I think we have differing ideas on what good technique is.
Good technique isnt just small movements and close control.
Technique is the physical control of the ball, skill is the application of that control.
So with respect to a large movement being technically good lets take a situation where a defender is receiving a long ball. If they control the ball and kill it dead that can be seen as good technique. Equally if their first touch means the ball ends up a meter away from them, if its done on purpose so as to enable the defender to look up and then make a long ground or aerial pass forward that first touch is also good technique. Small motions are not the only ways to have good technique. Dribbling isnt the only area where good technique exists.
Receiving on the front foot or back foot are two different techniques and both of them can have big movements depending on the required outcome and situation. Same with receiving on the half turn, crossing, long or short passes, its not just trapping the ball or dribbling.
Surely a good technician can do both? I.e, if he wanted to trap a ball dead at his feet or put it forward a meter or so to get it away from the defender, he can?
Long or short passing is helped by having good technique, but it not's a pre-requisite. You can have amazing range of passing whilst not having great technique. Would you class Carrick as a technician?
But back to the topic on hand, even if we use your definition of Technique, are England really worse than Spain?
Using the criteria of receiving the ball, manipulating it in contexts of passing, crossing, etc - Are the likes of Foden, Saka, Bellingham, Mainoo, Kane, Rice really worse than Rodri, Morata, Williams, Yamal and Pedri?
Ruiz is not a technician, I think we can agree on that. Excellent awareness, big engine, box to box but he's not a technical player. I don't see Saka being any less technical than Williams, and atleast for City Foden is just as good as Yamal. If we judge by their club form, Foden is far more effective than Yamal is. Pedri is the standout here as he's probably the best technician on the pitch but the England players are not that far behind.
The issue is system. Foden for Man City looks like he could explode at any moment with bits of magic, yet looks ass for England. Bellingham looks like the second coming of Christ for Madrid but spends half the games for England running around the pitch trying to get the ball. Saka has some of the most successful dribbling and assists stats in the Premier League but looks like an ineffective classical early 00's winger for England.
I don't think Spain are all that technically, and they're much below their actual era of technicians a decade ago. Their system makes their technical qualities stand out far more than England's does.
Pedro is a fantastic example. Didn't look an inch out of place playing for the highly technical Guardiola Barcelona. Looked like a passenger on the pitch sometimes for Chelsea.
