Spain expose England's flaws in heavy defeat that 'hurts' World Cup hopes

England's hopes of automatic qualification for the 2027 Women's World Cup were dealt a significant blow after a resounding 4-0 defeat to world champions Spain in Majorca. The loss marks England's heaviest in 17 years and leaves manager Sarina Wiegman searching for answers.

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I expected a very tight game. There was a difference tonight because we were disappointing - and it hurts.

"It hurts because we have lost a couple of times but not with such a big score," Wiegman admitted after the match. "We just didn't play good enough, and we couldn't step up anymore." She acknowledged a clear difference between her team and the Spanish side, stating, "There was a difference tonight because we were disappointing."

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We just didn't play good enough, and we couldn't step up anymore. They became more dangerous but we couldn't get to another gear.

The Lionesses needed only to avoid defeat to secure their place in the tournament. Now, they face a likely path through playoffs in the autumn. Their automatic qualification hinges on beating Ukraine in their final qualifying match on Tuesday, coupled with Spain dropping points against Iceland simultaneously.

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Of course I'm frustrated and disappointed but so are the players. This hurts because we have lost a couple of times but not with such a big score.

Former England midfielder Fran Kirby observed that the players looked "deflated" at full-time. Midfielder Keira Walsh, who captained the team, conceded they "just weren't good enough" and that Spain "had bodies everywhere," making it difficult to escape their own half. The team is left to review the performance and hope for favorable results elsewhere.

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They will learn from it, and they have to rise up to put in a good performance against Ukraine.