Alexia Putellas scores twice as Spain beat England 4-0 in Majorca to go top of their Women's World Cup qualification group.

Sonia Bermudez's side wrested back control of the qualifying group with an emphatic win and inflicted psychological damage in the process

Alexia Putellas scored a brace as world champions Spain leapfrogged European champions England in Women's World Cup qualifying with a 4-0 thrashing in Mallorca on Friday. Patri Guijarro opened the scoring for the world champions on 19 minutes and Putellas notched her first eight minutes before half-time.

England just needed to avoid defeat against Spain - instead they suffered their heaviest loss in 17 years, but it is not time to panic yet.

England coach Sarina Wiegman said it was "hard to see" the Lionesses taken apart by Spain on Friday as they lost 4-0 in Mallorca to leave them facing the prospect of the playoffs to qualify for next year's World Cup.

The 2026 World Cup begins on June 11 with the tightest field at the top in recent memory. Three independent sources —the betting markets, artificial intelligence and FIFA's official ladder— paint, for the first time in years,

England travel to Spain with a chance to seal qualification for next year's FIFA Women's World Cup in their hands, ahead of the match at the Estadi Mallorca Son Moix. England have four wins in four in the group so far -- having beaten Iceland twice,

Defeat for Sarina Wiegman’s side means the battle for direct qualification into next year’s tournament in Brazil now boils down to Tuesday’s games

The Spanish women’s national team face a true final against England in Palma de Mallorca. The reigning world champions, second in the group with 9 points, are obliged to beat the British side (12 points) to take top spot from them and secure direct qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil,