England beat Spain 2-3 in Madrid on Sunday night, and the biggest number from the game was not the scoreline. Harry Kane's 45th-minute penalty took him to 93 goals for England, moving him ahead of Robert Lewandowski on 92, while Spain's 43-match unbeaten run finally ended. It was a big result for Thomas Tuchel's side, but Kane's latest milestone gave the win an extra edge.

Kane's milestone gave England the first blow

Kane opened the scoring from the spot in the 45th minute and set the tone for England's best spell. He has now scored in England's last two Nations League matches, and his 2026 return in the competition stands at 8 goals in 6 appearances.

That scoring rate is why the penalty mattered beyond the match itself. Kane is already England's established reference point in front of goal, but 93 international goals pushes him past Lewandowski's 92 and adds another layer to a record that keeps growing.

Quoted in Polish by WP SportoweFakty, Kane said: "Harry Kane scored his 93rd goal for the England national team. The Bayern Munich striker converted a penalty kick in Sunday’s UEFA Nations League match with Spain at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid. Thanks to that, he moved ahead of Robert Lewandowski, who has 92 goals in Poland colors."

The wording is awkward in translation, but the fact itself is clear enough: Kane's number keeps moving upward, and he is still delivering in major internationals rather than padding the total in friendlies or dead rubbers.

England's attacking burst after the break finished the game, even if the closing stages became messy. Ezri Konsa made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute, then Ben White added the third in the 57th. Jude Bellingham also contributed creatively and registered 2 key passes, including the assist for White's goal.

Spain's collapse before the comeback

The headline score suggests a close match. For almost an hour, it was not.

Spain were 3-0 down before the hour and looked rattled in a way they rarely have over the last two years. Their unbeaten run had stretched to 43 matches, and their last regular-time defeat came against Colombia on 22 March 2024. Ending that streak away from home is the part of this result England should value most.

Unai Simón, quoted in Polish by Interia Sport, said: "The crowd gathered in Madrid was shocked when, after less than an hour, the world champions were losing 0:3."

That line matched the flow of the game. England were more decisive in both boxes and took their chances when the match was there to be grabbed. Spain only forced James Trafford into 2 saves in the periods when England controlled the contest, which helps explain why the home side looked so flat before the red card shifted the mood.

There was disruption too. Marc Pubill went off injured after 20 minutes, and Spain never really settled before Kane struck on the stroke of half-time.

The red card gave Spain hope, not the result

Elliot Anderson's sending-off in the 63rd minute changed the final phase, but England had already done the hard part. Spain pulled one back through Mikel Oyarzabal's penalty in the 65th minute, then Nico Williams scored again in the 75th.

From there it became a survival job, and Trafford was central to it. He finished with 6 saves as Spain pushed for an equaliser that never came.

England will not care that the last half-hour got scrappy. A 3-2 win away to Spain is strong on its own, and doing it while ending a 43-match unbeaten run gives it real weight. The official record from Spain vs England will also show Kane on 93 international goals, with England top of the group by full-time.

FAQ

Why was Harry Kane's goal against Spain significant for England?

Kane's penalty in the 45th minute was the first goal in England's 3-2 win in Madrid, and it took him to 93 goals for England. That moved him ahead of Robert Lewandowski, who has 92 international goals, and kept up Kane's strong Nations League scoring form in 2026.

How did England end Spain's unbeaten run in Madrid?

England beat Spain 3-2 after building a 3-0 lead through Kane's penalty, Ezri Konsa's header and Ben White's finish. Spain got back into the match after Elliot Anderson was sent off in the 63rd minute, but James Trafford made 6 saves and England still held on.

Did Elliot Anderson's red card change Spain vs England?

It changed the final half-hour, but it did not define the whole match. England were already 3-0 up when Anderson was sent off in the 63rd minute. Mikel Oyarzabal scored the resulting penalty in the 65th minute and Nico Williams added another in the 75th, yet England still won.

How long had Spain been unbeaten before losing to England?

Spain had gone 43 matches unbeaten before the 3-2 defeat to England in Madrid. Their last regular-time defeat had come against Colombia on 22 March 2024, which gives this result more weight than a standard group-stage win.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 13 outlets. How we work →