England ended Spain’s unbeaten run in competitive matches at 44 on Sunday, beating the world champions 3-2 on their own patch, while Belgium thumped Italy 4-1 to join France in the Nations League quarter-finals.

Thomas Tuchel’s team won Group A3, level on 15 points with Spain, after the hugely impressive win in Madrid in which La Roja were for long periods made to look a shadow of the team which won the World Cup.

But the Three Lions ended up down to 10 men and hanging on by their fingernails before inflicting on Spain a first defeat in a competitive fixture since March 2023.

Asked by ITV whether this was England’s best performance of his reign as coach, Tuchel said: “Under the circumstances, against who and where we played, yeah. [We showed] what we are made of and what we can do,” added Tuchel, saying his team were motivated by their third place at the World Cup.

“We are always ready to push our limits. We had our best result in 60 years, and we weren’t happy with it. It’s impressive what we did in the last two camps.”

Harry Kane put the away side deservedly ahead on the stroke of half-time, netting from the penalty spot, his record-extending 93rd England goal.

Ezri Konsa struck just after the break before Ben White gave England a barely-believable lead in the 57th minute when he latched onto Jude Bellingham’s pass and finished between Unai Simon’s legs.

England needed that cushion. Moments later, they found themselves a man down when Elliot Anderson hauled back Lamine Yamal in the box, conceding a penalty and a red card.

Mikel Oyarzabal slotted home the spot-kick with Spain’s first shot on target to set up a grandstand finish and bring back memories of England’s collapse against Argentina, which cost them a place in the World Cup final.

Those jitters intensified when Nico Williams slammed home Lamine Yamal’s inch-perfect cross with 15 minutes remaining, but England just about held out under a Spanish onslaught.

‘Renewed Shine’

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente insisted his team would return from the defeat with “renewed shine” and ready for a new challenge.

“I’m very optimistic and I think that now a new stage begins, a new challenge, and it’s about starting again the same way we started back then, I don’t even remember when, by winning,” De la Fuente told reporters.

Spain had already qualified for the Nations League quarter-finals, which will be played next year.

“In March we’ll come back with renewed shine, and focused on getting through the knockout round, reaching the Nations League finals again and trying to win it,” continued De la Fuente.

De la Fuente said the defeat only served to show his team how impressive their record run was.

“It brings us back down to earth and shows how hard it was to achieve everything we’ve achieved,” said De la Fuente.

Belgium rout Italy

Sitting third in Group A1 ahead of kick-off and needing a win to qualify for the last eight, Belgium had their backs up against the wall when Francesco Pio Esposito volleyed Italy ahead in the 11th minute.

But Belgium blew Italy away in the following quarter of an hour, with Maxim De Cuyper and Nathan Ngoy bundling the hosts ahead before Jeremy Doku slalomed through the Azzurri defence and confidently shot home.

Mark van Bommel’s team deservedly claimed a spot in the quarters and made sure the scoreline reflected the balance of play when one of many attacks against an open Italy defence ended with Diego Moreira slotting home with 10 minutes remaining.

A dismal night for Italy, who were top of the group after beating France last time out and just needed a draw to go through, was made even worse when Senne Lammens saved Esposito’s weak late penalty.

“Nights like this can happen, unfortunately. These things can happen during a rebuilding process,” said Italy boss Roberto Mancini. “We’re disappointed, but this is the kind of night that will ultimately prove useful to us.”

France top the group after bouncing back from defeat to Italy with a 2-1 win over rock-bottom Turkiye in Bordeaux.

Les Bleus will head into the draw for the last eight, scheduled for Friday in Nyon, Switzerland, as a seeded team, a position that ensures they will host the return leg in March 2027 but could mean they face Spain.

An Emirhan Topcu own goal just after half-time and Eli Junior Kroupi’s first goal for France were enough for Zinedine Zidane’s team to prevail and take the top spot in the final round of matches.

Bournemouth forward Kroupi, 20, replaced Bradley Barcola just past the hour and made it 2-0 from a Rayan Cherki assist, before Abdulkerim Bardakci pulled one back for Turkiye at the death.

“At first I thought I was offside, but when I saw the goal had been given it was an incredible feeling,” Kroupi, who has only just returned after missing the first two months of the season due to injury, told broadcaster TF1.

“Of course, I was thinking about my injury. I hope I have left all that behind me and I can look forward now.”