England and Spain will square off at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night in their 2026/27 Nations League opener, marking the first time these two powerhouses have faced each other in the competition. The fixture carries added significance given that the nations last met in the Euro 2024 final two years ago, and now rank as the fourth and first best teams in world football respectively according to FIFA rankings. With both sides boasting exceptional talent across every position, the matchup has naturally sparked debate about which players would deserve selection in a combined starting XI—a question that former Three Lions striker Darren Bent has now definitively answered.
In assembling his hypothetical super-team, Bent selected six Spanish players and five English representatives, handing the edge to the world champions. His goalkeeper choice fell to Unai Simón, while his defence featured Marc Cucurella at left-back alongside Reece James on the right. The centre-back pairing comprises Pau Cubarsí and Marc Guehi, with Bent explaining his preference for the latter over Aymeric Laporte. The midfield is anchored by holding midfielder Rodri, with Fabián Ruiz occupying the number 8 role and Jude Bellingham deployed as the attacking playmaker, leaving no room for Declan Rice despite his status as a 80-cap England regular who has started in 75 of those matches. Bent justified Ruiz's selection by citing an extraordinary trophy haul that includes a Nations League title, World Cup, Euros, back-to-back Champions Leagues, Super Cup, Coupe de France, Trophee des Champions, and four consecutive Ligue 1 titles.
In attack, Bent placed Harry Kane through the centre, backed by wingers Bukayo Saka on the left and Lamine Yamal on the right. When questioned about deploying two right-sided players, Bent clarified his tactical reasoning, explaining that Yamal would function as a cutting, shooting threat who tucks infield, while Saka's role would emphasise his ability to attack the byline and deliver crosses for Kane to finish. This tactical flexibility, according to Bent, provides Kane with varied creative support depending on which flank the ball approaches from.
The selection underscores the exceptional depth available to both nations as they prepare for Saturday's encounter. While the combined XI heavily favours Spain's talent pool, Bent's inclusion of players like Bellingham, Saka, Kane, Guehi and James reflects England's own formidable arsenal. The debate itself—particularly the exclusion of Rice in favour of Ruiz—highlights how competitive international football has become at the elite level, where even world-class performers must make way when facing sterner competition for limited spots.