'There's no better game' - Elliot Anderson relishing Wembley showdown against world champions Spain

Tuchel's side kick off their Nations League Group 3 campaign by hosting world champions Spain in front of a packed Wembley crowd this Saturday. The heavyweight showdown marks the first meeting between the two European giants since the Euro 2024 final in Berlin. A fiercely contested clash in London is expected to set the early benchmark in a section that also features Croatia and Czechia.

Speaking to the England matchday programme, the 23-year-old midfielder viewed the arrival of the world champions as the perfect gauge of England's progress following their exploits over the summer.

Underlining the dressing-room excitement ahead of the blockbuster tie, Anderson said: "They're obviously world champions, so we're really looking forward to this game. There's no better game to have after what happened in the summer, to really test ourselves again and go up against a top-quality team. So, yeah, we're really looking forward to this one."

Anderson acknowledged that disrupting Spain's trademark possession game will be crucial for England to establish control on home soil as they prepare for the midfield duel. Reflecting on the opposition's strengths and the tactical approach required, he added: "Yeah, they're obviously a very possession-based team. They like to have the ball, which is what we want to do, so it'll be an interesting game. We'll be going after them and it'll be two good teams going at it, I think."

England will be determined to build momentum after sealing third place at the World Cup with an astonishing 6-4 victory over France. Spain, meanwhile, arrive in London brimming with confidence after lifting the global crown courtesy of a 1-0 win against Argentina in the final. The outcome at Wembley will provide an early statement of intent before both nations navigate testing fixtures against Croatia and Czechia.