England 2-3 Spain: The Final, Replayed
UEFA Nations League 2026-27, League A Group A3 · 26 September 2026, 19:45 BST · Wembley Stadium, London.
Match Recap: England 2-3 Spain
| Minute | Event | For |
|---|---|---|
| 2' | Lamine Yamal pounces on a Guehi error and slots past Trafford | Spain |
| 36' | Anthony Gordon finishes a Bellingham break to equalise | England |
| 40' | Harry Kane header deflects in off Cucurella | England |
| 54' | Kane's penalty hits the crossbar (double-touch) | — |
| 60' | Álex Baena curls in from the edge of the box | Spain |
| 74' | Mikel Oyarzabal dinks Trafford to win it | Spain |
One-line takeaway: Spain's game-changing substitutes Baena and Oyarzabal overturned a spirited England fightback — and Kane's missed penalty proved the turning point.
The fixture of the window, on night one. No other group throws the European champions against the side they beat in the last final on opening night. Spain arrive as 2026 World Cup winners and the world's No.1-ranked side; England arrive off a fourth-place finish and a new-look Tuchel era that wants a statement. Neither will be short of motivation.
More on Matchday 2 → Nations League MD2 Watch & Wear Guide: 5 marquee clashes and the shirts to back
The Fixture
It is Matchday 1 of League A Group A3, with Czechia and Croatia completing the section. England play all three rivals home and away across the window; after Spain they travel to Prague (29 Sep), Rijeka (3 Oct) and host Czechia again (6 Oct), before the return leg against Spain in Madrid on 15 November. A win here does more than three points - it sets the tone in a group where Spain are the clear benchmark.
Two Champions' Coaches
Thomas Tuchel's England. The former Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain coach took the job on 1 January 2025 and steered England to fourth at the 2026 World Cup, beating France 6-4 in the third-place play-off - their best finish away from home since 1966. Captain and record scorer Harry Kane remains the attacking reference point, with Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice around him. The brief is simple: turn a golden generation's near-misses into a trophy.
Luis de la Fuente's Spain. The 65-year-old, in charge since December 2022, has built the most decorated side in Spanish history - Euro 2024, the 2023 Nations League, and now the 2026 World Cup, won 1-0 against Argentina after extra time. He signed a contract extension to 2032 just days before this window opened. Spain conceded only one goal across the entire 2026 World Cup and are the team to beat in every competition they enter.
The subplot worth your evening: the Euro 2024 final is barely two years cold, and the core of both teams is unchanged. Spain have added a World Cup; England have added Tuchel. This is the fastest possible measure of whether the gap that opened in Berlin has closed.
Players to Watch
Lamine Yamal (Spain). The Barcelona wideman is the face of this Spain side - a World Cup winner while still a teenager, fresh off an injury-interrupted summer that only emphasised how much he swings the attack when fit. Rodri (Spain). The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner and Spain captain, the control hub everything flows through. Pedri (Spain). The metronome alongside him, dictating tempo in midfield.
Harry Kane (England). Captain and all-time leading scorer, the focal point of Tuchel's front line and the man who decides whether England can stretch Spain's back line. Jude Bellingham (England). The Real Madrid creator who turns half-chances into openings. With Declan Rice anchoring midfield, England's spine is proven - the question is whether it can outlast Spain's possession.
Head-to-Head: Spain Hold the Edge
Across the recent record, Spain lead with four wins to England's two, plus two draws. The most recent meeting is the one everyone remembers - Spain's 2-1 win in the Euro 2024 final. The two Nations League clashes from 2018 split the honours:
| Date | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Jul 2024 | Spain 2-1 England | Euro 2024 final |
| 15 Oct 2018 | Spain 2-3 England | Nations League A3 |
| 08 Sep 2018 | England 1-2 Spain | Nations League A3 |
| 15 Nov 2016 | England 2-2 Spain | Friendly |
| 13 Nov 2015 | Spain 2-0 England | Friendly |
None of that settles Saturday. Spain are the form side and the world's No.1, but Wembley on a September night is exactly where England have made their biggest statements - and Tuchel's first competitive home game is the kind of stage he builds for.
How the Market Saw It
For this match, bookmakers made Spain slight favourites despite England being at home. Match odds (bookmaker aggregate, 26 September 2026) priced an England win around 2.70, the draw 3.30 and a Spain win 2.55 — and Spain won at the shorter price. Over the whole tournament, the market trusted Spain more: opening title odds had Spain at 4.00 and England at 5.50 (22 September 2026).
| Market | England | Draw | Spain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Match win (26 Sep 2026) | 2.70 | 3.30 | 2.55 |
| To win Nations League (22 Sep 2026) | 5.50 | - | 4.00 |
Shop the Edit: Wear the Rivalry
Eight shirts below - four Spain, four England - all 2026-27 home editions in fan version, with name and number options. Back the side you are shouting for: the Spain home and the two-star edition at the top of the range, or an England shirt for Tuchel's first competitive night at Wembley.
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