The Nations League, initially introduced in 2018 with considerable scepticism, has proven to be an exemplary tournament structure that solves a genuine problem in international football: the emotional anticlimax that follows major tournaments. Unlike meaningless friendlies or distant qualifier campaigns, the Nations League provides a competitive yet non-critical platform where teams can experiment and prepare, serving as a useful "palate-cleanser" between World Cups and continental championships.

England's 3-1 defeat to Spain at Wembley in the Nations League exemplifies its value. Two of Spain's three goals resulted from individual errors, and England led late into the match before conceding twice, with Harry Kane's missed penalty hitting the bar when the score was 3-1. Though England lost to the reigning world champions, the competitive nature of the contest—where either side could realistically have won—demonstrated meaningful progress and provided manager Thomas Tuchel a genuine opportunity to learn from their World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, whilst building towards the 2028 Euros.