La Roja's incredible record-breaking run will be put to the test by a Three Lions side desperate to emulate the last England team to win on Spanish soil, a 3-2 victory back in 2018.
Kane vs Cubarsi
Harry Kane's 92nd England goal downed the Croatians in what was a record 126th cap for his country, and there's little doubt that he will do everything possible to help drive the team forward in the hope of a win that would see them top the group.
His battle against Pau Cubarsi is likely to be one of the defining aspects of this match, and it will be interesting to see how well the recently crowned Golden Boy deals with the experience and know-how that Kane brings into every game.
The England man is unlikely to beat Cubarsi for pace, so we can certainly expect a physical battle to emerge across the 90+ minutes at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid.
Given that the Three Lions have won just two of their last 14 games against the reigning FIFA World Cup holders (D2 L10), there's no doubt that Kane and his teammates will need to play an almost perfect game if they're to spring the surprise of the tournament so far.
Spain must stop Bellingham
It is worth remembering too that Thomas Tuchel has the best win rate of any England manager to ever lead the team for at least 10 matches, at 77%, and as he showed in the games against Mexico and Argentina at the World Cup (albeit the latter game was lost), his England side can stand toe-to-toe with an opponent despite being the underdog.
Jude Bellingham was key in that win over Mexico, and he'll be well known to the Spanish players, given that he's been plying his trade in the white half of Madrid for a while now.
His marauding runs are bound to be a feature of this match, and what that means in practice is that, without Rodri in situ, Martin Zubimendi may have to be wary of being pulled out of position if Luis de la Fuente prefers a man-to-man marking job for his players.
Fabian Ruiz, if selected, could double up alongside the Arsenal man to help box in Bellingham, though should the England midfielder break through the shackles, as he's quite capable of doing, Spain are then left light elsewhere.
Furthermore, Ruiz's own ability to get forward and supplement the attack is then curtailed.
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Lamine poses the biggest threat of all
Perhaps the biggest concern for the hosts will be how well Lamine Yamal fares against Lewis Hall.
The England left-back has faced Lamine on two previous occasions, in last season's Champions League when Barcelona played Newcastle.
In the first leg of the Round of 16 tie, Lamine's 97th-minute penalty equaliser silenced St. James' Park; however, during the course of the game, Hall had prevented the winger from completing a single dribble, whilst also creating a match-high five chances.
Gordon vs Porro: Another duel worth watching
Barca would run away with the tie in the second leg, winning 7-2, a game in which Anthony Gordon played.
Gordon, now plying his trade in Spain with Barcelona, has the chance to become public enemy number one in LaLiga if he has a barnstorming game on Sunday.
His pace will certainly ensure that Pedro Porro's own raiding down that channel is curtailed, and with that, Spain lose a significant portion of their attacking output.
To give some context as to how difficult England's assignment will be, La Roja have reached three of the last four Nations League finals, and, excluding spot-kicks, they've lost just one of their last 18 matches in the competition.
In competitive football more generally, they've not lost a match since March 2023 against Scotland, a night when Scott McTominay's double was seen around the world.
Up to and including their win over the Czech Republic, Spain's current unbeaten run stands at a world record 43 matches. Unheard of in the modern era, and only Italy's 37-game run from 2018 to 2021 comes close.
A 1-0 friendly defeat to Colombia in March 2024, at West Ham United’s London Stadium, is the only other blot on Spain's copybook since that Scotland reverse.
Perhaps the knowledge that a draw will suffice for the Spaniards to remain in top spot may actually work to England's advantage.
The hosts won't be complacent, but the visitors, knowing that only a win will see them top the group, could have the competitive edge.
Jason Pettigrove has been the features writer for Flashscore since 2025, utilising Opta data to form the basis of his articles. He has previously worked for high-profile football clubs, news and media outlets, both in print and digital, and can usually be found watching FC Barcelona when time permits. You can read more of his pieces here.
