Nations League updates from the 7.45pm BST kick-off
7m agoTeam news: Trafford preferred to Pickford
“I’m going to tell you a story,” Luis de la Fuente said. “As soon as the game finished on 19 July, before anyone had cooled down at all, just two or three minutes after the final, one of the players – and you’ll have to forgive me for not telling you which one, but it was one of those who has been with us for the longest time – came up to me and said: ‘Mister, now what? What’s left to win?’ And I said: ‘Bloody hell, the game against England at Wembley on 26 September.’”
It was a Friday afternoon at Las Rozas and Spain’s coach had just named his first squad since that day in New Jersey. It was a familiar one, full of history makers. Of the 26 from the World Cup, only four had been left out and there was an explanation for each: Marcos Llorente has announced his international retirement; Joan García is injured; Borja Iglesias, who always felt the likeliest to leave first, is not fully fit; and Gavi is suspended for Wembley, although he could have faced Croatia and Czechia.
Leeds goalkeeper James Trafford starts ahead of Jordan Pickford, a selection that few people saw coming. Pickford is among the subs, so this might be the end of his long spell as England’s undisputed No1. Myles Lewis-Skelly covers for Declan Rice in midfield and Jarell Quansah is preferred to Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back.
Ferran Torres and Nico Williams, the substitutes who combined for Spain’s World Cup-winning goal against Argentina, start ahead of Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal. The only other change from that game is in defence, where Eric Garcia replaces the injured Pedro Porro at right-back.
England (4-2-3-1) Trafford; Quansah, Konsa, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.
Subs: Pickford, Steele, Alexander-Arnold, Scott, Chalobah, Hall, Branthwaite, Rogers, Garner, Calvert-Lewin, Gibbs-White, Eze.
Spain (4-3-3) Simon; Garcia, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Olmo, Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Torres, Williams.
Subs: Raya, Martinez, Huijsen, Grimaldo, Merino, Lopez, Pino, Pubill, Baena, Zubimendi, Pedri, Oyarzabal.
Thomas Tuchel has pictured the scene. It comes after the final whistle has blown on England’s Nations League opener against Spain on Saturday night, the first post-World Cup fixture for both teams, and it has Wembley swaying to the strains of Wonderwall. It is a moment of communion, a reconnection with the Oasis classic that was the soundtrack to England’s World Cup campaign, which delivered so much only to end in such disappointment.
“Do I think it will happen tomorrow?” Tuchel said, when asked if Wonderwall would play again afterwards. “I think it will happen if we win.”
There are a couple of counterpoints. The visit of Spain is certainly a glamour fixture and Wembley is sold out in anticipation, but it is not a World Cup knockout tie. The emotion cannot pulse to the same levels. Furthermore, Tuchel has first-hand experience of the vagaries of the Wembley crowd; its hard-to-please restlessness.
We interupt the Manchester City news cycle to bring you live coverage of a football match: England v Spain in the Nations League, aka the World Cup final that wasn’t.
U over it yet, hun? It’s been 73 days since England’s grisly collapse against Argentina, and it’s not getting any better with age. But there’s always a next time in football, and another home European Championship should give England a decent shot in glory.
The road to Euro 2028 begins with four Nations League games in 11 days: Spain (H), Czechia (A), Croatia (A), Czechia (H). The matches against the C-teams are likely to determine whether England qualify for the quarter-finals. In different circumstances, tonight’s game would be a free hit. But the manner of – and reaction to – the Argentina defeat invalidates all that.
In the parlance of our times, Thomas Tuchel and England need to restore public trust. Beating the world champions, who haven’t lost since March 2024, would be a good way to start.
The alternative is less appealing, especially in these febrile times. Never mind the news cycle: if England are hammered tonight, it could be the start of a doom cycle.
Kick off 7.45pm.
