Nearly nine months after their encounter in the Euro 2025 final, England and Spain will face each other again on Tuesday evening at Wembley Stadium, where over 70,000 fans are expected to gather. This match is part of the qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup, a tournament where the two nations also met in the final during the previous edition.<\/p>\n
Despite the short time since their last meeting in Basel, Spain has undergone significant changes, including a new head coach and a wave of promising young talent. Under the leadership of Sonia Berm\u00fadez, who succeeded Montse Tom\u00e9, Spain has already secured a trophy, clinching the Nations League title. They have maintained an impressive unbeaten streak following the Euros, achieving five victories and one draw in their last six matches.<\/p>\n
England’s head coach, Sarina Wiegman, noted, “While they have introduced some new players, their core identity remains unchanged. They have a strong desire to control the game, displaying dynamic play with an emphasis on advancing, regardless of possession.” She added, “I don\u2019t anticipate significant alterations in their style; there may be minor adjustments, but fundamentally, it will remain consistent.”<\/p>\n
The list of up-and-coming players to watch from the Spanish side is extensive. One notable name is Atl\u00e9tico Madrid midfielder Fiamma Ben\u00edtez, who has made a significant impact this season with seven goal contributions in the Champions League, the highest among players from teams that did not reach the quarter-finals. Her ability to read the game and make intelligent runs into the box led to her being chosen as an impactful substitute for Alexia Putellas in Spain’s last two matches, during which she scored three goals in five appearances for Atl\u00e9tico.<\/p>\n
Another young prospect is Barcelona winger Vicky L\u00f3pez, who participated as a substitute in last summer’s final and has since established herself as a regular starter. Berm\u00fadez faces a decision regarding her central striker position; Esther Gonz\u00e1lez is back from maternity leave, while Edna Imade of Real Sociedad has impressed with her recent performances, scoring in victories against Iceland and Ukraine. There is also the option of Barcelona\u2019s Salma Paralluelo.<\/p>\n
As new talent emerges, some established players are notably absent. Ballon d’Or recipient Aitana Bonmat\u00ed continues to recover from a broken leg sustained late last year, and Laia Aleixandri, a former Manchester City defender, underwent surgery for an anterior cruciate ligament injury in February.<\/p>\n
For England, currently leading their qualifying group on goal difference over Spain, there are concerns regarding Leah Williamson’s fitness. The captain has been sidelined since March due to a hamstring injury but participated in training with the national team at St George\u2019s Park on Monday. Wiegman stated, “We have been very cautious with her, and she is being careful too. Her club has also been diligent. We devised a return plan, and she is adhering to it well; however, I prefer not to disclose further details.” <\/p>\n
England will certainly need to adjust their starting lineup from the one that triumphed over Spain in Switzerland, as midfielder Ella Toone is unavailable due to injury. Jess Park is expected to step in for her Manchester United teammate, joining an attacking lineup that will likely feature in-form players such as Alessia Russo, Lauren James, and Lauren Hemp.<\/p>\n
Keira Walsh is poised to earn her 100th cap, and Wiegman expressed her admiration for the Chelsea midfielder, stating, “She possesses incredible vision and understanding of the game. Upon joining the team, I realized she is even better than I had anticipated. She plays a crucial role in guiding the team in our desired style of play.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nearly nine months after their encounter in the Euro 2025 final, England and Spain will face each other again on Tuesday evening at Wembley Stadium, where over 70,000 fans are expected to gather. This match is part of the qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup, a tournament where the two nations also met in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8975,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1055,251,2069,569,88,360,2068],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uk-england-women-s-football-team","category-uk-football","category-uk-spain-women-s-football-team","category-uk-sport","category-uk","category-uk-women-s-football","category-uk-women-s-world-cup-2027-qualifiers"],"yoast_head":"\n