At Wembley it all began with a defender's mistake and ended with Oyarzabal's signature feint. Spain, the reigning world and European champion, came back from 1:2 down and won 3:2 in their Nations League debut, extending their unbeaten run to 39 matches. England led, but once again failed to hold their advantage against a team that has already beaten them twice in finals in recent years.
Yamal scored as early as the second minute after a dreadful giveaway by Guehi. The English responded quickly: Gordon equalised, and Kane headed the hosts in front. It seemed the "Three Lions" would finally show character after their World Cup disappointment. But Kane's second-half penalty struck the crossbar — and everything changed.
Baena and Oyarzabal, who came off the bench, turned the game around in 14 minutes. The first capitalised on O'Riley's giveaway, the second received a perfect pass and deftly lobbed the goalkeeper. Spain did not merely come back — they showed how a mechanism honed over years works: pressing, short passing and composure at the key moments.
For England this is no longer just a defeat. Goals conceded after their own mistakes, a missed penalty and the absence of a Plan B against Spanish ball control — all of it points to systemic problems under Tuchel. Spain, meanwhile, confirms: even in what is essentially a friendly tournament, it remains the benchmark of tactical maturity and psychological resilience.
Oyarzabal, who scored the winning goal in the Euro 2024 final, has once again become the hero against England. This is no accident but a pattern: de la Fuente's team knows how to punish the slightest miscalculations, turning them into a long-term advantage.
