Only a minor miracle will save European champions England from having to come through World Cup qualifying playoffs after they suffered an utterly humiliating 4-0 defeat to World Cup holders Spain in Mallorca.

A loss by only a one-goal deficit would have been enough to keep their hopes of topping their qualifying group alive after an immaculate campaign prior. However, with the head-to-head record between the top two sides coming into play should they finish level on points, Spain’s emphatic win, with talismanic Alexia Putellas scoring two, Spain just need to beat Iceland on Tuesday to secure top spot at England’s expense.

Frankly, they deserve it. Sonia Bermúdez’s team didn’t just beat England, they annihilated them, dominating possession, with over 61% of the ball across the 90 minutes, and ensuring a beleaguered England stayed camped in their half, accruing 39 touches in the opposition box to England’s paltry seven.

It was always going to be a big ask to get a win away from home against the Spaniards, but hopes of a 1-0 defeat, to match the reverse fixture, or even a draw, to put England in a favourable position in Group A3 going into the final round of games on Tuesday were shattered in the first half.

England weren’t bad, not for the first 15 minutes at least, but there was a sloppiness to their play, a lack of sharpness demonstrative of a match coming almost three weeks after the end of the WSL season. That is no excuse for top professionals though, even if Spain’s domestic campaign concluded last weekend and they were boosted by a Barcelona contingent buoyed by a fourth Champions League title.

It was a moment of magic inside 20 minutes that gave the home team a critical lead, Mallorca-born Patricia Guijarro capitalised on Lucy Bronze’s errant pass and drove forward, nutmegging Georgia Stanway on the way with zero impact on her momentum, before sending a low strike in from 25 yards which took a deflection off Esme Morgan to wrongfoot Hannah Hampton.

The celebrations were emphatic and Guijarro’s drive and strike were laced with the fury of not having been given a free-kick for what she believed was a foul on her moments prior.

The goal rattled Sarina Wiegman’s side, who only had one touch in the opposition box to Spain’s 18 in the first 45 minutes and had Salma Paralluelo been more clinical they could have been punished further sooner. Spain’s second arrived in the 36th minute and it was poor from England. Alex Greenwood was completely out of sync with the rest of the Lionesses’ back line, playing Putellas onside as she sprung clear on the left before sending a ferocious strike at Hampton. The Chelsea goalkeeper got her hands to it but failed to stop it from looping backwards and over across the goalline. She should have done better, but so should Greenwood, and so should so many in white shirts throughout the evening.

Bronze had said in the buildup that Spain “bring out the best in us” and that the rivalry had made them both better. At the Estadi Mallorca Son Moix there was little evidence of the best being brought out of England.

There was more sloppiness on display for Spain’s third, right-back Ona Batlle outpaced Lauren James, who slipped at the byline, before she cut back for Putellas, the forward’s effort was blocked on the line by Bronze, the ball came off the post and slipped between the legs of Greenwood and Putellas was alert, and she dived forward and turned it in.

It was a humbling goal to concede and changes came soon after, with Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead on for James and Ella Toone. Alessia Russo moved into the 10 in place of Toone as a result and, with no established centre-forward on the bench, Aggie Beever-Jones left out of the matchday squad as a selection decision, according to Wiegman, Lauren Hemp moved centrally with the newcomers either side of her. The impact was minimal though and it was Spain’s subs that would deliver. The large home crowd had enjoyed the show in Palma and they had further reason to celebrate in the 78th minute when, moments after coming on, the substitute Aitana Bonmatí found fellow sub Clàudia Pina and the forward shifted to the right of Arsenal centre-back Lotte Wubben-Moy and fired in.

England were bruised and Spain were showboating at the close. Turning the screw against the team that had the better of them just under 12 months prior in the Euro 2025 final. England looked like a shell of the side that earned that historic win, and a shell of the side that earned the 1-0 win in the reverse fixture in April.

England’s only key absentee due to injury is captain Leah Williamson too. As a result, an intense post-mortem will be needed following such a difficult defeat. Turning things around in time for the World Cup next summer, if they make it, through the playoffs, will be a huge job.