England’s aspirations for automatic qualification to the FIFA Women’s World Cup next summer have taken a hit, as the Lionesses faced a heavy 4-0 defeat against Spain in Mallorca this evening.
A win would have secured England’s place in Brazil for the 2027 World Cup, but Spain’s decisive victory has now positioned them as the frontrunners after triumphing over the reigning European champions.
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The match began with Spain asserting themselves, finding the net within 20 minutes. Patri Guijarro dazzled, navigating past Georgia Stanway before unleashing a powerful shot into the goal from long range.
This early strike energized Spain, and they doubled their lead in the 37th minute with a goal from Alexia Putellas, who skillfully slid the ball past England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton from close range.
England attempted to mount a comeback early in the second half, but Stanway’s shot went wide. The Lionesses soon regretted that miss as Spain quickly scored again, with Putellas netting her second after her initial attempt was blocked.
Patri Guijarro had another shot saved by Hampton before Clàudia Pina capped the scoring with a goal 12 minutes from the final whistle.
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Aitana Bonmatí nearly made it five late in the game, but a solid save from Hampton kept the score at 4-0, allowing Spain to take a significant step toward qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil in 2027.
England now faces the risk of dropping into the play-offs if they cannot outperform Spain’s result in Matchday 6. The Lionesses are set to host Ukraine, while Spain travels to Iceland.