The best Spain emerged tonight in Palma to beat England and leave direct qualification for the World Cup within reach. After losing at Wembley 1-0, La Roja scored four goals against its great rival of recent years to win the golaverage direct and snatch the first position of the group. Sonia Bermúdez’s team was far superior to the lionesses and it will not have to go through the play-offs to defend its status as world champion in Brazil 2027 if it knocks down Iceland in Reykjavík on Tuesday after Alexia’s double and goals from Patri and Pina sealed a brilliant match in which the group bordered on perfection. Spain thrilled and seduced in Son Moix, a stadium that celebrated the fact that up to four countrywomen from the islands—Cata, Corrales, Patri and Mariona—were in the eleven.
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Cata Coll, Lucía Corrales (Olga Carmona, min. 83), Ona Batlle, Irene Paredes, Mapi León, Alexia Putellas (Aitana Bonmatí, min. 76), Mariona Caldentey (Clara Serrajordi, min. 83), Patri Guijarro, Salma Paralluelo, Vicky López (Clàudia Pina, min. 67) and Edna Imade (Esther González, min. 75)
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Hannah Hampton, Esme Morgan, Lotte Wubben-Moy (Jess Carter, min. 84), Lucy Bronze (Niamh Charles, min. 84), Alex Greenwood, Ella Toone (Beth Mead, min. 58), Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp, Lauren James (Chloe Kelly, min. 58) and Alessia Russo
Goals 1-0 min. 18: Patri Guijarro. 2-0 min. 36: Alexia Putellas. 3-0 min. 54: Alexia Putellas. 4-0 min. 77: Claudia Pina
With all the heavyweights available, Bermúdez chose Corrales on the left side, formed with Edna up front and Salma on the left wing. That Olga, Esther and Pina stayed on the bench at the beginning seemed like a change of criteria in the hierarchy they had in the locker room. La Roja came out on stage very fine-tuned, with no losses in circulation that would allow England to put Hemp, James and Russo into flight. Their offensive trident was missing in the first section because the forward pressure of Bermúdez’s group was very effective and the ball handling, with Patri, Mariona and Alexia leading the score, was fantastic.
Spain’s work was harmonious: the group stole in high areas and then hid the ball all over the field at the lionessesunable to dispute the prominence of their rival. Hampton first saved Edna’s header from point-blank range after Alexia’s cross but then he could do nothing about Patri’s shot. The midfielder recovered the ball after Mariona deflected a delivery from Bronze, threw a self-pass to Stanway and drove to the edge. His forehand grazed Greenwood before changing direction and slipping into the net.
Spanish football was sophisticated and continuous, improved since Salma and Vicky exchanged profiles to play with changed legs in the interior corridors while Corrales and Ona stepped on the lime. The width of the group was very well interpreted by Mapi, a central defender with a formidable ability to filter deliveries and sink defenses. As if it were water falling from an open tap, Spain’s play flowed towards Hampton’s goal, who stopped a shot from Alexia and also thwarted a one-on-one from Vicky before Alexia herself scored the second after Mariona illuminated a magnificent through ball.
There was no more news from England in the first leg than a deflected attempt by Walsh from the front while La Roja bit, mixed and impressed Son Moix, who began to make the wave before the break. The script did not change in the second part. The world champions continued dancing like the European champions to the delight of the audience, who had fun shouting “olé!” Salma botched a cross from Mapi in the 51st minute but Alexia immediately scored the third after a team play in which the ball passed through almost the entire team until Mariona illuminated Ona in depth.
The superiority of the number one of the ranking FIFA on the third was as extraordinary as it was surprising if you take into account that none of the last seven confrontations had been resolved by more than a goal difference. Pina, Aitana, Esther, Olga and Serrajordi had minutes to shine in a second half in which La Roja competed, enjoyed each other and completed a dazzling victory against their biggest rival in recent years, the same one that eliminated them in the quarterfinals of Euro 2022 and in 2025 he stole the Euro Cup on penalties. Pina closed the score, which was not greater due to Hampton’s stops and lack of aim, after a great pass from Aitana at Spain’s party in Palma.
