Was This Supposed to Be the World Cup Final? Expert Picks for Today’s Nations League Clash

BettingThePitch

Written by: BettingThePitch

Published: Sat Sep 26, 2026, 8:00 am ET

Read Time: 6 minutes

Jude Bellingham is playing on another level right now for England. Can he lead them to the final? England Argentina Picks

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After starting the international break 2-0, we unfortunately dropped both plays yesterday.

Italy somehow couldn't find the back of the net despite creating plenty of chances. Meanwhile, Belgium had a few opportunities themselves and nearly did enough to clear the total for us.

Unfortunately, the goals just never came.

France also began the Zinedine Zidane era with a 1-0 road victory over Turkey. Once again, though, both sides left some quality chances on the table.

Today, I'm narrowing things down and targeting just one match.

Some would call it the main event of this international slate.

England. Spain. It doesn't get much better than this.

Let's get into the plays!

Head over to our Soccer Picks Page for our expert's soccer analysis, or read my best bets below.

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England vs. Spain

This is without question the marquee matchup of the day.

Some might even argue this should have been the World Cup Final.

England were leading Argentina in the semifinal before Thomas Tuchel made several defensive changes. From there, England sat deeper, took their foot off the gas, and eventually watched the match slip away.

Those decisions have received plenty of criticism since the tournament ended.

Because of that, I don't expect England to take the same approach today if they grab an early lead.

Instead, I expect Tuchel's side to come out on the front foot.

Of course, that's easier said than done against the reigning World Cup champions.

Spain enter this international window as the No. 1-ranked country in the FIFA rankings. More importantly, they showed exactly why throughout the World Cup.

This team smothered opponents.

Spain controlled matches from start to finish and consistently created quality chances in the final third. Even Argentina struggled to generate much against them in the World Cup Final.

There will be a few changes to the squad today.

However, there aren't enough for me to expect a completely different version of Spain.

They should still control possession and make England work extremely hard without the ball.

That said, I think this England team can cause Spain problems that most countries simply couldn't.

Jude Bellingham Could Be the Key

The biggest thing I'll be watching is how England use Jude Bellingham.

We saw Tuchel utilize him as a true No. 10 during the World Cup. When Jude can push forward and get inside the 18-yard box, good things tend to happen.

The numbers certainly backed that up.

Bellingham finished the World Cup with seven goals and one assist. Additionally, his ability to make late runs into the box gave opposing defenses another problem to solve.

I expect him to have that freedom again today.

With Harry Kane leading the line, England should have Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon providing width around Bellingham.

That is a dangerous attacking group.

Spain rarely allow opponents to create much, but England have the individual quality to challenge them in ways others couldn't.

If the hosts find the back of the net, I really like Bellingham's chances of being involved.

At +200, the price makes it even more appealing.

Play: Jude Bellingham To Score or Assist (+200)

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Lamine Yamal Enters in Red-Hot Form

Can Yamal carry his early season La Liga form into the Nations League today?

Then, of course, we have Lamine Yamal.

Anytime he steps onto the pitch, you know you're getting creativity, excitement, and world-class quality.

Yamal entered the World Cup coming off an injury and didn't produce as much as he would have liked early on.

However, he continued improving as the tournament progressed.

Now, he arrives for this international window in fantastic form.

Yamal has seven goals and four assists for Barcelona to begin the La Liga season. As a result, he should enter this matchup full of confidence.

Spain also have plenty of quality around him.

Nico Williams is healthy, while Rodri and Fabian Ruiz are both available in midfield. Additionally, Ferran Torres enters the break in excellent form.

That depth is what makes Spain so difficult to defend.

You can focus on stopping one player, but there's always another world-class option waiting to punish you.

However, Yamal remains the player I want exposure to.

He can create for himself, beat defenders one-on-one, or provide the final ball for a teammate.

At even money, I like him to find his way onto the scoresheet.

Play: Lamine Yamal To Score or Assist (+100)

Why I'm Backing Goals

Ultimately, I think we're getting a matchup between two teams with too much attacking quality to ignore.

Spain have shown they can control matches while still creating chances at a high rate. Meanwhile, England have the attacking talent to challenge a Spanish defense that rarely gets tested.

There's also some history supporting the over.

Each of the last four meetings between these countries has produced at least three goals.

More importantly, Spain consistently started matches aggressively during the World Cup.

I'm hoping we see that same approach today.

If either side finds an early goal, the entire complexion of this match changes.

England won't want to sit deep after what happened against Argentina. Likewise, Spain are far too comfortable on the ball to panic if they fall behind.

That could give us exactly the type of match we want.

An early goal could open everything up, and if that happens, we should be in for an absolute treat.

Give me goals and both superstars to get involved.

Plays: England vs. Spain Over 2.75 Goals (+100), Lamine Yamal To Score or Assist (+100), Jude Bellingham To Score or Assist (+200)

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BettingThePitch

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