Sarina Wiegman 'really happy' with Spain win

Sarina Wiegman was full of praise for her team after England ran out 1-0 winners over Spain at Wembley.

The Lionesses head coach assessed her side’s performance after going head-to-head with the world champions for the first time since the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 Final in the summer when England retained their crown in Switzerland.

And Lauren Hemp’s early opener was the difference this time around.

“I’m really happy,” said Wiegman. “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 in their half of the pitch, we made them uncomfortable.”

The England boss also gave a nod to defensive duo Esme Morgan and Lotte Wubben-Moy who helped the hosts to keep a clean sheet.

"I think they did really well,” explained Wiagman. “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."

England marked their 499th fixture – with the historic 500th game taking place this weekend against Iceland – with more than 50 former Lionesses from across the decades in attendance, along with representatives of the late Lynda Hale, who played and scored in the Lionesses' first-ever international match.

And Wiegman highlighted the importance of paying tribute to players past and their achievements.

"The bigger picture of this evening is incredible,” continued Wiegman. “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."

Victory over Spain maintained England’s 100 percent record in their start to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign, following wins over Ukraine and Iceland last time out.

The Lionesses are top of the tree in Group A3, three points clear of tonight’s opponents Spain who sit in second.

"It’s a great step forward,” added Wiegman. “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 straightaway to Iceland."