Spain v England at the Metropolitano tonight settles first place in UEFA Nations League Group A3. Both teams are already in the quarter-finals, so what is at stake in Madrid is position rather than survival.
Spain have the easier task. A draw will do for Luis de la Fuente’s side, while Thomas Tuchel’s England must win. Kick-off is at 20:45 CET (19:45 UK).
Three Points Between Them
The Group A3 table going into the final round:
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 5 | +9 | 15 |
| 2 | England | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 4 | +12 | 12 |
| 3 | Croatia | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 16 | −11 | 3 |
| 4 | Czechia | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 12 | −10 | 0 |
An England win would leave both sides on 15 points, and UEFA’s tie-breakers look first at the matches between them. Spain took the first one 3-2 at Wembley in September. Win by two goals or more tonight and England edge the head-to-head on goal difference. A one-goal win would leave the two meetings level on points, goal difference and goals scored, so overall goal difference would decide it, and England’s is far better. Put simply, any England victory takes them top, and any other result keeps Spain there.
Spain: Five From Five, and Yamal Could Be Back
Five wins from five, yet Thursday’s 2-0 victory in Prague was hard work. According to UEFA’s matchday preview, the world and European champions were missing the injured Lamine Yamal and several other regulars that night.
No Spain player has scored more in this campaign than Yamal’s four, and he could feature tonight. Álex Baena, meanwhile, has scored twice and set up two more in his five outings.
England: Kane’s Record Night and a Score to Settle
England made sure of their quarter-final place on Thursday by beating Croatia 2-1 at Wembley. Harry Kane scored the winning penalty on the night he collected a record 126th cap, which made him the most-capped player in the history of England’s men’s team. He now has seven Nations League goals this season.
“It’s the perfect opportunity now on Sunday to try and prove ourselves,” the captain said, as quoted by UEFA.
UEFA’s match centre reports that Tuchel will give James Trafford a start in goal. History offers England some encouragement too: their last away game against Spain, in Seville in 2018, ended in a 3-2 England win.
Osijek: The Fight for Third
Croatia v Czechia kicks off at the same time in Osijek. Slaven Bilić’s Croatia, on three points, are guaranteed third place if they avoid defeat. After Thursday’s defeat, the coach said, as quoted by UEFA: “We can’t exactly celebrate or feel proud about a loss, but we have to separate the result from the performance.”
Czechia, still without a point, must win. Croatia beat them 2-1 in Prague on Matchday 1, but a one-goal Czech win would cancel that out and send it to overall goal difference, where Czechia are one goal better off. Any Czech victory would therefore lift them into third.
Ninety Minutes for First Place
Spain v England carries no qualification jeopardy, only the question of who leads the group into the last eight. England need a win; Spain need to avoid defeat.
FAQ
Who is the referee in Madrid?
Clément Turpin of France, according to UEFA’s match page.
Is Group A1 also settled tonight?
Yes. Belgium v Italy and France v Türkiye decide which two teams go through, after Italy beat France 3-1 on Thursday. Our Group A1 preview explains every scenario.
Why does third or fourth place matter in League A?
The four League A sides that finish third are ranked against one another, and so are the four that finish fourth. Those two rankings decide who stays in League A, who goes into the League A/B play-offs and who drops to League B.
