It’s a blockbuster at Wembley as the World Champions, Spain kick off their new Nations League cycle against England. The Three Lions come in off a heartbreaking Semi Final loss at the World Cup, and will be desperate to send an early statement. We take you through our full preview and best bet below!
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England vs Spain Preview & Betting Tips
Wembley Stadium, Sunday 27th September, 4:45am AEST
Match Preview
World Champions versus Semi Finalists, number one versus number four on the FIFA rankings. One of the world’s most iconic stadiums plays host to a clash between two of the biggest nations in football as England host Spain at Wembley on Sunday morning.
Thomas Tuchel’s side come into this match after a Semi Final defeat to Argentina at the World Cup, conceding in the 85th and 92nd minutes in what was a missed opportunity for a success starved nation.
Spain are riding high after a brilliant World Cup campaign that saw them become World Champions for the second time. Spain knocked off red hot favourites France in a stunning Semi Final performance, before grinding down Argentina 1-0 in the Final.
After a surprising draw with Cabo Verde in their opening game, Spain didn’t put a foot wrong in what was a dominant tournament from their midfield and defence. La Roja were the number one ranked defence and the third ranked midfield at the World Cup
England have had a lot of withdrawals from their squad with Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Kobbe Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Tino Livramento all withdrawing with injury concerns. The absences of Rice, Palmer and Mainoo are particularly concerning for the Three Lions given the quality of Spain’s midfield.
Spain have things better on the injury front, with Pedro Porro the only player from their World Cup Final win that won’t be available.
These two sides have been evenly matched up from a head to head stand point in their last six matches, with Spain slightly having the advantage with a 3-1-2 record. The last game Spain and England met in was the Euro 2024 Final, which was won by Spain.
Match Prediction
The tactical display between these two sides will be a fascinating watch. Spain will be looking to dominate possession and play the game on their tempo, can England find a way to get speed on the game and create consistent attacking opportunities?
Spain were unbelievable from a defensive standpoint at the World Cup, conceding only one goal throughout eight games en route to winning the tournament. Five of Spain’s eight games at the World Cup ended in under 2.5 total goals. While England struggled throughout the tournament when opposing sides either used a low block or dominated possession.
The way Spain play is exactly the manner that England have struggled so long to be successful against, and given some key outs they won’t have, it will be difficult for them to gain ascendancy in the front half. These are two quality sides that will be desperate to come out on top given how difficult Group C looks.
All things point towards a low scoring affair in this match, so Under 2.5 Total Goals is where we will be going in this game.
Total Goals Under 2.5
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
