World champions Spain produced another dramatic comeback at Wembley on Saturday, recovering from a 2-1 deficit to beat England 3-2 and extend their remarkable unbeaten run to 39 matches.
Mikel Oyarzabal delivered the decisive moment 16 minutes from time, calmly lifting the ball over England goalkeeper James Trafford after Álex Baena had restored parity. The victory gave Spain three points in their opening UEFA Nations League Group A3 fixture and once again left England to rue missed opportunities against the reigning world champions.
The result also carried an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu for England. Oyarzabal was the match-winner when Spain defeated England in the Euro 2024 final, and his late goal at Wembley ensured that the hosts’ attempt to respond after their World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina ended in another loss to Spain.
Yamal strikes early as Spain threaten
England’s evening began disastrously.
Just two minutes into the match, Marc Guehi’s attempted clearance turned into an invitation for Lamine Yamal, who seized on the defensive error before cutting inside and curling a left-footed effort beyond Trafford and inside the post.
Spain could have taken complete control during the opening spell. Ferran Torres had a goal ruled out for offside and later forced a save from Trafford, while another opportunity was squandered with the goalkeeper exposed. Yamal subsequently created an opening for Dani Olmo, whose effort went narrowly wide.
England survived the early onslaught and gradually found a route back into the contest.
Gordon sparks England revival
The turnaround began in the 36th minute when Anthony Gordon finished a swift England counter-attack.
After England regained possession deep in their own half, Gordon became involved in the move before combining with Jude Bellingham and advancing into Spain’s penalty area. The Barcelona winger then kept his composure to steer the ball beyond Unai Simón.
Four minutes later, England were ahead.
Nico O’Reilly’s delivery caused problems in the Spanish defence, with Harry Kane rising to head towards goal. The ball went in off Marc Cucurella, giving England a 2-1 advantage at the interval.
The comeback represented a significant change from England’s opening quarter of an hour and gave Thomas Tuchel’s side a chance to secure a statement result against the team that had eliminated them in the European Championship final two years earlier.
Kane misses chance to put England in command
England had the opportunity to take a major step towards victory shortly after the restart.
Following a VAR review, referee Davide Massa awarded England a penalty after Rodrigo Hernández was judged to have fouled Bellingham.
Kane stepped forward but slipped as he struck the ball, sending the effort crashing against the crossbar. Instead of potentially making it 3-1, England remained within Spain’s reach.
The miss proved costly.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente responded with substitutions, bringing on Baena and Oyarzabal. The changes quickly altered the contest.
Baena and Oyarzabal complete Spanish comeback
Spain equalised around the hour mark after England lost possession.
O’Reilly’s giveaway allowed Olmo to regain the ball and feed Baena, who controlled on the edge of the penalty area before firing past Trafford to make it 2-2.
Spain then completed the turnaround in the 74th minute.
Baena became provider, setting up Oyarzabal, who finished with a delicate chip over Trafford to put the visitors 3-2 ahead.
England pushed for another response, but Spain held on to secure another victory over the Three Lions.
De la Fuente: Spain remained in control
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said his team had largely controlled the contest despite the brief period in which England turned the match around.
“I think the game was under control most of the time, apart from the six or seven minutes where we got disconnected and they punished us,” de la Fuente said after the match.
The Spanish coach also emphasised the mentality within his squad after another comeback victory.
“This team is very ambitious and doesn’t want to stop winning,” he told Teledeporte.
The victory extended Spain’s unbeaten sequence to 39 matches, continuing a run that has included major tournament success and establishing the reigning world champions as the holders of a European-record unbeaten streak.
Kane sees positives despite defeat
England captain Kane was left to reflect on another painful defeat, particularly after his missed penalty gave Spain an opportunity to regain momentum.
Despite the result, Kane said England had produced some of their best football for a considerable period.
“I think that was probably some of our best football for a long time,” Kane said, according to AFP reporting.
The England captain’s assessment reflects the contrasting nature of the match: Spain dominated the opening stages, England recovered impressively to lead, and then the visitors exploited mistakes to complete another comeback.
For Tuchel, the defeat will also raise questions about England’s ability to protect a lead against elite opposition. The German had entered the match insisting that the fixture did not represent a new beginning for his team following the World Cup, while England had already entered the Nations League campaign without several players because of injuries.
Spain begin Nations League with statement win
The match was Spain’s first fixture in the 2026/27 Nations League League A campaign, with the teams placed in Group A3 alongside Croatia and Czechia.
UEFA’s schedule has Spain travelling to face Croatia on September 29 before hosting Czechia on October 3. England, meanwhile, travel to Czechia on September 29 and then face Croatia away on October 3.
The Nations League campaign will continue through November, with each League A team scheduled to play six league-phase matches.
For Spain, Saturday’s result extended an extraordinary sequence that has now reached 39 games without defeat. For England, the performance offered encouraging attacking moments but ultimately ended with another missed opportunity against one of international football’s strongest sides.
The next challenge for both teams comes quickly, with the Nations League schedule giving neither side much time to dwell on the Wembley thriller.
Spain will take the confidence of another comeback victory into their meeting with Croatia, while England must recover quickly for their trip to Czechia as they attempt to avoid falling further behind in Group A3.
