Spain clinches fourth Euro crown with thrilling win over England
The Spanish national team has won the European Championship in football for the fourth time in history. In Berlin, La Furia Roja defeated England 2-1 (0-0) after a lacklustre first half and an action-packed second half. The hero was Nico Williams, who was the first to score. Spain won all their matches in the Euro 2024 finals.
After a month of battles, the Euro 2024 Final brought a clash of beauty and beast. Beautiful Spain delighted the fans, and particularly dangerous England in the closing stages, who did not show much flair in Germany but always managed to stay ahead. The Spaniards were considered the favourites, but the Islanders were in the final for the second consecutive Euros.
It was no accident, as although the Islanders did not play beautifully, they confidently progressed through the stages of Euro 2024. Meanwhile, the Spaniards were impressed with their play and finesse. Unfortunately, we saw little of that finesse in this year's Euros.
The final was shaping up to be a clash of two giants, a match meant to erase the image of a tournament with tired, bored, and energy-drained powerhouses. For a month, 24 teams fought for supremacy on the Old Continent. Two powerhouses remained, each representing a different football culture. But only one was to triumph.
At the beginning of the match, both sides were very cautious, though the Spaniards were playing the ball and even won a corner kick. At the same time, the English patiently waited in their half for counter-attacking opportunities. In the 8th minute, Nico Williams twisted the opponent's defence, but Declan Rice, helped by the brave Kyle Walker, quickly defused the situation.
The Spaniards attacked mainly down the left flank, and in the 12th minute, Nico Williams almost faced Jordan Pickford one-on-one. He was only three yards from the goal when John Stones decisively tackled and stopped him. La Furia Roja showed eagerness for their seventh consecutive victory in Euro 2024, while the English were passive.
Kyle Walker boldly charged towards the opponent's goal, was blocked, but earned the Three Lions' first corner in the final. Gareth Southgate instructed his team to attack more boldly in the Spanish half. Soon, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden began to assault the opponents' "temple."
In response, the 17-year-old Lamine Yamal broke away from the opponents for the first time in the final. The youngster entered the penalty box, but the defenders quickly blocked his shot.
Both teams played cautiously, focused primarily on defence while trying to attack and surprise their opponent. The first thirty minutes were like a chess game, though the Spaniards looked better visually. The catch, however, is that in football, no one awards points for style; only goals matter. The scoreboard at the Olympiastadion stubbornly showed 0-0.
In the 42nd minute, the English made their first serious blunder. Alvaro Morata received a through ball, but he was timely blocked by Marc Guehi before he could score. The Spaniards could not break through the opponent's defence with their quick play and creative ball distribution. The Islanders played carefully in defence, guarding every inch of the pitch.
Moreover, in offence, Jude Bellingham took the ball from Dani Carvajal and passed it to Harry Kane, but he couldn't shoot as Rodri emerged. The Manchester City midfielder saved the team from a dangerous strike by the brilliant English. Phil Foden had one more chance in front of the goal before the referee invited the teams to take a break.
The first half was not a great spectacle; one accurate shot, few emotions, football chess at its best...
If anyone complained about the first half - and everyone did - the second half began with a bang. In the 47th minute, Lamine Yamal raced down the right flank, cut inside and set up Nico Williams. Without hesitation, the 22-year-old entered the penalty box and beat Jordan Pickford. The final in Berlin had finally started in earnest.
Less than a minute passed, and Dani Olmo could have made it 2-0. However, the Spaniard lacked precision or perhaps a cool head. Like a boxer after a heavy knockout, the English tried to return to the competition and not fall to the ground before being punished again. Nonetheless, they are classy players, and it soon became apparent they wouldn't throw in the towel.
They had huge problems with the mobile and imaginative Spaniards. Alvaro Morata broke away once, but John Stones cleared his move from the goal. Moments later, Nico Williams unleashed a dangerous shot from a distance, narrowly missing the goal. The English, consistent with their style, did not rush to attack but carefully passed the ball.
Then Gareth Southgate made a surprising move: he took Harry Kane off the field and gave Ollie Watkins a chance. The Three Lions had 30 minutes left to turn the match around.
The English immediately got to work, and in the 63rd minute, Jude Bellingham's powerful strike nearly equalised. He barely missed, with the ball passing the Spaniards' goalpost by inches. In response, Lamine Yamal sped towards the opponents' goal, and only Jordan Pickford saved England from going 2-0 down.
The Islanders were metaphorically banging their heads against a wall. They played schematically, slowly, without flair, precisely as they had in the previous six matches. In the 70th minute, Cole Palmer entered the field, and by the 73rd minute, he was celebrating his goal. Jude Bellingham pulled the ball back to the edge of the penalty box to him, and the Chelsea midfielder powerfully scored, equalising in the grand final.
Now, with fifteen minutes remaining, the game essentially started anew.
The Spaniards quickly shifted the game's focus to the opponents' half. They gained a renewed fighting spirit, and there was no more room for calculations. In the 82nd minute, Lamine Yamal should have decided the match, as Dani Olmo beautifully set him up. But again, Jordan Pickford prevailed, one of the English squad's heroes in this final.
The Everton goalkeeper, however, had to concede for the second time that evening. The Spaniards played the ball brilliantly from midfield. It went to the left, where Marc Cucurella delivered it powerfully across the goal. The first to reach it was Mikel Oyarzabal, who struck it into the English net. The Spaniards were now closer to their goal.
The Islanders attacked fiercely, with Jude Bellingham passing to Ollie Watkins, but he couldn't control the ball in the penalty area. Moments later, the English took a corner kick, with Declan Rice heading it brilliantly, but Dani Olmo cleared the ball off the goal line. He quickly fell into the arms of his grateful teammates.
The Spaniards deservedly won Euro 2024, triumphing in all seven championship matches. They achieved this feat as the first national team in the history of the Euros. With four titles, they are now the most titled team on the Old Continent. England lost its second consecutive final. Might the third time be the charm?
Spain – England 2-1 (0-0)
Goals: Nico Williams (47), Mikel Oyarzabal (86) - Cole Palmer (73)
Yellow cards: Dani Olmo - Harry Kane, John Stones, Ollie Watkins
Referee: Francois Letetexier (France)
Spectators: approx. 75,000
Spain: Unai Simon - Marc Cucurella, Aymeric Laporte, Robin Le Normand (83. Nacho Fernandez), Dani Carvajal - Fabian Ruiz, Rodrigo Cascante (46. Martin Zubimendi), Dani Olmo - Nico Williams, Alvaro Morata (68. Mikel Oyarzabal), Lamine Yamal (89. Mikel Merino).
England: Jordan Pickford - Marc Guehi, John Stones, Kyle Walker - Luke Shaw, Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo (70. Cole Palmer), Bukayo Saka - Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane (61. Ollie Watkins), Phil Foden (89. Ivan Toney).
