UEFA Nations League: 5 reasons why England will beat Spain

#5 Wembley might finally be a fortress

With the fans now behind England, can Wembley become a fortress?

Ever since it opened in 2007, the big criticism of Wembley – the home of English football – is that it doesn’t offer an intimidating atmosphere for visiting teams, that the fans simply don’t get into the game like they would at a club ground or even at the old Wembley. Plenty of theories have been offered for this – the fans sit too far back from the pitch perhaps – but the truth is probably simpler.

Since the stadium opened in 2007, England fans have largely witnessed abject failure from their side. Steve McClaren’s failed effort to reach Euro 2008 in a 2-3 loss to Croatia is one of the new Wembley’s earliest memories, and while Fabio Capello and Roy Hodgson fared better at points, both men failed on the biggest stage – and failed to get the fans behind their team, too.

That’s all changed under Southgate, as the positive experience that was the World Cup has galvanised fans of England just as Terry Venables’ side galvanised them after the now-legendary Euro 1996. Where England fans would usually dread the international break in September, this time they’ve largely been looking forward to it since the World Cup ended in July.

And so Spain can expect to face a roaring crowd at Wembley on Saturday with the fans finally behind all of the Three Lions and not looking to boo a scapegoat following a failed tournament. The partisan crowd could provide England with the little bit extra they need – a 12th man if you will – to topple their illustrious opponents.