England miss out on Nations League finals with defeat
Spain pip Lionesses to top spot in group
Substitute Pina scored quick double as hosts came from behind
Russo's cool finish had put England controversially ahead as Spain claimed for foul in build-up
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FT: Spain 2-1 England
That's it from us tonight, thank you for joining us!
It's not the result that England wanted, but it's probably the one they deserved.
That's not it for Lionesses news this week - Sarina Wiegman will announce her squad for Euro 2025 this summer at 14:00 BST on Thursday.
We'll have comprehensive coverage of that on the BBC Sport website.
Catch you then!
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England made Spain sweat hard for their win & despite the result, I genuinely believe that the tide is turning away from Spain, who have flattered to deceive since they won the World Cup two years ago. I still believe that England will retain their Euro title next month.
John, Cumbria
FT: Spain 2-1 England
Karen Carney
Former England midfielder on ITV
I think we need Lauren James and I think we need Millie Bright back for experience.
It's great we got fitness for Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood.
If we get them back fighting - it's a good position for them.
I'm confident for England going into the group stages.
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Something we never see from Sarina Wiegman is accountability. Poor game plan and substitutions from her today.
Elly
Spain showed what they were capable of and England didn't. Play Spain again in the Euros and I'm not sure we see a different outcome.
Bob
FT: Spain 2-1 England
England
More from England boss Sarina Wiegman speaking to ITV on not being able to keep hold of the ball in the second half: "Concerned? That is a learning moment. I would not say concerned. They did something different so you want to exploit the space that they leave in behind, but first you have to keep the ball. That is not easy. Something to take with us moving forward."
On Hannah Hampton's performance: "She was put under a lot of pressure, as was the whole defence. There were many moments where there were a lot of players around her, a lot of crosses and a lot of runs in front of her. It was a good game for her experience."
On what needs to improve before the Euros: "Fix it? I'm not sure what you mean by that. What you see is that this week we had a very good week, players coming back from injuries, players fighting for position or minutes or selection and that is very positive.
"Some will keep training because they need to train, others will take a couple of days off. Then we move forward and come together to get ready for Jamaica, and then for France."
FT: Spain 2-1 England
Karen Carney
Former England midfielder on ITV
On England's Euros squad selection, to be announced on Thursday...
I think it is the central midfield role. Grace Clinton was suspended [tonight] and Georgia Stanway got 45 minutes, but she's had limited football.
Missy Bo Kearns is an excellent player, but that's a big ask to go in on her debut and play against Spain.
I wouldn't want to be Sarina [Wiegman]
Image source, Getty ImagesFT: Spain 2-1 England
If you haven't done so already, make sure to read Emma Sanders' match report of England's 2-1 defeat to Spain, here.
FT: Spain 2-1 England
Anita Asante
Former England defender on ITV
I think England know there are areas they can improve on.
The most important thing is the right players are getting the right minutes to feel prepared going into the Euros.
FT: Spain 2-1 England
England
England boss Sarina Wiegman speaking to ITV: "A very intense game. Of course we know that they are very tight on the ball. I thought we did well. After half-time you saw that they had more of the ball but we saw a lot of the ball as well and we could have been a bit tighter and a bit more patient but you could see where we could harm them.
"A couple more times we would not have been offside, or if we'd played a bit quicker or switched the play quicker we could have harmed them even more.
"In the second half they started really quick. They did something different in pressing a bit higher and we struggled a bit to get out of the press and keep the ball. Of course then they brought [Claudia] Pina in and she was very secure with her shots."
FT: Spain 2-1 England
Lindsay Johnson
Ex-England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live
On Missy Bo Kearns' substitute...
A spanner in the works that substitute. It has made me think. Undoubtedly Sarina knows her squad. I'm now thinking is Missy Bo Kearns in [for the Euros]?
FT: Spain 2-1 England
Karen Carney
Former England midfielder on ITV
The word is 'suffer'. Sometimes you have to go through these moments because the bigger picture for the summer is giving players the minutes that they need.
The likes of Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood, for any player that has been out it is important to get that 90 minutes under your belt and you don't go into a tournament not having played a full game.
Image source, PA MediaFT: Spain 2-1 England
England
More from England captain Leah Williamson, speaking to ITV: "I think maybe the inconsistency throughout the campaign on the ball and defensively as well...something to work on, but we have the capability to do better.
"We know what we are capable of. The game changes constantly - we have to adapt a bit quicker. We have time to build and time to push ourselves before the start of the tournament.
"First half was a great display. For the most part, we looked and felt solid. It is just tweaks that need to be made.
"I think you saw some of the best of us in the previous game and then we were slightly off it today."
FT: Spain 2-1 England
England
England captain Leah Williamson, speaking to ITV: "I think in the second half they pressed a bit higher and we struggled.
"We couldn't keep the ball as well as we did in the first half.
"We didn't have any real threat. Under that much pressure against the top sides, that's what happens.
"We just have to be better on the ball and find solutions quicker. [It was] a great lesson."
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Not sure I watched the same game as everyone else. Spain are leagues above England.
Anon
Image source, Getty ImagesFT: Spain 2-1 England
England captain Leah Williamson just spoke to ITV - we'll have her thoughts with you shortly.
FT: Spain 2-1 England
Lindsay Johnson
Ex-England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live
Lauren James is a player that any team in the world would miss.
If she can get back fit for the Euros it would be a massive boost.
She can turn the game like Claudia Pina did for Spain tonight.
FT: Spain 2-1 England
Karen Carney
Former England midfielder on ITV
The changes in the second half really hampered England and we felt disconnected.
It is a positive because Sarina Wiegman has got a lot to learn from tonight but in terms of qualifying [for the semi-finals] it's not the result we wanted.
FT: Spain 2-1 England
Let's have a positive - Alessia Russo's brilliant goal was her 22nd on her 50th appearance in an England shirt.
Image source, Getty ImagesFT: Spain 2-1 England
Lindsay Johnson
Ex-England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live
In the first half, England looked confident in that low block, and they hit Spain on the transition.
In the second half, England really dropped off, Spain upped their game and England couldn't get anywhere near Spain.
They were chasing shadows for large parts of that second half.
FT: Spain 2-1 England
Well, that second half was a bit humbling, wasn't it?
We'll bring you the thoughts of England boss Sarina Wiegman and her players as soon as we can. Stay tuned.
Claudia Pina scored two minutes after coming on as a substitute
England failed to reach the semi-finals of the Women's Nations League with defeat by group winners Spain, largely due to Claudia Pina's stunning cameo.
On as a 58th-minute substitute, she was outstanding, scoring twice in 10 minutes to give the hosts a well-deserved victory after Alessia Russo had put England in front.
Arsenal striker Russo's 22nd-minute opener came against the run of play when she raced through one-on-one with goalkeeper Catalina Coll and coolly slotted the ball past her.
It sparked boos from the home fans in Barcelona as forward Salma Paralluelo thought she had been fouled in the build-up by England defender Niamh Charles - and Spain staff protested with officials as the visitors celebrated.
The crowd grew more frustrated minutes later when Spain were denied a penalty after the ball appeared to hit Charles' outstretched arm.
Countless more chances fell their way, with Esther Gonzalez denied by a smart reaction save from Lionesses goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, while Patricia Guijarro went close with a powerful effort from the edge of the box.
England defiantly soaked up the pressure but were fortunate to maintain their lead at the break.
In-form Barcelona forward Pina did not take long to make an impact, levelling two minutes after her entrance as she cleverly weaved her way into the box before slipping the ball past Hampton, who had left too much room in the far corner.
England had to respond to stand any chance of reaching the last four, but the world champions continued to pile on the pressure and Pina stole the show with a superb 70th-minute second goal.
The 23-year-old picked up the ball on the edge of the box and curled a finish beautifully inside the post, finding the corner in stylish fashion.
It was a worthy winner which sent Spain through as Sarina Wiegman's England side turned their focus to Euro 2025 which kicks off in Switzerland on 2 July.
They will travel without Brighton forward Fran Kirby, who announced her international retirement shortly after full-time in Spain.
'A lot of big decisions for Sarina'
After an impressive 6-0 win over Portugal at Wembley on Friday, optimism in the England camp was high and they were looking to build on that display.
They beat Spain in February in the reverse fixture and knew progression to the Nations League semi-finals would potentially improve their 2027 Women's World Cup qualifying route.
But the hosts made it clear early on it would not be an easy task when Gonzalez was allowed to get on the end of a corner within three minutes, only to be denied by a superb Hampton save from close range.
England had been buoyed by the return of Bayern Munich midfielder Georgia Stanway – making her first start for her country this year after knee surgery in January - and there was a second successive start for key forward Lauren Hemp, who is also returning to full fitness.
Boss Wiegman gave another opportunity for Jess Park to stake a claim for a starting place at the Euros, selecting her ahead of Ella Toone, while Chelsea's Charles started at left-back.
But it was a tough evening for Charles, who was run ragged in the first half by Paralluelo and Pina's introduction in the second did little to relieve the pressure on her and the England backline.
With the home fans riled by a frustrating opening period, but later entertained by Pina's skilful impact, it added to the intensity and pressure faced by the Lionesses.
Aston Villa midfielder Missy Bo Kearns was thrown into the cauldron for her senior debut at half-time, replacing Stanway, and given a demonstration of the level needed if England are to defend their European title in Switzerland this summer.
It was also the first real test for keeper Hampton, newly confirmed as number one following Mary Earps' surprise international retirement last week.
The Lionesses were sloppy in possession and could barely get out of their own half as Spain's individual quality shone through in abundance.
La Roja are strong favourites for Euro 2025 and considered one of England's main rivals, but this result was not something to concern Wiegman too much - she was testing a few squad players and her side have shown previously they have the talent to trouble the world champions.
But the visiting supporters would have liked to have seen them back up their dominant display against Portugal and build momentum going into the Euros.
Wiegman names her 23-player squad for the tournament on Thursday and England have one match still to play before they travel to Switzerland, with Jamaica visitors to Leicester's King Power Stadium on 29 June.
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Germany | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 4 | 22 | 16 |
|
2 Netherlands | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 11 |
|
3 Austria | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 16 | -11 | 6 |
|
| 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 15 | -12 | 1 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 France | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 12 | 18 |
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2 Norway | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 8 |
|
3 Iceland | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 9 | -3 | 4 |
|
4 Switzerland | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 12 | -8 | 2 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Spain | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 15 |
|
| 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| |
3 Belgium | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 16 | -7 | 6 |
|
4 Portugal | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 21 | -16 | 4 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Sweden | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 12 |
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2 Italy | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 10 |
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3 Denmark | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 13 | -5 | 9 |
|
| 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 2 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Poland | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 14 | 16 |
|
| 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 8 |
| |
3 Bosnia-Herzegovina | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 12 | -3 | 5 |
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4 Romania | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 10 | -7 | 4 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Slovenia | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 15 |
|
| 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 15 |
| |
3 Turkey | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 | -4 | 6 |
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4 Greece | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 12 | -10 | 0 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Serbia | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14 |
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2 Finland | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 11 |
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3 Hungary | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 4 |
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4 Belarus | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 8 | -8 | 3 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Ukraine | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 13 |
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2 Czech Republic | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 13 | 13 |
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3 Albania | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 12 | -2 | 6 |
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4 Croatia | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 17 | -13 | 3 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Slovakia | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 26 | 18 |
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2 Faroe Islands | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
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3 Moldova | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 7 |
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4 Gibraltar | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 30 | -30 | 0 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Malta | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 13 |
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2 Cyprus | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 10 |
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3 Georgia | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 11 | -2 | 6 |
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4 Andorra | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 8 | -2 | 5 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Luxembourg | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 6 | 14 | 16 |
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2 Kazakhstan | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 10 |
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3 Armenia | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 7 |
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4 Liechtenstein | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 26 | -21 | 1 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Montenegro | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
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2 Azerbaijan | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 5 |
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3 Lithuania | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 3 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Israel | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 10 |
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2 Estonia | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 4 |
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3 Bulgaria | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 2 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Latvia | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
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2 Kosovo | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 7 |
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3 North Macedonia | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 10 | -8 | 1 |
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Manager: Montse Tomé
Formation: 4 - 1 - 4 - 1
Manager: Sarina Wiegman
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Montse Tomé
Formation: 4 - 1 - 4 - 1
Manager: Sarina Wiegman
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
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