England 1-0 Spain: 'A proper English performance' secures Nations League win

England's women's national team has experienced a difficult period in recent months, but their recent victory over Spain proves that they are still one of the top teams in the world. This victory demonstrated England's solidity in defense, their tenacity without the ball, and their threat in attack, bordering on a perfect performance.

"We played real English football," said defender Millie Bright as she danced with fans at Wembley Stadium. Jess Park's first-half goal ultimately helped the team secure a 1-0 victory over world champions Spain, also quelling the rising tide of criticism.

Prior to the match against Spain, England had only won two of their previous six games, and head coach Sarina Wiegman was under scrutiny, with concerns about whether they would be ready to defend their European title in Switzerland this summer. In response, Wiegman remained confident, insisting that England had made progress. On Wednesday night, they finally proved it.

"Of course, this gives us a big boost. Tonight we showed again that we are capable of competing with the best teams," Wiegman said. "We have shown that before, and it's really good to show it again, maybe for ourselves. I think the fans in the stadium enjoyed the game. It felt like a very good performance, and I'm very happy. There are always things to improve, but a lot of things went well today."

Goalscorer Park was one of many England players whose confidence received a significant boost. Lauren James was outstanding on the wing, Millie Bright was impenetrable in defense, and Lucy Bronze tirelessly dealt with Spanish forward Salma Paralluelo. This match showcased the best of England, a perfect response to last Friday's 1-1 draw with Portugal.

"After the last game, we wanted to be more connected. We talked about playing real English football tonight," Bright said. "I mean that fight and desire to fight for each other, to work for each other, and to be hard to beat. Being hard to beat is so important." Wiegman also agreed that it felt like a "real English" performance, emphasizing the "fighting spirit and togetherness" against Spain. "It was an absolute team performance, we fought for every yard," she added. "I think the fighting spirit and togetherness is the most important thing, and it all starts with that. Of course, when you win, it gives you a boost."

After the match, the England players celebrated on the pitch, with Bright dancing with teammate Chloe Kelly, while Bronze pumped her fist towards the stands. They received warm applause at halftime and at the final whistle, while the Spanish players stood dejectedly in the center of the pitch. This was only the second match of the Nations League, and the result does not have a significant impact at the moment, but it is an important boost for England's preparations for the 2025 European Championships.

Former England midfielder Izzy Christiansen said that the match felt like a "semi-final or possibly a final" between two European heavyweights. Spain also had opportunities, with Lucía García hitting the crossbar in the first half, and Aitana Bonmatí's shot being saved by goalkeeper Hannah Hampton. But it was a high-quality match, with England's star players James and Bronze showcasing their abilities, while Spain's threat persisted until the final whistle.

"We've just witnessed an absolutely fantastic game of football," Christiansen said on BBC Radio 5 Live. "The intensity and importance of the first 45 minutes – it felt like a semi-final, or even a final, of a European or World competition. Every single one of the 22 players on the pitch and the ones that came on as substitutes gave it absolutely everything. It's the start of a huge rivalry between two top nations."

England's performance felt overdue, but defender Niamh Charles said that it was what they knew they were capable of. "I think we know ourselves our standards, we are always looking at ourselves and trying to improve on what we can do," she added. "There's a lot of noise from the outside, but we stick to what we know, and we've been working hard in this camp. Hopefully, you've seen some of the rewards, and that spurs us on to keep going."