The world champions were in the driving seat against Thomas Tuchel’s side, who knew that only a win would be enough to secure top spot in the group and a seeded quarter-final place.
The Three Lions showed the necessary urgency required, and could have broken the deadlock inside the opening two minutes when Jude Bellingham met Declan Rice’s corner with a first-time effort which forced Unai Simon into a fine one-handed save. Anthony Gordon then had a shot blocked moments later, and this star-studded Spain side were on the ropes.
Those jittering Spanish nerves showed few signs of abating when Harry Kane took advantage of some indecision in La Roja’s defence before flashing a right-footed shot wide, as Luis de la Fuente’s side continued to weather an early storm from the visitors.
The hosts could have opened the scoring themselves when Lamine Yamal’s shot flew just over the bar, but a familiar source gave England a well-deserved lead from the penalty spot.
Kane was brought down in the box by Pau Cubarsi, and the Ballon d’Or winner confidently converted from 12 yards in the 45th minute.
It ensured he became only the second England player to score in seven consecutive away appearances for his country since Sir Tom Finney achieved the feat more than 78 years ago.
Tuchel’s side continued with the same intensity after the restart, and they doubled their advantage in the 53rd minute when Ezri Konsa was allowed to run onto Rice’s corner before powering home a header past Simon.
A dream night for England got even better four minutes later, as Ben White applied a clinical finish to score the visitors’ third after expertly taking Bellingham’s pass into his stride.
It was a scarcely believable scoreline given Spain’s previous air of invincibility, and their long unbeaten run was being smashed to smithereens.
But those Three Lions fans thinking this was too good to be true were brought back down to earth when Elliot Anderson was shown a straight red card for hauling back Yamal in the box.
Mikel Oyarzabal clinically dispatched the subsequent spot-kick, and the atmosphere inside the Metropolitano changed completely.
La Roja immediately made their numerical superiority count, reducing the deficit to one when Nico Williams slotted home from Yamal’s cutback after Gordon was dispossessed in midfield.
Tuchel’s side were desperately hanging onto their slender lead, as James Trafford made two superb saves at the death to deny Fermin Lopez and Aymeric Laporte, but they ultimately did enough to secure three hard-earned points.
England will now have home advantage in the second leg of the quarter-finals to be played in March, while Spain are forced to settle for second place in the group after succumbing to defeat at home for the first time since September 2022.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Lamine Yamal (Spain)
