Clash of the giants at Wembley: England vs Spain match prediction
On Saturday, September 26, England and Spain will meet in the opening round of League A of the UEFA Nations League. The showdown will take place at the legendary Wembley Stadium in London, with kick-off at 20:45 CET. I’m backing goals in this clash.
H2H and statistical facts
- Spain have scored first in each of their previous seven meetings.
- Both teams have scored in each of England’s previous five matches.
- England have conceded in five consecutive matches.
- Spain have won their last seven matches.
- Spain have won 11 matches against England, another four have ended in draws, while the English have prevailed 13 times.
England
Thomas Tuchel’s team enjoyed an impressive World Cup campaign in terms of results. England won their group, then saw off DR Congo, Mexico and Norway before suffering a 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the semifinals. In the third-place play-off, England produced a thrilling goal-fest against France and won 6-4. As a result, after the painful semifinal defeat, the team managed to finish the tournament on a high.
For the new cycle, Tuchel decided to make several changes to the squad. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer, who had missed the World Cup, returned to the roster. Palmer’s comeback was particularly intriguing: the coach had highlighted his prolific start to the club season and was keen to have a player capable of adding creativity in attack back at his disposal.
However, England’s personnel situation deteriorated significantly just before the match against Spain. Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Tino Livramento all withdrew from the squad due to injuries. Tuchel brought in James Garner and Morgan Gibbs-White as replacements for Mainoo and Rice, but the losses in midfield are especially significant.
Even so, Tuchel still has a formidable group of players at his disposal. Jude Bellingham can take on the role of the main link-up player in midfield, while England’s attacking options include Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers.
- Also read: Africa Cup of Nations: Egypt vs Angola. Prediction for the qualification match on September 25
Spain
Spain arrive at Wembley in a completely different emotional state. Two months ago, Luis de la Fuente’s team won the World Cup, defeating Austria, Portugal, Belgium and France in succession before beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final. Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the decider.
Following their title triumph, de la Fuente made virtually no changes to the winning team. Twenty-two players from the championship-winning squad remain in the Nations League roster. The key figures include Rodri, Pedri, Fabián Ruiz, Martín Zubimendi, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal. Dani Olmo has also returned, while Fermín López, who missed the World Cup through injury, has received another call-up.
Spain’s losses appear less significant than England’s, although some changes were unavoidable. Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García is out after suffering a knee injury. Gavi is suspended for this match following the sanction he received after the World Cup final, while Marcos Llorente has retired from international football.
Spain’s main advantage lies in their cohesion and the preservation of the structure that brought them the world title. In midfield, de la Fuente can call on Rodri, Pedri, Fabián, Zubimendi and Merino, while his attacking options are even broader: Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres and Oyarzabal give him the tools to change the nature of the game as the match unfolds.
Probable line-ups
- England: Pickford, Alexander-Arnold, Konsa, Guehi, O’Riley, Garner, Anderson, Bellingham, Saka, Rogers, Kane.
- Spain: Simón, Cucurella, Huijsen, Cubarsí, García, Ruiz, Rodri, Fermín López, Williams, Yamal, Oyarzabal.
What to bet on?
The Wembley clash will be an intriguing collision between two very different situations. England have the chance to begin a new cycle after winning bronze at the World Cup, but they head into the game with major losses in midfield and attack. Spain, by contrast, have retained the core of their championship-winning side and have barely altered their structure. At the same time, home advantage could help England compensate for some of their personnel problems. Taking all these factors into account, I’m backing both teams to score.
