JUST when you think England have worked out international football, when it has finally fallen into place, they somehow find a way to disappoint a nation.

Be it seamlessly qualifying for a major tournament with a group of talented players only to fall the moment they come up against a decent footballing side or, like at Euro 2016, Iceland, the Three Lions are yet to prove that they deserve to be taken seriously.

Tuesday night was the same. For 89 minutes, they were pretty much in cruise control against Spain at Wembley Stadium.

Two goals up thanks to Adam Lallana’s first-half penalty and Jamie Vardy’s second-half header, the mood around the ground was that Gareth Southgate had earnt the right to be named England manager after pulling off a “shock” victory.

However, despite playing a Spain team missing over half of its first team, failed Liverpool striker Iago Aspas and Real Madrid outcast Isco grabbed two goals in the space if six minutes to deny Southgate’s team victory.

It sums up everything wrong with the team, that they crumble under pressure, even in friendlies.

They may have beaten the likes of France and Germany over the past 12 months but the pressure was off in those situations.

France were still getting to grips with the Paris terrorist attacks and Germany were undone by two late goals, one coming in the final few minutes.

Should Southgate be given the role on a permanent basis, which is all but certain at this point, he will need to do what every manager over the past few decades has tried to do and that’s get this team over its mental barriers.

Figuring out why England capitulate under pressure is the million-pound question. Given that’s how much the next manager will pocket a year, he should be coming up with the answer.