Lamine Yamal lets Spain dominate, Harry Kane gives England's victory

On Tuesday evening, Spain defeated Croatia 4-1 at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, while England triumphed 2-0 over the Czech Republic in Prague; both matches were decided by early goals from Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane respectively, and thus pushed their respective group positions further forward.

Yamal again displayed his lightning speed, when after just 70 seconds he received the ball from Álex Baena, dribbled past Fermin López and got past Dominik Livaković in the far corner. The 17-year-old striker thus scored the first goal for the Spaniards and left Croatia immediately with no chance.

Yamal's early fireworks

Only a few minutes later, in the 31st minute, Marc Pubill turned a cross from Yamal into the 2-1. Even quicker came a second goal, when Pedri supplied Yamal with a no‑look pass and he struck from close range. The young Spaniard finally completed the score in the 63rd minute, when he himself sent the ball into the net with a shot from a sharp angle.

Spanish dominance

The final score of 4-1 reflected Spain's clear superiority; at half‑time it was already 2-1. Coach Luis de la Fuente led his team to a 40‑match unbeaten run before the Nations League 2025 final against Portugal was lost in a penalty shoot‑out (2-2 after extra time). The next opponent is England on Sunday.

Yamal's show in Seville tilts Spain toward Nations League win

England's return

In Prague, team manager Thomas Tuchel opted for a compact lineup, which after an early equaliser by the Czechs went into the second half at 0-0. Anthony Gordon put England ahead in the 47th minute, before Harry Kane extended the result to 2-0 in the 69th minute. Moreover, Trent Alexander‑Arnold returned to the national team after more than a year.

Group position and chance

England's win took the Three Lions to three points, level with Croatia, while the Czech Republic remains without points. The result boosts England's chance to lead the group in the upcoming clash against Spain. Both teams have shown that they count among the favourites in the Nations League.

Nations League at a glance

Spain has remained unbeaten for 40 games, while England, after a 2-3 defeat to the World‑crawlers in the opening match, has returned to winning ways. The Nations League 2025 final, which Portugal won in a penalty shoot‑out, remains a reminder of Spain's still‑unmet objectives.

Lamine Yamal opens scoring as Nations League heats up in Seville

Meanwhile, the Swiss national team secured a clear 3-0 victory in Glasgow, but the squad had to do without Granit Xhaka and Breel Embolo, who were suspended due to forged vaccination certificates.