La Roja keep rolling
Spain maintained their flawless Nations League Group A3 record with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Czechia in Prague on Thursday. Strikes from Atletico Madrid duo Alex Baena and Marc Pubill ensured Luis de la Fuente's men made it five wins from five in the current campaign.
The result also extended the World Cup champions' phenomenal unbeaten sequence to 43 matches. Their last taste of defeat came against Colombia back in March 2024, highlighting the monumental task facing the Three Lions this weekend.
De la Fuente delivers injury boost
Barcelona sensation Yamal was sidelined for the trip to Prague due to knee pain, marking his first absence for club or country this term. Prior to Thursday, the teenager had started 20 consecutive matches, registering an astonishing 17 goals and 13 assists.
However, the Spanish manager confirmed his star forward is ready to feature in Madrid, alongside returning Real Sociedad striker Mikel Oyarzabal.
"There is some good news," De la Fuente said following the victory in Prague. "Lamine Yamal is feeling good now and is really looking forward to joining the squad [on Friday].
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"Mikel is also doing better. One will arrive around midday and the other a little later, but both will be with us [for England]."
Top spot on the line in Madrid
While Spain were securing three points in Prague, England earned a 2-1 win against Croatia at Wembley. The result leaves the Three Lions sitting three points behind La Roja in Group A3.
Both heavyweights have already booked their places in the Nations League quarter-finals. Nevertheless, Sunday’s encounter at Atletico Madrid's Metropolitano will determine who advances as group winners.
Anticipating a thrilling contest, De la Fuente added: "[It] will be an opportunity to watch two of the best national teams in the world. We want to maintain this momentum going forward and extend this run. The thing is, with every match that goes by, defeat gets closer. That's just how it is, but we're happy and appreciate what we're achieving."
A monumental test for the Three Lions
England travel to the Spanish capital knowing they face arguably the toughest test in international football. Breaking a 43-match unbeaten streak will require a flawless performance, especially with Yamal returning to bolster an already lethal Spanish attack.
Sunday's result will ultimately dictate the seeding for the upcoming knockout stages. Taking top spot from Spain would be a massive statement of intent for the Three Lions, but failure to do so will simply underline La Roja's current dominance on the international stage.