Spain aims to seal a new era in the Wembley duel against England

Spain start on Saturday at 20:45 at the sold‑out Wembley Stadium in London with their Nations League match against England, just two months after the triumph in East Rutherford, and they appear for the first time as the new world champion, as coach Luis de la Fuente emphasized before kickoff.

De la Fuente and the success story

The 65‑year‑old coach took over the Spanish national team in December 2022, led them in June 2023 to the final victory in the Nations League and thereby laid the foundation for the Euro 2024 title as well as the World Cup triumph in 2026. “It is a new story, a new film. And we want to be the stars of this new film,” said Luis de la Fuente. Hannah McKay of Reuters conducted the interview.

La Roja have been unbeaten for 38 games; in 50 internationals under De la Fuente there have been only two defeats, both decided by penalty shoot‑outs. The coach stresses that the hunger for further success has not waned: “I know their character. We will be incredibly focused from the start. That is our mentality.”

The upcoming test against England at Wembley Stadium is exactly the right start to the next period. De la Fuente said: “Playing England at Wembley – you don’t need any further motivation. They are the perfect opponent to get back into the swing immediately.”

For the Nations League, De la Fuente emphasizes that all upcoming opponents will be motivated to challenge the new world champion. “We have to be as motivated as the opponents. If we don’t reach that level, we will not win,” he added.

De la Fuente praises Spanish comeback in Nations League duel

England: Motivation after World Cup disaster

England, which after the dramatic semi‑final against Argentina (1‑2) fell behind with a lost 1‑0 lead, is led by 53‑year‑old team manager Thomas Tuchel. “I don’t feel that we are making a fresh start,” Tuchel said, emphasizing that they are building on a solid and valuable foundation.

Tuchel also stressed that throughout the World Cup he felt the full support of his superiors and never doubted his future with the “Three Lions”. The goal of the English side is to win the home Euro 2028, after they will be hosts together with Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

The 25‑year‑old winger Anthony Gordon explained that England will not try to imitate the Spanish style of play. “We do not have the strength to control games the way the Spaniards do. We will be physical, direct and rely on counter‑attacks,” he said.

Spain pushes its bid for the Nations League 2027 final four

Both teams enter the duel with high motivation, which is seen as a litmus test for the upcoming Nations League phase. Spain wants to confirm its dominance as the new world champion, while England aims to return to the top at Wembley Stadium after the World Cup setback.