La Roja jubilant: Spain fans celebrating on calle Calderia in Malaga’s old town. Credit: Tristan Kirkland trendsnapnews
Spain triumphed over England in a thrilling Euro Cup final. The go-ahead goal came late in the match, leaving Spain with their 4th Euro Cup Trophy and England hungry for redemption.
in the first half, the closest either team came to getting on the scoreboard was an English set piece late in the half. Nico Williams and Kyle Walker collided, causing the referee to award a free kick to England around 25 yards out. The ball curled into the area, taking a deflection off a Spanish defender before falling to England winger Phil Foden, struck the ball on the bounce, trying to sneak the ball just inside the near post, but Basque keeper Unai Simon was well positioned, and the ball bounced harmlessly into his arms.
The two teams entered the locker room at halftime, drawn at 0-0. Neither team could generate much offensively; Spain controlled just under 70% of possession, while England looked to have the better of the few scoring chances generated.
Moments after the start of the half, Lamine Yamal cut inward and threaded a to the opposite winger, Nico Williams, who drove his shot hard and low into the far side netting. Spain 1-0. The go-ahead goal gave Spain a boost of confidence, having close to 70 per cent possession and having created eight chances to England’s three.
England Resurgent
In minute 73, England composed a beautiful counterattack, with Bukayo Saka drawing two defenders before passing to Jude Bellingham, who, off balance, touched it on to Cole Palmer, who drove the laid-off ball into the back of the net from just outside the 18-yard box. Palmer did not need any time to find his footing in the match, scoring just 142 seconds after coming on.
In minute 86, in the twilight of the match, Marc Cucurella drove a low cross to a streaking Mikel Oyarzabal, who poked it past Pickford. The Basque striker had not scored in the tournament up to that point, but he picked his moment well and put Spain up 2-1 with just four minutes of regular time left to play.
England had a final, desperate chance in the 90th minute. After earning a corner, Declan Rice had a wide-open header, thumping it at the Spanish goal. Unai Simon parried the attempt to his right, onto the head of English defender Marc Guehi. Guehi headed the ball goalward, beating Unai Simon, but Spanish midfielder Dani Olmo found himself in the right place at the right time, clearing what would have been an assured goal with his head to the delight of his teammates, who swarmed him after the ball bounced out of play, celebrating the defensive stand.
Four tense minutes later, the referee blew his final whistle, and Spain’s players dogpiled on Nico Williams before hopping the barrier and crossing the Olympiastadion’s running track to celebrate with their countrymen.
Spanish midfielder Dani Olmo co-won the Golden Boot, tied with three goals with Cody Gakpo, Ivan Schranz, Georges Mikautazde, and Englishman Harry Kane. Spain’s teenage talisman, Lamine Yamal, finishes the tournament leading in both assists and big chances created. The future looks bright for the Barcelona academy prospect, as he only celebrated his 17th birthday a day before the cup final.
La Roja dominant
Spain looked like the best team in the tournament from the first game to their last, winning all seven matches at EURO 2024, becoming the second team to win every game of a major tournament since Brazil at the 2002 World Cup. Luis de la Fuente’s reimagined offence also proved effective, with Spain scoring 15 goals in the 2024 Euros, the most by a nation in a single tournament in Euro Cup history.
While England became the first team to ever lose back-to-back Euro Cup finals, the team showed grit and killer instinct in matches when they needed it. Questions were already circulating about manager Gareth Southgate’s future with the team just hours after the match, but the Three Lions have much to be proud of as they return home.
The Kings address
King Edward addressed the team in an open letter, writing, “Please know that your success in reaching the European Championship final is a really great achievement in itself,” wrote the King, “and one that brings with it the pride of a nation that will continue to roar for the Three Lions today.”
