A first-half goal from defender Asier Del Horno was enough to hand the home side victory, but the scoreline does little to reflect a night of English frustration.

Sven-Goran Eriksson’s men worked hard to stay in the match and in the end were only narrowly beaten. It has to be reported, too, that there was some shameful racist chanting from the Bernabeu terraces that was impossible either to ignore or to condone, with Ashley Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips in particular suffering abuse.

What a pity that on a night when their team played so well, Spanish fans could well make the headlines instead of their players, who were certainly a credit, passing the ball with real Spanish style.

It meant the first half was frustrating and eventful in equal measures for England, as they struggled to cope with the pace and guile of their rivals – who produced some quite brilliant football.

The opening few minutes were promising enough, with Rooney ruled narrowly offside from a fine Wayne Bridge through-ball. But Joaquin set the tone at the other end with an outrageous piece of skill that left Ashley Cole on the floor. From that point on Cole knew he had a real battle on his hands against a player with outstanding pace.

Fernando Torres, too, caused Rio Ferdinand problems in the middle, while Alonso and Xavi pulled the strings in central midfield.

Spain were ahead after only nine minutes when, from a left-wing corner, the ball was allowed to bounce on the penalty spot – leaving defender del Horno to loop a header high over Paul Robinson. It was a frustrating way to concede, and it could easily have been 2-0 after 20 minutes when Raul’s diving header ended up only narrowly wide.

It’s not often that you say England have been outplayed, but for the first half hour they certainly were and only steely determination kept them in the game.

Cole was left chasing thin air when Joaquin raced away after 23 minutes, and the Three Lions were only saved when Gary Neville somehow hooked away the winger’s low cross with Reyes lurking at the far post.

With Spain growing in confidence the second goal looked on its way, and it so nearly came when Reyes found Raul with a neat ball into the box, and Robinson raced out to meet him. The Spurs man got the ball as he dived at the feet of Madrid’s favourite son, but referee Kasnaferis awarded a penalty all the same.

Thankfully England were saved when Robinson produced a fine block to keep out the spot-kick and keep the scoreline respectable.

By this stage the atmosphere in the stadium was reaching fever pitch, and the action on the field was getting hotter too. As England flew into tackles in a bid to get back in the match you could sense something was going to happen.

Rooney was booked for pushing Iker Casillas in the back, and Head Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson opted to replace him with Alan Smith after 41 minutes.

With England behind and facing an uphill battle to get back in the match, there was no chance of Eriksson making a string of half-time substitutes as he had perhaps planned.

Instead, Captain Beckham led out the same eleven after the break, while Spain took off Raul, Torres and Marchena and replaced them with Guti, Luque and Pablo.

Smith had an early half-chance to level the scores with a header at the far post, but Spain quickly settled into the same attacking rhythm that had made them so dangerous in the first half. Robinson, looking in top form, did well to hold an effort from the influential Barcelona man Xavi - and try as they might England just couldn’t get their usual passing game going.

As the ‘Ole’s’ began to echo around the Bernabeu, Sven decided it was time for changes, bringing on Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jermaine Jenas and Jamie Carragher for Beckham, Lampard and Ferdinand. Matthew Upson then took the place of Terry and with the shape of the game lost it became more of a cat-and-mouse tussle.

Angulo could have added to Spain’s tally but blazed over the bar. And as the match fizzled out, England will no doubt put this experience down as one to learn from – but not one to remember.

Spain  Casillas; Salgado, Marchena (Pablo 45) , Juanito, Del Horno; Joaquin (Luque 78), Xavi, Alonso (Orbaiz 69), Reyes (Angulo 57); Torres (Guti 45), Raul (Romero 45).
Subs not used: Canizares

England: Robinson; G Neville, Ferdinand (Carragher 61), Terry (Upson 63) , A Cole (Defoe 77); Beckham (Wright-Phillips 59), Butt, Lampard (Jenas 59), Bridge; Rooney (Smith 41), Owen.
Subs not used: James, P Neville, Hargreaves, Kirkland.

Referee: Georges Kasnaferis (Greece)

Attendance: 48,000