German coach Thomas Tuchel remains convinced that England can overcome the world’s top teams, after his side surrendered a second-half lead and lost 3–2 to Spain at Wembley on Saturday in the UEFA Nations League.
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The world champions had been on course to suffer their first defeat in a competitive match in three and a half years after the “Three Lions” led 2–1 at halftime. England then missed a chance to extend their lead when captain Harry Kane’s penalty struck the post, while two defensive mistakes allowed Spain to turn the game around.
Marc Guéhi lost possession to Lamine Yamal, who capitalized on the mistake to put Spain ahead early. Later, a misplaced pass from Nico O’Reilly led to Álex Baena’s equalizer, shifting the momentum back toward Spain.
Striker Mikel Oyarzabal then completed Spain’s comeback by scoring the winning goal, just as he did when the two teams met in the Euro 2024 final.
The defeat means England have won only six of their last 16 matches against teams ranked among FIFA’s top 10.
“I wasn’t responsible for those 16 matches, obviously, and I think we did everything necessary today to beat Spain,” Tuchel said.
“The details make the difference at this level. As I said, we made far too many obvious mistakes today, and unfortunately, in the final third, they were calmer and more decisive in turning our losses of possession into clear chances.”
Tuchel had been seeking a response to his critics following a series of defensive-minded substitutions, particularly after England had also surrendered a lead against Argentina in the World Cup semifinal.
This time, however, England showed ambition in an open contest, although Tuchel acknowledged that his team is still unable to maintain the same level consistently for the full 90 minutes.
“We will continue working and pushing this team. We proved at the World Cup that we can do it in tournaments. Today we couldn’t prove it through the result, but I think the way we played was enough to beat them,” he added.
England will now face two consecutive matches against the Czech Republic, with a trip to Croatia in between, over the next 10 days.
Kane also said the “Three Lions” produced some of their best football in a long time.
“We played well at the World Cup, but we weren’t able to put together a complete 90-minute performance. Maybe it happened again today,” Kane told ITV.
“We had many good moments, and I think that period around the end of the first half and the beginning of the second was one of the best periods we’ve played for a very long time. That is the level we know we are capable of reaching.”
“We are facing the world champions and European champions. We went toe-to-toe with them, and on another day, we definitely would have won this match.”
Meanwhile, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said his team can still improve despite extending their unbeaten run to 39 matches.
“What this generation of players is achieving deserves great praise. They are constantly looking to develop and improve. The statistics speak for themselves,” he said.
“What Spain are doing is extremely difficult. We will approach the next match against Croatia as if it were our last. These players always want to keep improving.”
De la Fuente also praised his young star Lamine Yamal.
“His performance was exceptional, and we are fortunate to have him with us,” he said.
“He plays exactly according to what the match requires, making the most of both his own abilities and those of his teammates.”
Yamal’s Early Strike and Message to His Critics
The scoreboard at Wembley had barely reached the two-minute mark when Lamine Yamal scored Spain’s opening goal against England.
Marc Guéhi attempted to play the ball out from the back but lost control, allowing Yamal, who had been applying intense pressure, to win possession on the edge of the English penalty area.
In an area where many players might feel the pressure, Yamal remained composed. He controlled the ball before facing the final obstacle between him and the goal: goalkeeper James Trafford.
Yamal calmly finished the move, sending the ball toward the far corner, beyond Trafford’s reach.
“The coach pushes us a lot to press high up the pitch. I always say that I want to help the team. Sometimes I lose concentration, but at other times I win the ball back and find myself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and then I can score,” Yamal said after the match.
After the game, Yamal took to social media to share a collection of his best photos from his appearance at Wembley, accompanying them with a confident message: “Hate me or love me, I don’t care.”
The post received a huge number of responses, but teammate Álex Baena’s comment stood out in particular. He simply wrote: “Ballon d’Or.”
The post came at a significant time, with Monday marking the deadline for submitting votes for the Ballon d’Or. This year’s award is considered particularly open, with several contenders and no clear frontrunner.
The list of candidates includes Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, Rodri, Fabián Ruiz and Lionel Messi, among others.
The goal against England was Yamal’s eighth for the Spanish national team.
The winger returned to international scoring after failing to find the net since Spain’s match against Saudi Arabia in the second round of the World Cup, ending his drought at one of football’s most iconic venues, Wembley.
Yamal’s post-match comments went beyond his goal and focused on the variety Spain now possesses in attack.
“It’s not that we feel comfortable in this situation, but we don’t mind when the opposition has the ball,” he told Teledeporte.
“We are quick, and we don’t mind playing on the counterattack. You have to know what role is required of you in each match and then make the most of it.”
Yamal also spoke about Spain’s determination to win, saying: “We always lose, but we try not to be the ones who lose. It’s a very difficult stadium.”
His comments reflected Spain’s ability to adapt to different match scenarios, whether through possession or by allowing the opposition to have the ball and relying on speed in transitions and counterattacks.
During the match, Yamal produced several moments that highlighted his technical ability, including a backheel pass to Dani Olmo, who came close to turning it into a goal. Yamal himself also had a good chance to equalize in the final attack of the first half.
His contribution was not limited to attacking. He also produced a strong defensive effort and won back possession several times.
From one such recovery, the ball reached Rodri, who set up Ferran Torres for a one-on-one opportunity with the goalkeeper, although the striker was unable to score.
Yamal’s Wembley performance therefore combined attacking creativity, teamwork, pressing and ball recovery qualities that were evident from the opening moments of the match.
His early goal provided a clear example: pressure on the defender, winning the ball back, and then complete composure in the one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Resource: Al-Ghad.
