Harry Kane believes England are closing the gap on Spain despite the Three Lions suffering a 3-2 defeat to the world champions in their UEFA Nations League opener at Wembley.
England produced an impressive attacking display for long periods and twice took the lead after falling behind early, but Spain responded strongly in the second half to secure victory and extend their unbeaten run to 39 matches.
Kane, who captained England and scored their second goal, said the performance showed that Thomas Tuchel’s side are capable of competing with the best teams in international football.
“I think we’re close, without a doubt,” Kane said after the match. “I think anyone who watched that game will see that.”
The England captain, however, acknowledged that Spain currently have the silverware to support their position among the leading teams in world football.
“They have the trophies to back it up, so until we do that, we can only use words. We have to show it on the pitch,” he added.
The contest at Wembley offered England an opportunity to respond after their disappointing World Cup campaign, and the hosts initially struggled to contain Spain.
Lamine Yamal capitalised on a defensive error from Marc Guehi to put Spain ahead inside the opening two minutes. The Barcelona forward collected the loose ball before curling his effort into the net.
Spain created further opportunities before England gradually found their rhythm. The hosts were rewarded in the 36th minute when Anthony Gordon finished a rapid counter-attacking move after Jude Bellingham released him into space.
England completed the turnaround just four minutes later. Nico O’Reilly delivered a cross into the penalty area and Kane rose to head the ball towards goal, with a deflection off Marc Cucurella helping it find the net.
The home side entered half-time with a 2-1 advantage and appeared to have gained control of the contest.
Kane then had a major opportunity to put England two goals ahead early in the second half after the hosts were awarded a penalty following a VAR review for a foul by Rodri on Bellingham.
However, the Bayern Munich striker slipped as he took the spot-kick and saw his effort crash against the crossbar. The miss proved to be a significant moment in the match.
Spain took advantage of the opening and levelled in the 60th minute through substitute Alex Baena. England struggled to deal with Spain’s pressure before Baena found space and placed his shot beyond James Trafford.
The visitors then completed their comeback when Mikel Oyarzabal lifted the ball over Trafford in the 68th minute after being played through by Baena.
England pushed for an equaliser during the closing stages but could not find another goal, leaving Spain with a 3-2 victory.
For Kane, the result did not erase the positive aspects of England’s performance. The striker argued that the Three Lions had demonstrated that they can compete with Spain, while admitting that the decisive moments ultimately went against his side.
“We showed a lot of good things on the pitch, but in the big moments, we didn’t quite have it,” Kane said.
He also pointed to England’s recent tournament record, noting that the team finished third at the World Cup, while Spain went on to claim major international honours.
“But we’re top four in the world. We finished third in the World Cup, so without a doubt, we’re close,” Kane said.
The defeat nevertheless highlighted the fine margins separating the two teams. England had opportunities to increase their advantage, particularly through Kane’s penalty, but Spain showed their ability to punish mistakes and change the direction of the game.
The result also continued Spain’s remarkable run of form. Their victory at Wembley extended their unbeaten streak in official matches to 39 games, further underlining the consistency of Luis de la Fuente’s team.
For England, the challenge now is to turn encouraging performances against elite opposition into victories. Kane’s message was clear: England may be approaching Spain, but the next step must come on the pitch.
With the Nations League campaign still ahead, the Three Lions will have further opportunities to demonstrate whether the progress seen against the world champions can translate into results when the pressure is highest.
