Wiegman pays price for lack of defensive pragmatism as Spain expose technical gap | Tom Garry

As the game ticked into second-half stoppage time, Spain were almost showboating, Aitana Bonmatí flicking the ball around the pitch with grace, style and a swagger that sent out an emphatic message: Spain are significantly better than England. On a balmy evening in Palma, the world champions taught the European champions a painful lesson. The scoreline was one thing but, more alarmingly, the undeniable gulf in technical ability between the teams gave the Lionesses a brutal reality check, a year out from the Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Yes, it is OK to still talk about England preparing for that World Cup, despite the fact that Spain are now in pole position to secure automatic qualification at England’s expense, probably sending Sarina Wiegman’s team into a two-round playoff process later this year. Given the playoff format, England will still be hugely fancied to qualify. There is no need for panic. But England’s objective is not to merely qualify – their dream is to win a first world title and that ambition, right now, looks a long way off. Of course it is less than 11 months since England got the better of Spain in the European Championship final , but what became clear with Friday’s heavy defeat, was that 2025’s glorious triumph in Basel came as a result of every England player being right at the very top of their game, and the team nailing their tactical plan, whereas this game showed that, player-for-player, Spain are superior. …