Spain broke English hearts and became the first four-time winners of the European Championship with a 2-1 win at the EURO 2024 Final in Berlin on Sunday.
Nico Williams gave Spain a lead and Cole Palmer restored level terms in the second half, but Mikel Oyarzabal found the winner off a Marc Cucurella cross in the 86th minute.
[ MORE: EURO 2024 schedule, bracket ]
England remain without a EURO title and fall in their second-straight final at the tournament.
Rodri was named Player of the Tournament while teammate Lamine Yamal is the Young Player of EURO 2024.
Just desserts for perfect Spain
Spain played seven games at EURO 2024, winning them all, and it’s difficult to say any other team was in the ballpark of their consistent class in Germany.
It started with their first-half flurry in the tournament-opening beatdown of Croatia, and wound up counting Italy, Albania, Georgia, Germany, France, and England as second-best on its path to glory.
It wasn’t a team without flaws, but those flaws just didn’t matter much given the dominant midfield and precocious wingers. Even an injury to Rodri failed to stop them in the final.
England, we’re sorry, you’ve just got to tip your cap.
What’s next for England?
Gareth Southgate has earned the chance to keep guiding the Three Lions after this tournament, and the future remains very bright although there’s a huge question up top.
Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, and Phil Foden are 24-and-under. The Three Lions were also very young in the midfield and not close to the peak of the powers when it comes to Jude Bellingham, Kobbie Mainoo, Conor Gallagher, and Declan Rice. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Rice at 25 are the oldest in the bunch.
Jarrad Branthwaite, Levi Colwill, and Reece James weren’t even in this squad.
There are questions about goalkeeper and center forward. Jordan Pickford is fine but hardly Best XI of the tournament material. And Harry Kane is still a national team player but was clearly carrying an injury and is not getting any younger.
Spain vs England player ratings (fotmob.com)
Spain vs England player ratings from EURO 2024 Final (fotmob.com)
Spain vs England player ratings from EURO 2024 Final (fotmob.com)
How did they get here? EURO 2024 for Spain and England
Spain were the favorites heading into the final as their brilliantly incisive pressing style has blown everyone away at this tournament. Luis de la Fuente’s young side beat France in the semifinal as the brilliance of 16-year-old Lamine Yamal (he turns 17 the day before this final) got them going and Dani Olmo scored the winner in the comeback
England, somehow, made the final and Gareth Southgate’s stars showed incredible resilience. They were behind in their last 16, quarterfinal and semifinal games but won all of them and their semifinal victory against the Netherlands was their best performance of the tournament as they continue to improve and trend in the right direction. Ollie Watkins was the hero off the bench to score yet another late goal for England as the Three Lions knew they needed to improve but they had that knack of hanging in games and somebody is popping up with the goods when it matters most. — Joe Prince-Wright.
How to watch Spain vs England, stream link and start time
Kick off: 3pm ET, Sunday (July 14)
Stadium: Olympiastadion, Dortmund
How to watch on TV, stream in USA: Fox Sports
Spain vs England live updates — By Nick Mendola
Spain vs England final score: 2-1
Goalscorers: Williams (46'), Palmer (73'), Oyarzabal (86')
Super desperation defending by Spain!
Declan Rice thuds a header toward goal that Unai Simon could only parry.
The rebound is headed toward the gaping goal but Dani Olmo is on the line to head it away.
Rice gets a third bite for England but it’s just over the bar.
Mikel Oyarzabal GOAL! Spain 2-1 England (86th minute)
Spain’s super sub matches Palmer and Spain are back in front.
Mikel Oyazabal works a 1-2 with Marc Cucurella out wide.
Cucurella has to work quickly to pump his cross past Kyle Walker’s bid to block, and his perfect cross back into the mix is met by an outstretched Oyazabal.
Perfectly-timed run to boot. 2-1 Spain.
SPAIN. DID. THAT. 😱
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 14, 2024
Another look at Mikel Oyarzabal's goal to give Spain the lead back late 🇪🇸🔁 pic.twitter.com/8ryilITMWL
Spain back at it, as Jordan Pickford comes up big
Spain is comfortable in possession again and Lamine Yamal gets into a dangerous space, lashing a shot that is stymied an excellent reflex save from Jordan Pickford.
Cole Palmer GOAL! Spain 1-1 England (73rd minute)
Scenes.
Bukayo Saka drives the right side of the midfield and cuts the ball inside for an off-balance Jude Bellingham to lay into the path of Cole Palmer.
The Chelsea star had been in the game for three minutes, and he’s sliced a shot through traffic and inside the far post.
1-1!
MADNESS 😱😱
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 14, 2024
ANOTHER LOOK AT COLE PALMER'S EQUALIZER FOR ENGLAND 🏴 pic.twitter.com/UZMdLADL4k
Southgate makes big move, Bellingham just misses!
That’s it for Harry Kane with a half-hour to play!
England’s all-time leading scorer is coming off for Ollie Watkins, the hero of the semifinal.
And it’s so close to 1-1.
Jude Bellingham spins inside the arc and so smoothly laces a low shot that just misses the post.
1-0 Spain, 64'.
Nico Williams GOAL! Spain 1-0 England (46th mintue)
Wow.
Dani Carvajal snaps an incisive pass to Lamine Yamal, and the 17-year-old cuts into the box.
Yamal spots Nico Williams on the left side, and Dani Olmo lets the pass go so Williams can snap the ball by a sliding Kyle Walker and a slow-to-react Jordan Pickford.
Lamine Yamal dishes it off to Nico Williams for the lead 🙌
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 14, 2024
Spain fans are going to remember this one forever 🇪🇸✨ pic.twitter.com/2SbTHuIWKr
Rodri out!
One of the very best players, a possible Ballon d’Or winner, is unable to continue after the break.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri is off and taking his place is Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi.
Big chance for Zubimendi and perhaps a much bigger chance for England.
Halftime — Spain 0-0 England
England will be happy as a Moyesian first-half plan has really played out well for them.
The Three Lions have had some chances on the counter attack and won a dangerous late free kick, with Phil Foden’s bid to get on the end of the service denied by Unai Simon.
They’ve ceded almost 70% of the ball to Spain, but given up just five shot attempts and 0.28 xG.
That they’ve produced just three shots and 0.17 xG isn’t the point; England have shrunk the game to 45 — maybe 75 — minutes without expending much mental energy.
Harry Kane, Dani Olmo cautioned
Kane’s follow through on a sliding challenge catches the ankle of Fabian Ruiz, and the England captain sees yellow.
A few minutes later Dani Olmo goes into the book for a similar challenge on Declan Rice.
0-0, 32'.
England win corner
Walker appears to be fine as he blazes down the right, deep into the box, before seeing his cross into a sea of Spanish bodies cut out for a corner kick
Spain deal with that, though. 0-0, 16'.
Corner for Spain as Kyle Walker shaken up
Worries for England, and only one is quelled.
First it’s a Nico Williams dribble into the box, and he looks to have the better of John Stones before the Man City back’s slide blocks Williams’ shot.
But Kyle Walker was injured in the build-up while sliding out of play. He’ll try to play on but not a great sign as Kieran Trippier warms up.
Spain establish early possession
It’s being reported as a heavily pro-England crowd in Berlin, but Spain is on the front foot in the first 10 minutes or so.
Forecast
Any ordinary final score line would struggle to be a shocker as both teams have key pieces capable of brilliance at either end of the pitch.
Spain’s lineup looks ready-made for any game but there’s enough youth in attack to say that England’s team looks ready-made for this moment.
Kobbie Mainoo and perhaps Marc Guehi aside, this Three Lions team has so much familiarity and depth.
Spain’s combination of Fabian Ruiz and Rodri, however, give La Furia Roja an edge in the middle of the park.
Spain lineup
Simon, Cucurella, Laporte, Le Normand, Carvajal, Rodri, Ruiz, Yamal, Olmo, Williams, Morata.
England lineup
Pickford, Shaw, Stones, Guehi, Walker, Rice, Mainoo, Saka, Bellingham, Foden, Kane.
Spain team news, focus
The main injury concern is Alvaro Morata who was injured when a security guard slipped over and hit him during the post-match celebrations following Spain’s semifinal win against France. They’re already missing Pedri after he was injured in the quarterfinal against Germany, but Olmo has come in for Pedri and had a huge impact. The big question is whether Robin Le Normand and Dani Carvajal come straight back in after missing the semifinal against France through suspension. Jesus Navas and Nacho used all of their experience to step in but it feels like Luis de la Fuente will go with Le Normand and Carvajal from the start. The young duo of Lamal and Nico Williams have been a revelation out wide and if they play well, Spain play well. Fabian Ruiz and Rodri also have a wonderful understanding in central midfield and will look to wrestle control of the engine room and push Spain high up the pitch.
England team news, focus
The Three Lions have a pretty settled lineup at this point and the main question is whether or not Luke Shaw is now fit to start the game. He came on at half time for Kieran Trippier in the semifinal and gives England natural balance as a left wing-back in their 3-4-2-1 system. There is also the possibility that England go to a back four to stop Spain finding space out wide behind their wing-backs. But seeing how well the back three has worked over the last two games, both in terms of keeping the defensive solidity but also allowing England’s talented attackers to have more freedom, it is likely Southgate will stick with that formation.
Spain vs England prediction
This is a real clash of style but it feels like Spain will just have the edge as their ability on the transition can win them the game at any moment. England will hang in there and have chances but this will be their biggest test of the tournament by some distance. Spain 2-1 England.