Tuchel believes England didn't convert enough possession into scoring opportunities.

England, after trailing in their opening match of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League Group C, rallied to take the lead thanks to goals from Gordon and Kane, but conceded another goal in the final stages, ultimately losing 2-3 to Spain. Manager Tuchel stated that while the Three Lions' overall performance was good, they failed to convert enough possession into scoring opportunities.

Early in the match, England defender Goy made a mistake while controlling the ball, allowing Yamal to regain possession and slot home from inside the box, giving Spain a dream start of 1-0. In the 36th minute, Bellingham played a through ball to Gordon, who received it and fired a low shot into the net, leveling the score at 1-1 for England.

In the 40th minute, Nico Aureli crossed from the left, and Kane headed the ball into the net, giving England a 2-1 lead over Spain. In the 51st minute of the second half, Bellingham was tripped by Rodri while trying to receive the ball, resulting in a penalty for England. However, Kane's penalty kick hit the post.

In the 60th minute, Nico Aurelli made a mistake while passing the ball, and Olmo, who gained possession, passed it back to the edge of the penalty area. Alex Baena then unleashed a long-range shot that found the back of the net, helping Spain equalize the score at 2-2.

In the 74th minute, Alex Baena played a through ball to Oyarzabal, who then chipped the ball over England goalkeeper James Trafford to give Spain a 3-2 lead.

Ultimately, England lost 2-3 to Spain at Wembley Stadium.

England manager Thomas Tuchel said, "It was arguably the worst start ever. Against a team like this, falling behind early makes the game very difficult. But the team reacted brilliantly, and I think after about 10 or 12 minutes we became the better side. We still made a couple of serious mistakes and gave them some good chances, but overall we were the better team."

"In the first half, playing at home, we dominated. We created chances and scored two goals. I think we played our best 15 minutes after the second half started. Unfortunately, we failed to convert the penalty, which could have been the decisive moment in the game. If we had made it 3-1, Spain might have believed for the first time that their long unbeaten run could be coming to an end."

In addition, Tuchel said, "Our goal on the counter-attack was brilliant, and we could have created more of those chances. Our commitment off the ball is also a characteristic of the team, as is our commitment off the ball and the courage and boldness we showed when competing for high balls."

“I think we won back possession 12 to 15 more times than Spain in their half. But we failed to convert those possessions into enough chances and goals, otherwise we could have won the game.”

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