Spain much-changed but DNA will test England in first clash since Euro 2025 final

Eight-and-a-half months after they locked horns in the final of Euro 2025, England and Spain meet again on Tuesday night in front of more than 70,000 spectators at Wembley, continuing their qualification campaigns for another tournament in which they met in the final last time out; the Women’s World Cup.

Despite the relatively brief period since events in Basel, Spain arrive in London with a noticeably fresh look in the shape of a new head coach and a crop of emerging young players. They have already won a trophy under Sonia Bermúdez, who led them to the Nations League title after replacing Montse Tomé, and, unlike England, are unbeaten since the Euros, with Bermúdez having overseen five wins and a draw in six matches.

“They have some other players but their DNA stays the same,” said England head coach, Sarina Wiegman, on the eve of Tuesday’s qualifier. “They really want to have the ball. They play very dynamically and they really want to go forward, whether that’s in-possession or out-of-possession.

“I don’t think that’s going to change because that’s totally in their system and in their DNA. So yes, there might be some little tweaks, but in principle it will be very similar. And that’s what we’ve seen also with the new coach coming.”

The visitors’ ones-to-watch list is numerous and entering contention this season are youngsters such as the in-form Atlético Madrid midfielder Fiamma Benítez, whose seven goal-contributions in the Champions League this season was more than any other player whose side did not reach the quarter-finals. The 21-year-old’s vision and clever darts into the penalty area are partly why Bermúdez brought her on to replace Alexia Putellas as an impact substitute in each of Spain’s past two matches. Since then she has scored three goals in five Atlético games.

The Barcelona winger Vicky López, another young talent, was a late substitute for Spain during last summer’s final and has subsequently become a regular starter under Bermúdez, who also has a choice to make in regards to her central striker, with Esther González available again after returning from maternity leave and Real Sociedad’s Edna Imade impressing with goals in Spain’s recent wins over Iceland and Ukraine. Bermúdez could also opt for Barcelona’s Salma Paralluelo.

Chloe Kelly scores the decisive penalty against Spain’s Cata Coll to win the shootout and the Euro 2025 final for England. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

As young stars break into the team, established figures are notable with that absence, no one more so than Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, who remains sidelined after suffering a broken leg towards the end of last year. Spain will also be without the former Manchester City centre-back Laia Aleixandri on Tuesday after she underwent surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament injury in February.

For England, who top thequalifying group on goal difference above Spain, Leah Williamson is an injury doubt. The England captain has been out of action since March with a hamstring injury but trained with her international teammates at St George’s Park on Monday. ““We have been really careful with her, and she’s careful, her club have been careful,” Wiegman said. “We made a plan [for her return]. She’s good in this plan and I don’t want to give anything more away. But she is moving forward well.”

England will definitely have to make at least one change from the starting XI that beat Spain in Switzerland, with midfielder Ella Toone sidelined through injury. Jess Park will likely start in her Manchester United teammate’s place as part of an England attack that should also include the in-form Alessia Russo, Lauren James and Lauren Hemp.

Meanwhile Keira Walsh is in line to win her 100th cap. Praising the Chelsea midfielder, Wiegman said: “She has enormous vision and game understanding. When I came in, I thought ‘Oh, [she’s] even better than I thought’. She is an important player in leading the team in how we want to play.”