Spain Come From Behind to Beat England 3-2 at Wembley in the Nations League

World champions Spain came from behind to beat England 3-2 at a sold-out Wembley on Saturday 26 September in the opening match of League A, Group 3 of the UEFA Nations League. England recovered from an early Lamine Yamal goal to lead at half-time through Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane, but Kane struck the crossbar with a second-half penalty and substitutes Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal won it for Spain.

The result extended Spain’s unbeaten run to 39 official matches. It was a frustrating start to the new international season for Thomas Tuchel’s England, who produced a spirited performance but could not take the chance that might have decided the game.

A breathless first half

Spain scored in the second minute. Marc Guehi got into trouble while trying to clear his lines, and Yamal pounced to put the visitors ahead. It was, in Tuchel’s words, “the worst start possible”.

England recovered quickly and became the better side. On 36 minutes Jude Bellingham burst over the halfway line and played Gordon through, and Gordon finished low from around 20 yards. Four minutes later England led. Nico O’Reilly crossed, Kane headed towards goal and the ball deflected in off Marc Cucurella.

The best chance to extend the lead arrived early in the second half. Bellingham was tripped in the area and England were awarded a penalty on 54 minutes, but Kane slipped as he struck it and the ball hit the crossbar. That moment proved pivotal.

Spain’s substitutes turn the game

Spain’s coaching staff turned to their bench, and it paid off. Baena equalised on the hour with a fine finish, and on 74 minutes Oyarzabal struck the winner, again after Baena’s creativity had unlocked England’s defence. England made changes on 70 minutes, bringing on Morgan Rogers and James Garner for Gordon and Myles Lewis-Skelly, but could not find another goal.

• Result: England 2-3 Spain, UEFA Nations League, Saturday 26 September 2026.
• England scorers: Anthony Gordon (36), Harry Kane (40).
• Spain scorers: Lamine Yamal (2), Alex Baena (60), Mikel Oyarzabal (74).
• Missed penalty: Kane hit the crossbar on 54 minutes after a foul on Bellingham.
• Spain are now unbeaten in 39 official matches.

The atmosphere added to the occasion. Wembley was sold out for the first home match of the new international season, and the rematch of the Euro 2024 final, which Spain won 2-1 in Berlin, carried extra meaning for supporters. Spain arrived as world champions, and for large parts of the evening England matched them.

Tuchel: the penalty might have been decisive

Tuchel saw plenty to encourage him despite the defeat. “The start was terrible, the worst start possible,” he said. “It makes it so, so difficult to be behind against this kind of team.” But he praised the response: “The reaction was very, very good. After 10 or 12 minutes, I think we were the better team.”

He identified the penalty as the turning point. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t convert the penalty, which maybe would have been the decisive moment, because I think then Spain would have maybe, for the first time, believed that their long run of unbeaten games ends here,” he said.

Analysis: fine margins against the best

This was a match that reflected both how close England are to Spain and how far they still have to go. For long spells, particularly between the tenth minute and the penalty, England were the more dangerous team. Bellingham drove the side forward, Gordon was sharp, and Kane showed his usual presence in the box. At 3-1, the game might well have been over.

Yet elite teams are defined by their ability to survive difficult spells and punish mistakes. Spain did both. Their first goal came from an England error, and their comeback came from substitutes who changed the rhythm of the game. Baena and Oyarzabal were both decisive, a sign of the depth that has made Spain so difficult to beat.

Tuchel’s team selection also offered hints of his thinking. James Trafford started in goal, Lewis-Skelly and Elliot Anderson formed the midfield, and O’Reilly supplied the cross for the second goal. Declan Rice was rested and Trent Alexander-Arnold was recalled to the squad, according to NBC Sports. These are early experiments in a new cycle, and the Nations League offers a competitive setting in which to test them.

• England led 2-1 at half-time after recovering from a second-minute goal.
• Kane’s missed penalty was the key moment, as Tuchel acknowledged.
• Spain’s substitutes Baena and Oyarzabal both scored.
• Guehi’s early error was a costly reminder of the margins at this level.

There were individual positives. Gordon’s goal was the product of intelligent running and a composed finish, and his partnership with Kane looked promising. Bellingham’s surge for the equaliser was the kind of moment that has made him one of England’s most important players, and he also won the penalty. Anderson and Lewis-Skelly competed well in midfield against one of the most technically gifted engine rooms in the world.

The negatives were equally clear. Guehi’s error for the opening goal was costly, and England struggled to stay compact once Spain introduced fresh legs. The second-half fade is something Tuchel will want to analyse, particularly given how dominant his side had been before the interval.

What comes next

England had little time to dwell on the result, with a trip to Prague to face Czechia on Tuesday 29 September. Tuchel will want to see the same attacking energy combined with better control at the back, and a first win of the group campaign.

For Malaysian fans who stayed up into the early hours of Sunday morning, it was an entertaining, if ultimately frustrating, contest. England showed they can go toe to toe with the world champions, but also that such matches are decided by moments. The penalty miss will linger, but the overall performance offers Tuchel reasons for optimism as the team builds toward its next major tournament.

Spain, meanwhile, continue to set the standard in international football. Their ability to win at Wembley after falling behind speaks to a squad full of quality and confidence. Their unbeaten run now stands at 39 official matches, and on this evidence it will take a remarkable performance to end it.