Harry Kane acknowledged that England might have secured a victory over Spain “on a different day” after starting their Nations League journey with a 3-2 loss to the reigning world champions.
In the match, England rallied from an early setback caused by a Marc Guehi mistake that allowed Lamine Yamal to score in the second minute. Shortly after, Anthony Gordon and Kane both found the net within a rapid four-minute span during the first half.
However, Kane hit the crossbar with a penalty attempt after slipping, and Spain made a comeback, with Alex Baena equalizing shortly thereafter.
Mikel Oyarzabal then snatched the win for Spain, adding salt to the wounds for England as he had also scored the decisive goal in the Euro 2024 final.
This defeat marked the first time England lost a match having led at halftime since June 2019 against the Netherlands in the Nations League. Prior to this, they had triumphed in 41 of their last 42 encounters when holding a half-time advantage (with one draw).
Kane has netted 17 goals in 19 matches for England under Thomas Tuchel. Despite scoring 39 of his 40 penalties across various competitions in 2023, he has now missed three out of 16 spot-kicks in all competitions in 2026.
“I mentioned earlier that we reached solid levels at the World Cup but didn’t manage a complete 90 minutes,” Kane shared with ITV Sport. “It felt quite similar again. We experienced a few strong moments; that stretch was among our best performances in a long time, and we know we can reach that standard.”
“Competing against the world and European champions, we held our own. On another day, we would have won this match,” he added. “We need to focus on the positives and regroup for our next match.”
The #ThreeLions were narrowly defeated by the world champions at @WembleyStadium. pic.twitter.com/7Zx4Dx48ih
— England (@England) September 26, 2026
England has allowed three or more goals in consecutive games for the first time since June 1995, following their 6-4 win over France in the World Cup third-place play-off.
In total, they have conceded 13 goals across their last six competitive fixtures, nearly double the seven goals conceded in their first 17 games under Tuchel.
Additionally, this match marked the first instance of England making two errors leading to goals in a competitive game since June 2019 against the Netherlands in the Nations League.
“It feels like a missed opportunity,” Gordon told ITV Sport. “The match was exciting to watch and participate in; some of our attacking play was top-notch. However, in games like this, mistakes can cost you dearly.”
“You often feel you handed it away rather than them earning it. But it can be argued both ways, as both teams matched each other well. I’m just really disappointed about the errors,” he added.
Gordon’s goal came from a quick counter-attack, just days after he emphasized the need for England to focus on their strengths instead of mimicking other teams’ styles. When asked if his goal epitomized England’s playing philosophy, he responded, “In a way, yes; it reflects my remarks on being direct and fast, keeping opponents on the back foot. However, it’s bittersweet because it didn’t lead to a win.”
“As I mentioned before, I don’t see a significant gap to Spain; we’re right there. I believe we could easily win this game. Confidence doesn’t always guarantee victories, but tonight showed that we’re a top team.”
### Fan Take:
This match highlights the ongoing evolution of the England squad as they face top-tier competition, suggesting they are on the verge of significant breakthroughs. Such performances could signal a new era for English soccer, sparking optimism among fans about their team’s potential future successes and resilience on the global stage.
Source: www.soccernews.com
