England’s dreams of automatic qualification for next year’s Women’s World Cup suffered a crushing blow as Spain delivered a ruthless 4-0 victory in Mallorca, with Barcelona icon Alexia Putellas stealing the show with a commanding brace.
The Lionesses, who have dominated women’s football in recent years, were comprehensively outplayed by a Spanish side firing on all cylinders. Putellas, the two-time Ballon d’Or winner, reminded the world of her exceptional quality with two clinical finishes that left England’s defence in tatters and goalkeeper with no chance.
The comprehensive defeat now leaves Sarina Wiegman’s side in a precarious position regarding their route to the tournament. What was once a straightforward path to automatic qualification has now become considerably more complicated, with England potentially facing a nervy wait to secure their place at next year’s showpiece event.
Spain’s dominant performance underlined their credentials as one of the world’s elite teams, whilst raising serious questions about England’s form at a crucial juncture in their qualification campaign. The Lionesses will need to regroup quickly if they are to avoid the uncertainty of a playoff route to the World Cup.
