Few international fixtures carry as much weight as Spain against England right now. Spain are the reigning world champions, England reached the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup, and the two sides produced a five-goal thriller at Wembley on 26 September 2026 to open their UEFA Nations League campaign. This guide to Spain National Football Team vs England National Football Team Lineups covers the starting XIs and substitutions from that match, the full record of the last ten meetings, and what to expect when the sides meet again in Madrid.
Latest lineups: England 2-3 Spain (26 September 2026)
The match was played at Wembley Stadium in UEFA Nations League Group A3. England were managed by Thomas Tuchel and Spain by Luis de la Fuente. Tuchel made a notable call by starting James Trafford in goal, while Harry Kane captained England from the front.
| Line | England (Thomas Tuchel) | Spain (Luis de la Fuente) |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | James Trafford | Unai Simón |
| Defence | Jarell Quansah, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guéhi, Nico O’Reilly | Marc Pubill, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsí, Marc Cucurella |
| Midfield | Elliot Anderson, Myles Lewis-Skelly | Fabián Ruiz, Rodri |
| Attacking midfield and wide | Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon | Nico Williams, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal |
| Striker | Harry Kane | Ferran Torres |
Substitutions
| Team | Substitutions |
|---|---|
| England | Morgan Rogers for Gordon (70′), James Garner for Lewis-Skelly (70′), Dominic Calvert-Lewin for Kane (82′), Morgan Gibbs-White for Saka (82′), Jarrad Branthwaite for Guéhi (89′) |
| Spain | Mikel Oyarzabal for Torres (55′), Álex Baena for Williams (55′), Pedri for Fabián Ruiz (71′), Mikel Merino for Olmo (81′) |
How the match unfolded
- Goals: Lamine Yamal (2′), Anthony Gordon (36′), Harry Kane (40′), Álex Baena (60′) and Mikel Oyarzabal (74′). Spain led 1-0 early, England went 2-1 up by half-time, and Spain came back after the break.
- Turning point: Kane hit the bar with a second-half penalty (54′) that would have made it 3-1. Within minutes Spain’s two substitutes, Baena and Oyarzabal, had turned the game around.
- Cards: O’Reilly (67′), Guéhi (69′) and Bellingham (81′) were booked for England.
- Streak: The win stretched Spain’s unbeaten run to 39 games, according to the FA’s match report.
Last 10 Spain vs England matches
| # | Date | Competition | Venue | Match | Score | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 Sep 2026 | UEFA Nations League | Wembley, London | England vs Spain | 2-3 | Spain |
| 2 | 14 Jul 2024 | UEFA Euro 2024 Final | Olympiastadion, Berlin | Spain vs England | 2-1 | Spain |
| 3 | 15 Oct 2018 | UEFA Nations League | Estadio Benito Villamarín, Seville | Spain vs England | 2-3 | England |
| 4 | 8 Sep 2018 | UEFA Nations League | Wembley, London | England vs Spain | 1-2 | Spain |
| 5 | 15 Nov 2016 | Friendly | Wembley, London | England vs Spain | 2-2 | Draw |
| 6 | 13 Nov 2015 | Friendly | Estadio José Rico Pérez, Alicante | Spain vs England | 2-0 | Spain |
| 7 | 12 Nov 2011 | Friendly | Wembley, London | England vs Spain | 1-0 | England |
| 8 | 11 Feb 2009 | Friendly | Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, Seville | Spain vs England | 2-0 | Spain |
| 9 | 7 Feb 2007 | Friendly | Old Trafford, Manchester | England vs Spain | 0-1 | Spain |
| 10 | 17 Nov 2004 | Friendly | Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid | Spain vs England | 1-0 | Spain |
Summary of the last ten: Spain won 7, England won 2 and one game was drawn. Spain scored 17 goals to England’s 10.
A few highlights stand out. England’s 3-2 win in Seville in October 2018 was their first victory in Spain since 1987. Frank Lampard scored the only goal when England beat Spain in November 2011, and Adam Lallana and Jamie Vardy scored for England in the 2-2 draw at Wembley in 2016. Spain won the Euro 2024 final in Berlin, and Oyarzabal, who scored the late winner that night, scored again on 26 September 2026.
Overall, England still hold a narrow historical edge in the all-time series, although the exact tally differs between sources depending on how the 1996 penalty shoot-out is counted. In recent years, though, the trend clearly favours Spain.
Next meeting: Spain vs England in Madrid
The two teams meet again on Sunday 15 November 2026 at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, kicking off at 20:45 CET. It is Matchday 6, the final round of the 2026-27 Nations League group stage, and it could decide who finishes top of League A Group 3. Official Spain National Football Team vs England National Football Team Lineups are normally released about an hour before kick-off.
Two things to watch when the teams are announced:
- Spain’s consistency: De la Fuente has generally kept a settled core around Simón, Laporte, Cucurella, Rodri, Yamal and Olmo, with Baena and Oyarzabal proving how strong his bench is.
- England’s choices: Tuchel has rotated more freely. England beat Croatia 7-0 and Czechia 3-0 in the weeks after the Wembley defeat, so expect competition for places in attack and midfield.
Final word
The Wembley game showed how finely balanced this fixture is: England scored twice and missed a penalty, yet Spain’s depth decided it. Keep an eye on the official Spain National Football Team vs England National Football Team Lineups before kick-off in Madrid, because the starting XIs and early substitutions will say a lot about how each coach plans to win the group.
Frequently asked questions
1. When is the next Spain vs England match? The next meeting is on Sunday 15 November 2026 at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, with kick-off at 20:45 CET (19:45 GMT). It is the last group-stage match in the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League.
2. What was the score in the latest Spain vs England match? Spain won 3-2 at Wembley on 26 September 2026. Yamal, Baena and Oyarzabal scored for Spain, while Gordon and Kane scored for England.
3. When are the official lineups announced? Starting XIs are usually confirmed about an hour before kick-off. Predicted lineups published earlier are based on team news and recent selections, so they can change.
4. Who has the better recent record, Spain or England? Spain. They won 7 of the last 10 meetings, England won 2 and one match was drawn. Spain also won the last three meetings: the Euro 2024 final and the two Nations League games in 2018 and 2026 that they won.
5. Who manages and captains each team? Thomas Tuchel manages England and Harry Kane captains the side. Luis de la Fuente manages Spain, and Rodri is their captain.
Croatia vs England Lineups: Starting XIs, Form and Head-to-Head
One thought on “Spain National Football Team vs England National Football Team Lineups”