Spain is the new champion of Europe, after a fairytale final against England, with a score of 2-1 in Berlin, the Iberian team becoming the most successful nation in the history of European Championships all-time, with four trophies to their name.
Nico Williams and Oyarzabal scored for Spain, the latter in the 86th minute, while the English team equalized at one point through Cole Palmer.
Spain had displayed undoubtedly the most beautiful football up to the start of this final at this European Championship. With consecutive victories in the group stage, not against very comfortable opponents like Italy and Croatia, then with a dazzling performance against Georgia, the Spaniards had to face the host Germany in the quarterfinals, whom they defeated only in the 119th minute. They then overcame another European titan in the semifinals, a 2-1 win against France where Rodri's metronomic precision in midfield echoed the precious passes of Iniesta and Xavi from the superb generation of La Furia Roja from 2008 - 2012, with three consecutive final tournaments won.
After a dramatically lost final right at home, at the football temple, at Wembley, in front of over 90,000 English fans, three years ago, against Italy, the Albion national team arrived at Olympiastadion in Berlin seemingly reborn from game to game from their own ashes. They lost to Slovakia a thousand times, were clearly inferior to Switzerland, struggled against the Netherlands, and scored the winning goal in the last second, by a boy, Watkins, whom specialized betting websites have yet to properly recognize.
On June 26, 1996, in a European Championship semifinal, played at home by the English, at Wembley, on that old Wembley, a young, shy, tall, brown-eyed man decided the game negatively against the great rival Germany. Gareth Southgate, the current England manager, missed the final penalty kick of his team's series of 5 and handed a precious match ball to Andreas Moller, whom the Teutonic septet was eagerly waiting to capitalize on.
So, La Furia Roja or It's coming home? In a crazy atmosphere at Olympiastadion, where proportionally more English supporters were present, around 40-50,000 compared to just 10,000 Spaniards, territorial dominance belonged to Spain at the beginning of the game, which didn't surprise statisticians too much. However, the pressure of a European Championship final was deeply felt, the two teams couldn't find their rhythm in the first 45 minutes of play.
Spain seemed the more creative and inventive team, with Rodri as the midfield anchor, the invisible thread that needed to connect all elements of a precious pearl. However, goal opportunities were scarce, almost non-existent, although, at many times, each side was dangerous in its turn. Nevertheless, the first shot on target came only in extra time when Foden struck from a fall, and the ball was caught in two steps by Unai Simon.
And even though the second half didn't start well for the Spaniards, who suddenly found themselves without Rodri, probably injured and replaced by Zubimendi, it was still the Spaniards who began better. And better means wonderful. With results on the scoreboard. With a goal on the first shot on target. In the 46th minute, Lamine Yamal dismantled the entire British defense, a pass to his good friend and roommate Nico Williams on the left, a shot with no hope at the far corner, and the fiesta could begin, 1-0!
In the immediate next play, Dani Olmo shot from the same position as the Bilbao midfielder, but the ball went slightly wide. A few minutes later, Morata was alone with the goalkeeper but failed to score, and Williams attempted another long-range beauty, but Pickford was saved by destiny. Even without their conductor Rodri, Spain started tumultuously in front of an England seemingly not recovered from the break, resembling a boxer on the ropes.
Things miraculously turned around in the 72nd minute when, after another major inspiration from Southgate, England got back into the game. Cole Palmer, recently brought on, scored a fantastic long-range shot, making it 1-1, and the match was alive in Berlin. England then had the chance through Bellingham, but even Fuente had a stroke of genius.
Oyarzabal was brought on in the 68th minute, and the Real Sociedad star scored the trophy-winning goal in the 86th minute after an inspired cross from the left flank, credited to Cucurella.
In the 89th minute, England could have sealed the qualification in extra time, but the Spaniards saved twice from the goal line, first by goalkeeper Simon, then by the guardian angel Dani Olmo. However, the trophy did not make its way home yet, and the English will have to wait, perhaps at home in four years when EURO will be held in the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2028.
It should be noted that there was some suspense regarding Oyarzabal's goal, as it seemed that the Sociedad midfielder had a toe offside. In fact, it was a half knee offside, as clarified by the VAR lines shown later.
Spain is therefore the continental champion for the fourth time, 12 years after their last triumph and six decades after their first success. Meanwhile, England remains without a continental trophy in their history, marking their second consecutive EURO final where they walk off the field as the defeated team.
Match summary:
FINAL, SPAIN IS ONCE AGAIN EUROPEAN CHAMPION!!
INFO: 4 minutes of stoppage time!
MIN.89: SPAIN SAVES TWICE FROM THE GOAL LINE, DANI OLMO IS ABSOLUTELY A GUARDIAN ANGEL.
INFO: Toney comes on for Foden for the English team. The Spanish goal was ultimately validated without a VAR consultation. Merino also enters, replacing Yamal.
INFO: Attention, there are suspicions of offside on this play, awaiting VAR decision.
Min.86: GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL Spain! It's madness here in Berlin, Cucurella passes from the left into the box, Oyarzabal can bring the European championship trophy home.
Min.85: Yamal with a lobbed cross, Pickford comes out well, fumbles the ball, but eventually clears it safely.
INFO: Spanish substitution, Le Normand, exhausted, is replaced by Nacho.
Min.82: Lamine Yamal has another great chance, Pickford saves in extremis, Olmo and Williams have orchestrated another exceptional play, the English defenders seemed paralyzed.
Min.74: The English have an exceptional opportunity, the Spaniards seem bewildered and suffocate in defense.
Min.72: GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL England! 1-1, a fabulous long-range shot by Cole Palmer, Southgate has a fabulous inspiration, just introduced this talented young man from Chelsea. We have a match, we have a EURO final.
INFO: Cole-Palmer replaces Mainoo for the English team.
Min.69: Ruiz with a long-range shot, well over the crossbar. Spain is dominating the game at the moment.
INFO: Spanish substitution, captain Morata is substituted, Oyarzabal from Sociedad comes on. Dani Carvajal will now be the captain.
Min.66: Lamine Yamal shoots to the far corner, Pickford makes a crucial save to push it into a corner, a play created by Nico Williams!
Min.63: A great chance for England, a powerful long-range shot by Bellingham, well saved by Simon.
Min.60: Kane, lacking ideas, somewhat sluggish, is substituted, and hero Watkins from the Netherlands game comes on.
Min.55: Morata is alone with Pickford in the penalty area, but shoots wide of the goal, and Stones desperately clears. Then Williams shoots just inches wide of the goal, the English team hasn't shown up after the break, looking like a boxer on the ropes.
Min.52: Stones receives a yellow card for a foul on Zubimendi.
Min.51: There's a significant difference in intensity between the two teams after the break. Southgate must find solutions now, England is obliged to take the game to equalize, at least.
Min.48: Spain starts fabulously after the break, Dani Olmo shoots from the same position as Williams, but the ball goes wide.
Min.46: GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL Spain! 1-0, Spain's youngster Nico Williams strikes in this tightly contested final, a shot to the far corner with no hope, at the first authentic football play of the night. Lamine Yamal dismantled the entire English defense.
The second half begins!
INFO: First substitution for Spain, Zubimendi from Real Sociedad comes on, another Basque on the field, replacing Rodri, who likely got injured, Spain's best player exits the field....
Halftime, 0-0 between Spain and England!
Min.45: First shot on goal of the match! Phil Foden strikes from a fall, Unai Simon fumbles, but eventually catches the tricky ball.
INFO: 2 minutes of stoppage time!
Min.44: Kane with a powerful shot from distance, the Spaniards throw themselves like in hockey and block it. Rodri seems to be everywhere today. However, England has an interesting free-kick opportunity.
Min.42: Morata is dangerous in the box, gets a bit tangled up, Guehi and Stones don't understand each other, the ball eventually goes out for a corner.
INFO: Neither team seems to find their true rhythm. The pressure of a final is clearly taking its toll.
Min.29: A few minutes of calm, Dani Olmo receives a yellow card for a stomach blow to Rice.
Min.24: Kane receives the first yellow card of this European final, a high tackle on Fabian Ruiz, deserved booking.
Min.22: Yamal makes his first appearance, enters the box, his shot is blocked by Guehi.
Min.18: Carvajal with a good cross from the right flank, Pickford comes out in time and catches it.
Min.14: A strong run on England's right flank, Saka with an advanced pass to Walker, a low cross, Laporte clears it for a corner.
Min.12: Le Normand fails to control his movements for an exceptional scissor kick, lacking the agility of a forward. Rodri intelligently heads the ball for the French-born defender. Trippier is warming up, problems continue for Walker.
Min.11: Spain's first chance, John Stones blocks Williams at the last second, who wanted to shoot with his left foot from close range. Attention, serious muscular problems for Kyle Walker.
Min.9: Rodri's tough tackle on Jude Bellingham.
Min.5: The first corner kick of the match, taken by Nico Williams, but the English clear it, as they completely dominate the sound background, playing Bruce Springsteen's Dancing in the Dark.
Min.2: The match starts with territorial dominance from Spain, which doesn't surprise us.
EURO 2024 GRAND FINAL BEGINS!
INFO: King Felipe VI is also present at this match, along with his daughter, the Infanta of Spain.
21.54: The 22 players step onto the field. The two national anthems are being played!
21.53: The players are in the locker rooms, getting ready to enter an arena with a tremendous atmosphere. Giorgio Chellini steps onto the field and hands over the trophy won 3 years ago at Wembley.
21.50: The closing ceremony of the European Championship is taking place now, with images from Berlin, featuring a small concert.
21.39: England advanced from the groups by facing teams like Serbia, Slovenia, and Denmark, defeating only the first one, while in the round of 16 and quarterfinals, they struggled against Slovakia and Switzerland. On the other hand, Spain clashed at EURO with 3 top 10 world teams, Croatia, Italy, and France, winning all.
21.37: UEFA allocated around 50,000 tickets to English fans, while the Spaniards received only 10,000, causing a lot of tension and disappointment, with the Spanish authorities criticizing the European governing body for this situation.
21.33: Tickets for the EURO final, initially sold for 95 euros, were being resold on the black market on the final day for an exorbitant amount of 8,000 euros. Furthermore, Category 1 tickets are being sold for 13,000 euros, which is 13 times more expensive.
21.24: Spain won one of the oldest EURO finals in 1964, with a 2-1 victory over the Soviet Union, who were the reigning European champions at the time. The match was played at Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, with Pereda and Marcelino bringing victory to the Iberian nation.
21.18: Lamine Yamal is only 17 years old on the day Spain meets England in the grand final of EURO 2024, becoming the youngest footballer of all time to play in a EURO final.
21.10: There is only one change in the English team compared to the match against the Netherlands, with Kieran Trippier being replaced by Luke Shaw. It is the first match that the English left-back starts as a starter after 148 days, as he was sidelined due to a muscle injury.
INFO: The temperature in Berlin is currently 22 degrees Celsius.
Starting Lineups:
Spain: U. Simon - Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella - Rodri, Fabian Ruiz - Yamal, Olmo, N. Williams - Morata.
Substitutes: Raya - J. Navas, Nacho, Vivian, Merino, Joselu, F. Torres, Remiro, Baena, Zubimendi, Oyarzabal, Fermin, Grimaldo.
Coach: Luis de la Fuente.
England: Pickford - Walker, Stones, Guehi - Saka, Mainoo, Rice, Shaw - Foden, Bellingham - Kane.
Substitutes: Ramsdale, Henderson - Alexander-Arnold, Trippier, Konsa, Dunk, Gallagher, Toney, Gordon, Watkins, Bowen, Eze, Gomez, Palmer, Wharton.
Coach: Gareth Southgate.
The match that will be the cherry on top of this final tournament will pit Spain against England, with Spain aiming to be crowned European champions for the fourth time, which would be an absolute record, while the British dream of winning their first final tournament since 1966.
Both teams made it to the semifinals by defeating France and the Netherlands, respectively, with the same score, 2-1.
It is England's second consecutive EURO final, after losing dramatically three years ago at home, at Wembley, in a penalty shootout against Italy. Spain and England have faced each other only 12 times in official matches, with England having 5 victories, Spain 4, and three draws.
The last encounter took place in 2018 when England won 3-2 in Seville in the Nations League. Twenty-eight years ago, the two teams met in the quarterfinals of EURO 1996 on British soil, with the hosts winning 4-2 in a penalty shootout.
Spain is the favorite of the bettors today, with a 40% chance of winning the trophy in 90 minutes. England has the most valuable team at the final tournament, with an estimated player value of 1.52 billion euros.
Possible Lineups:
England (3-4-2-1): Pickford - Walker, Stones, Guehi - Saka, Mainoo, Rice, Shaw - Bellingham, Foden - Kane. Substitutes: Ramsdale, D. Henderson - Shaw, Alexander-Arnold, Trippier, Konsa, Dunk, J. Gomez - Gallagher, Palmer, Wharton - Toney, Gordon, Watkins, Bowen, Eze. Manager: Gareth Southgate.
Spain (4-2-3-1): Simon - Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella - Ruiz, Rodri - Yamal, Olmo, Williams - Morata. Substitutes: Raya, Remiro - Nacho, Vivian, Grimaldo - Merino, Baena, Zubimendi, Oyarzabal, Joselu, F. Torres, J. Navas, F. Lopez. Manager: Luis de la Fuente (63 years old).
Referee: François Letexier (France).
The match will be televised on ProTV.