It was the game to show Thomas Tuchel where his rebooted England team had got to; surely the ultimate test in international football. Spain in Spain. A world champion team who, in Tuchel’s words, had “forgotten how to lose.” Before this Nations League group decider, they had been beaten only once in 43 matches – on penalties against Portugal in the final of this competition last year.
What England produced for 65 minutes was extraordinary. What followed was equally so for different reasons. When it was over, England had made the most sensational of statements. Back in 2018, on their previous visit to Spain, England won 3-2 in Seville in the Nations League; it was one of Sir Gareth Southgate’s most famous results, an ignition point. It was the same scoreline and the same feeling for Tuchel on Sunday night.
England led 3-0. It was Harry Kane, of course, who put them in front from the penalty spot; the best player in the world damaging the best team. When Ezri Konsa and Ben White added the others, the travelling supporters were pinching themselves. With Jude Bellingham to the fore, England had run riot.
It was not over. Far from it. Everything changed when Jarell Quansah made a big error as the last man, robbed by Lamine Yamal, who got into the area and was fouled by Elliot Anderson. It was a red card for the England midfielder and a penalty for Spain. When Mikel Oyarzabal converted, it was the prompt for a siege.
Spain knocked hard at the door. They scored again through the substitute Nico Williams, created by an assist from the frankly ludicrous Lamine Yamal, a talent who sprinkles his magic liberally, and England were placed in grim survival mode. We have been here before under Tuchel and the equaliser looked on. The manager made a couple of defensive changes – Myles Lewis-Skelly for Kane and Djed Spence for Anthony Gordon. Bellingham was removed, too, and he departed shaking his head. Dan Burn came on towards the very end.
England held out. One of Tuchel’s major selection calls was to start James Trafford over Jordan Pickford in goal and he produced a remarkable stoppage-time double save to ensure England got the result they needed to leapfrog Spain and advance to the quarter-finals as the group winners. The second part of it was to deny Aymeric Laporte. It was a breathtaking moment; one to advance Trafford’s claim on the No 1 jersey. There were many others on a night that pulsed wildly from the outset – pretty much from when Spain paraded the World Cup trophy before kick-off. Had they not already had their homecoming with the gold? It was a power play.
England brought the swagger. They pressed hard on to the front foot. It was thrilling to see how they took on those in red and beat them, creating the sense of possibility. It was worth mentioning a spin move by Lewis Hall on halfway in the eighth minute when he could not afford to lose the ball. He did not, getting England up the field. There were other examples of the proactivity from other players; the desire to drop shoulders and surge forward, to be direct.
It was England who looked likely to score first and Spain needed a superb save from Unai Simón to deny Bellingham in the early going. He ran on to a Declan Rice corner, centrally placed and, with the ball slightly behind him, he had to dig out the half-volley rather than hit it more cleanly. Simón’s reflexes were nevertheless impressive. Gordon had a shot blocked by Martín Zubimendi. Kane fizzed another one just wide.
Spain kicked out a foothold in the 15th minute. It was Lamine Yamal, inevitably, who dragged them back into it. He nutmegged Hall and blasted away from him, Rice bringing him down to pick up a yellow card. What Hall did next spoke volumes about England’s approach, not to mention his courage. It was a slicing run from him, on a diagonal towards goal, which laid waste to a host of Spain players. He almost found Morgan Rogers with his cross.
It was an excellent first half for England; Rogers bristled with confidence on the ball, Bellingham threatened. They deserved to take a lead into the interval. Bellingham appeared to be fouled by Marc Cucurella, but Anderson did not stand on ceremony, driving a first-time pass up the inside right channel for Kane, who cut inside Pau Cubarsí to set up the shot.
Kane cleverly got his body between Cubarsí and the ball; the Spain centre-back had a problem. His challenge was necessary but clumsy; it was a clear penalty. Kane had a long wait while the video assistant referee checked for an Anderson foul on Cucurella as he followed through after his pass. It was accidental but nasty. Anderson got away with it. Kane had missed decisively in England’s 3-2 defeat against Spain at Wembley at the start of this competition. He made no mistake this time. It was his 93rd England goal.
England continued to push after half-time, especially Bellingham. He won the corner that led to Konsa heading in unmarked from a Rice outswinger and it was Bellingham who played in White, who was adventurous all night, for the third.
Nothing silly, Tuchel had to have thought. Quansah did something silly and the entire mood changed. Trafford made his first big save from the substitute Fermín López, but then it was 3-2 after Gordon was robbed in midfield. Spain went right to Lamine Yamal and his low cross for Williams was perfect.
Spain piled on the pressure. Williams went close. Lamine Yamal forced Trafford into a fine save, the goalkeeper denying Cucurella on the rebound. White made a saving tackle on Williams after a wonderful Lamine Yamal pass. Trafford saved his best until the last.
