WITH A RECORD FOURTH EURO TITLE, SPAIN COMPLETES A PERFECT RUN HAILED BY ALL: THE STORY OF A HISTORIC EVENING

Twelve years after their last Euro title, Spain are champions again, snatching victory (2-1) against England at the Olympiastadion in Berlin this Sunday. Unbeaten in seven games, La Roja becomes the most successful team in the competition.

It took a while to get going, but the Euro 2024 final ultimately lived up to expectations. After a lacklustre first half, Spain beat England 2-1 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin to become the most successful nation in the competition.

Although Les Bleus were not on the pitch on this French national holiday, the match was nonetheless an enticing one between two teams with opposing destinies. On one side, Spain, undefeated until then in the competition, in search of an unprecedented fourth continental title. On the other, a sluggish England, trailing in each of its final phase matches, trying to end a 58-year drought since its 1966 World Cup title. A clash of styles, too, with Roja impressive collectively against a Three Lions more driven by their individualities.

But between these two teams, each solid in their field, the match was closed for a long time. The first half, not very flamboyant, saw the Spanish faithful to their principles, monopolizing the ball. But lacking inspiration, they struggled to change pace and unbalance the English defense, never worried. Gareth Southgate’s men, for their part, succeeded in a few assaults in the opposing camp, quickly pushed back by the Roja, but impressed by their defensive solidarity.

A much more attractive second period

If Harry Kane and his team had managed to stick together for the first 45 minutes of the match, they were the first to crack, at the start of the second half. A few moments after the restart, the young prodigy Lamine Yamal put in a devastating acceleration and found Nico Williams in the English penalty area, who did not tremble to send the ball into Pickford’s net.

Once again attractive and serene, much more precise technically, Luis de la Fuente ‘s men then showed a completely different face. Dani Olmo could have allowed the Roja to take the lead a few seconds later if his shot had not been too crossed. More enterprising, the Spaniards chained together several dangerous actions and seemed close to making the break, without success.

Missed opportunities that they ended up paying for in the 72nd minute. On a pass back from Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, unmarked, opened his foot and beat Unai Simon to restart the game. A new lease of life for the English, initiated at the hour mark by Gareth Southgate who had made his first changes and made the strong choice to take off his captain Harry Kane, replaced by Ollie Watkins. The same one who had come into play in his place in the semi-finals with just under ten minutes to go, and who had scored the winning goal against the Netherlands.

But after letting the storm pass, it was La Roja who came back stronger and took the lead in the 86th minute. On a one-two from about fifteen metres, Mikel Oyarzabal, on the verge of offside, got ahead of Saka and beat Pickford on Cucurella’s strong cross. Completely thrilling, the final, refereed by the Frenchman Froiçois Letexier , almost changed direction again a few minutes later: on a corner, the English shot three times, stumbling on Simon then Olmo. In vain.

Lamine Yamal voted best youngster of this Euro

Undefeated in the competition, with victories over Italy and Croatia in the group stage and then Germany and France in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, Spain finally won logically. “They are the best team in the tournament. They deserve it,” reacted, fair play, Gareth Southgate on the BBC after the match. Even before the final whistle, the contrast was striking between the two teams. While the Three Lions pushed to try to come back, some Spaniards overwhelmed by emotion could not hold back a few tears. Then let their joy burst forth.

For the English, already beaten in the final in 2021 – against Italy on penalties -, history unfortunately repeats itself. Heads down, red eyes, empty gaze and heads in hands, Harry Kane and his teammates did not hide their disappointment. The 30-year-old striker, who has scored more than 400 goals for club and country, will have to wait a little longer to win a first title in his career. “It’s never easy but we’ve shown incredible resilience, character to get here but you have to transform when you can and we didn’t. It’s very painful, and it’s going to hurt for a while,” he said after the match on ITV. All we can say is thank you to the supporters, to those who believed in us, we’ll be back.”

As the England fans, who turned out in force – nearly 50,000 people in a 70,000-seater stadium – left the stands before the ceremony, Rodri received the trophy for best player of the tournament while Lamine Yamal was named best young player of the tournament. The striker, who provided four assists and scored once – against France – during this Euro, became the youngest player to take part in a major tournament final. At 17 years and one day, he beat Pelé’s record, which had been held since the 1958 World Cup (17 years and 249 days).

“This is surely the best day of my sporting life. We are a family and now we are the most successful team at the Euro, Rodri rejoiced on Spanish TV. I ask people to go out into the streets tomorrow and feel proud.” Between this title and Carlos Alcaraz’s victory at Wimbledon earlier in the day, the Spanish have indeed reason to be proud.