England host Spain at Wembley tonight in the opening match of their latest Nations League campaign. The Three Lions kick off Group A3 action on home soil on Saturday evening as they entertain the reigning world champions in their first match since the tournament in North America earlier this summer.
Tuchel seeks response after World Cup heartbreak
Thomas Tuchel will be looking to move on from the semi-final collapse against Argentina in July, when England led 1-0 with five minutes to go in Atlanta thanks to Anthony Gordon’s second-half goal, only to lose 2-1 after last-gasp efforts from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez. England were denied a first World Cup final berth since 1966, with their defensive tactics and substitutions leading to questions about Tuchel’s management.
A subsequent 6-4 win over France in the bronze final eased some of that pressure and clinched third place, England’s best World Cup finish for 60 years. However, Tuchel will know that a big result against Spain — avenging defeat in the final of the 2024 European Championship in Berlin under Gareth Southgate — will help win over the naysayers who are not ready to move on from that semi-final finish.
Spain’s Nations League pedigree
Spain went on to beat Argentina after extra time in a tame and bad-tempered final in New Jersey, with Ferran Torres’ effort sealing their second World Cup triumph and first since 2010. Now Luis de la Fuente’s men turn their attention back to the Nations League, having made the last three finals of the competition — beating the Netherlands on penalties in 2022/23 to sandwich losses to France and Portugal.
England’s best finish in the Nations League was third place in the inaugural 2018/19 edition, while they were relegated to the second tier in 2022 before earning promotion back to League A under the interim management of Lee Carsley two years later.
Team news and how to watch
The Three Lions have been hit by a spate of withdrawals, with Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Tino Livramento all pulling out of the squad — leaving Tuchel less than pleased with Palmer in particular. The Czech Republic and Croatia complete Group A3, with those two sides facing off in Prague on Saturday night.
In the UK, the match is being televised live and free to air on ITV, with coverage beginning at 6:45pm BST on ITV1 ahead of a 7:45pm kick-off. The game can also be streamed live online through the ITVX website and app, which is free with registration. Standard Sport’s live blog will feature expert insight and analysis from England correspondent Dom Smith at Wembley.
