Wiegman praises England’s discipline after hard-fought victory over Spain

Sarina Wiegman expressed her delight after England women's national football team secured a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Spain women's national football team at Wembley Stadium in a World Cup qualifying encounter.

The Lionesses head coach reflected on her side’s performance against the world champions, in their first meeting since the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 Final, where England successfully defended their European crown in Switzerland.

An early strike from Lauren Hemp proved decisive, as England held firm under sustained pressure from the Spanish side.

“I’m really happy,” Wiegman said. “We got a good result. We had to defend a lot and we know Spain are so good on the ball. You have to defend well and be really compact.

“We had our chances – they got some too. But sometimes you have to fight to get the win and that’s what we did.

“We hoped we’d be in a higher block more but we got pushed back. Sometimes, we could have been better on the ball and create more momentum. As soon as we got into their half of the pitch, we made them uncomfortable.”

The England manager also praised the defensive efforts of Esme Morgan and Lotte Wubben-Moy, who played key roles in maintaining a clean sheet.

“I think they did really well,” Wiegman explained. “This is the highest level we get and tactically Spain are very good.

“You need to communicate at all times and have skill at all times. I’m really happy with how they did it.”

The match marked England’s 499th international fixture, with the upcoming clash against Iceland set to be their 500th. The occasion was marked by the presence of more than 50 former Lionesses, alongside representatives of the late Lynda Hale, who featured and scored in England’s first-ever international match.

Wiegman paid tribute to the legacy of past generations, highlighting the significance of the occasion.

“The bigger picture of this evening is incredible,” she said. “The legends are here and we always say we stand on their shoulders.

“Then Keira’s 100th cap, that’s massive for her and for Lucia Kendall, her first start at Wembley, and I thought she did a good job.

“I’m very grateful that I’m part of this. It’s so good that we celebrate the generations that were before us. It’s great the game is moving up; we still have many steps to take, but from where we were, it’s incredible.”

Keira Walsh also reached a milestone appearance, earning her 100th cap for England, as the Lionesses maintained a perfect start to their 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification campaign with victories over Ukraine, Iceland, and Spain.

England now sit top of Group A3, three points clear of Spain, as attention quickly turns to their next fixture against Iceland in a busy international schedule.

“It’s a great step forward,” Wiegman added. “This is hard now. Tonight we recover and tomorrow we get ready for Iceland because it’s a quick turnaround. It was an intense game. Be happy now, but then we will switch straight away to Iceland.”