Yamal's early goal presents England with a Nations League challenge
After falling behind, world champions Spain showed in the Nations League opening match at Wembley that an early goal can dictate the course, when Lamine Yamal put the ball in the net and forced England into a backward position. The early lead was the result of a duel between Ballon d'Or contenders, which shaped the tension of the entire game.
Early Lead and Ballon d'Or Duel
Lamine Yamal, the right‑sided winger, took advantage of a loss of possession by centre‑back Marc Guéhi to shove the ball into the net and give Spain the first lead. The duel of the Ballon d'Or candidates was decided by Yamal with Spain against Harry Kane’s England, with both superstars scoring once each.
England responded quickly: Anthony Gordon used a lightning‑fast counter‑attack to equalise in the 38th minute. Despite the early deficit, the English defence remained vulnerable, and the team could not hold onto the ball for long.
Just two minutes later, Bayern star Harry Kane turned the score upside down again, heading the ball after a cross from Marc Cucurella. The goal put England in the lead and swung the game once more.
Spain aims to seal a new era in the Wembley duel against England
In the group’s parallel match, Luka Modrić, who was playing at 41 years old, scored shortly after the restart to make it 1‑0 for Croatia. The 41‑year‑old midfielder demonstrated that experience in an international tournament is still valuable.
Parallel Match of Croatia and Switzerland
Croatia, led by Luka Modrić, won their match 2‑1, while Switzerland triumphed convincingly in North Macedonia with a 3‑0 victory. Both teams benefited from early goals – Zeki Amdouni opened the scoring for Switzerland, Remo Freuler laid the foundation.
Lamine Yamal opens, Anthony Gordon equalises in the Nations League
The game revealed a clear contrast: while Spain dominated the match after an early lead by Yamal and England eventually lost, Croatia and Switzerland were also able to take control through early goals. The encounters show how decisive quick possession and an early goal can be in international competition.