Spain and England face each other in the decisive sixth round of Group A3 in the Nations League. The match will be played at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid and kicks off at 21:45 Bulgarian time. Spain need a draw to retain first place, while England must win to top the standings.
The world champions enter the match with a perfect record of five wins. In the previous round, Spain beat the Czech Republic 2-0 away from home, with the victory extending the team’s run to 43 matches without defeat in normal time – 34 wins and 9 draws. Luis de la Fuente’s side have already secured their place in the knockout stage for the fourth consecutive time. In the previous three editions, the Spaniards reached the final.
De la Fuente also has an impressive home record. Under his management, Spain have not lost on home soil, while their last defeat in front of their home crowd came against Switzerland in September 2022.
England kept their chances of finishing top alive with a 2-1 victory over Croatia. The win secured the Three Lions’ place in the quarter-finals and gave them the opportunity to challenge for the top spot in the final match of the group stage.
Thomas Tuchel’s team have not lost away from home for more than four years. However, the English will have to end Spain’s run if they want to finish first. In the first match between the two sides in the tournament, Spain won 3-2 at Wembley.
Harry Kane, who scored in the victory over Croatia and set a new record for goals for England, described the upcoming match as an opportunity for revenge. “This is the perfect opportunity on Sunday to try to prove ourselves,” the captain told ITV.
England have won only two of their last ten meetings with Spain, along with one draw and seven defeats. The losses include the Euro 2024 final, which ended in a 2-1 victory for the Spaniards. Spain also won the first match in the current Nations League campaign, leaving the visitors in a situation where only a victory will allow them to finish top.
The match will be broadcast on DIEMA SPORT 3.