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England lose Nations League after Tuchel’s late change

By Drooid · Sep 24, 2026, 10:20 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Tuchel Switch Costs

England manager Thomas Tuchel replaced forward Gordon with defender Ezri Konsa with over 20 minutes remaining.
England conceded two late goals after the substitution and lost the Nations League match.
The squad held a comprehensive debrief at St George’s Park after the defeat.
Gordon, now playing for Barcelona, said the loss leaves a scar that could help improve.
Gordon said he felt untouchable after scoring, then the worst 20 minutes later.

Summary

Spain Eye Wembley Win

The England-Spain Euro match at Wembley will host a sold-out 90,000 crowd, amplifying scrutiny of Tuchel’s tactics.
Spain’s last competitive loss, not counting penalty shootouts, came 3½ years ago.
Spain have reached at least the final in each of the last three Nations League editions.
England have only one Nations League semi-final appearance and were relegated to the second tier in 2022-23.

History

Historical Context

Euro 96, the first 16-team UEFA European Championship, was staged in England in June 1996 after UEFA expanded the finals in 1992 to accommodate new nations. England’s semi-final loss to Germany, following manager Terry Venables’ tactics, highlighted the impact of last-minute changes—a lesson echoed by Thomas Tuchel’s 2024 Nations League reshuffle that also altered England’s campaign.

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Tuchel Switch Costs

England manager Thomas Tuchel replaced forward Gordon with defender Ezri Konsa with over 20 minutes remaining.
England conceded two late goals after the substitution and lost the Nations League match.
The squad held a comprehensive debrief at St George’s Park after the defeat.
Gordon, now playing for Barcelona, said the loss leaves a scar that could help improve.
Gordon said he felt untouchable after scoring, then the worst 20 minutes later.

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