exhausted.
For Tuchel, the result will sting in a particular way. His team were not simply beaten but dismantled tactically on two occasions — once in the opening exchanges and once again after the interval — and the contrast with Spain's composure will raise uncomfortable questions about the direction of the England side. Even allowing for the absence of Pickford, the defensive errors that produced three of the four goals were of the kind that elite international football cannot tolerate.
There were, at least, positives for the hosts. Trafford's showing in goal can be counted among them, particularly given the volume of shots he faced, while the introduction of Trafford alongside the attacking ambitions of Gordon and Bellingham pointed to a possible direction of travel. Yet Saturday's performance was defined more by what went wrong at either end than by the elements England got right.
Spain, for their part, continue to confound expectations. A 39-match unbeaten sequence stretching across multiple competitions is a feat without precedent among European sides, and the way it was achieved — surviving a period of genuine vulnerability against opponents lifted by the crowd — arguably makes the record all the more striking. As the Nations League group phase continues, the message from Wembley is unmistakable: this Spanish team can absorb a two-goal deficit, silence a hostile stadium and still emerge with records to break.
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