England 2-3 Spain: Oyarzabal Does It Again at Wembley
England 2-3 Spain. The world champions came from 2-1 down to win the Euro 2024 final rematch at Wembley, and they did it the way they did it in Berlin two summers ago: Mikel Oyarzabal, off the bench, with the decisive goal. Lamine Yamal scored inside two minutes, Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane turned it around before half-time, Kane missed a penalty that would have made it 3-1, and substitutes Álex Baena and Oyarzabal finished the comeback. We predicted a shelf war in our pre-match guide; the match was somehow louder.
Two Minutes In: The Worst Start Possible
Thomas Tuchel called it "the worst start possible" and the data agrees with him. With 120 seconds gone, Marc Guehi - the last man - lost the ball to Lamine Yamal, and the 19-year-old drove into the box and slid it past James Trafford. According to Opta, it was the earliest goal England had conceded at Wembley since Scotland scored in the first minute in 1957; only Hungary's first-minute strike in 1953 was earlier. It could have been worse: Ferran Torres had a second ruled out for offside inside eight minutes, and Trafford saved well when Yamal threaded another runner through on 16 minutes.
Four Minutes That Flipped Wembley
England's response was the best football Tuchel's side played all night, and it came in two punches. On 36 minutes, Gordon and Jude Bellingham combined on the break - a back-heel, a run into open field, a precise finish past Unai Simon for 1-1. Four minutes later Nico O'Reilly broke down the left and crossed for Kane, whose header deflected off Marc Cucurella and beat Simon for 2-1. Ninety thousand people, half-time, England ahead. The comeback script was written. Then it was shredded.
The Penalty That Hit the Bar
The night hinged on four second-half minutes. On 53 minutes, VAR sent referee Massa to the screen after Rodri caught Bellingham in the box; penalty. Kane stepped up at 2-1, slipped on his standing foot, sent Simon the wrong way - and crashed it against the crossbar. "We couldn't convert the penalty, which might have been the decisive moment," Tuchel said afterwards. "Spain would have believed for the first time that their unbeaten run ends here." He is probably right. It is also the second huge Wembley penalty moment of Kane's career that will be replayed for years.
De la Fuente's Bench Won It
Spain's manager read the swing better. Álex Baena came on and, on the hour, levelled with a clinical right-footed strike from the edge of the area after Dani Olmo's set-up - 2-2, six minutes after the missed penalty. Sixteen minutes from time Baena slid a pass through for Oyarzabal, who did to Trafford what he did to England in the Euro 2024 final: one touch, a delicate dink over the goalkeeper, 3-2. Two substitutes, one goal and one assist each. Spain have now gone more than two years unbeaten, and this was their first win at Wembley in this run that truly felt stolen.
Tuchel Says England Dominated. The Scoreboard Disagrees.
"After the tenth minute, I think we were the better team - we dominated," Tuchel told ITV. There is some truth in it: England produced 37 touches in Spain's box to Spain's 15, and their counter-attacking plan worked twice. But the mistakes were all theirs - Guehi's for the opener, O'Reilly's in the build-up to the second, the missed penalty for the insurance goal. England were brave and careless at the same time, and against this Spain team careless is fatal. The bronze-medallists from the summer now sit bottom of Group A3 on zero points.
What It Means for Group A3
Spain and Croatia - 2-1 winners in Czechia, thanks to Modric and Pasalic - are the early leaders on three points each. England's response comes fast: Czechia away in Prague on Tuesday 29 September, then Croatia in Rijeka on 3 October. Every result lands on our Nations League standings and schedule page, updated after each matchday.
Our Read: The Winners' Shirt Just Got Louder
We said before the game: buy the red first. A 3-2 comeback at Wembley, sealed by the second star's generation, does not change that answer - it underlines it. The Spain 2026 Home Winners Shirt at $38.90 is now the shirt of two Wembley nights. For England, the white home at $38.90 (Saka print the same price) is the one this team wears into Prague on Tuesday. Our Spain collection runs 191 deep; the England collection has 94. Both are restocked this week.
Shop England vs Spain - Nine Picks In Stock
What was the England vs Spain score in the Nations League?
Spain won 3-2 at Wembley on Saturday 26 September 2026. Lamine Yamal scored in the 2nd minute, Anthony Gordon (36') and Harry Kane (40') put England 2-1 up at half-time, then substitutes Álex Baena (60') and Mikel Oyarzabal (74') completed Spain's comeback after Kane missed a 54th-minute penalty.
Did Harry Kane miss a penalty against Spain?
Yes. With England 2-1 up, Kane slipped on his standing foot and hit the crossbar from the spot in the 54th minute. The penalty had been awarded after a VAR review of Rodri's challenge on Jude Bellingham.
Who scored for Spain against England at Wembley?
Lamine Yamal opened the scoring in the 2nd minute after a Marc Guehi error - the earliest goal England have conceded at Wembley in almost 70 years. Substitutes Álex Baena (60') and Mikel Oyarzabal (74') scored the second-half goals, with Baena also assisting the winner.
What is Spain's unbeaten run after beating England?
Spain have now gone more than two years unbeaten, the longest active run in international football. Their last defeat pre-dates their Euro 2024 title, the 2025 Nations League final run and the 2026 World Cup win.
When do England play next in the Nations League?
England travel to Czechia on Tuesday 29 September, then face Croatia in Rijeka on 3 October. Spain host Croatia on 29 September. All Group A3 tables and fixtures are tracked on our standings page, updated after every matchday.
Match facts cross-checked against UEFA's match report, BBC Sport and Goal.com's minute-by-minute coverage — Pro Sports Kit
