Euro 2024: Record fourth title ushers new dawn for Spain
The final of the 2026 World Cup was two years and five days from when Spain became the most successful team in the history of the European championship with four titles.
A lot can happen between now and then for what is sport if not real life in fast forward. But in the here and now, Spain look invincible. And they do that by playing beautiful football. The achievements of their golden generation may stay unmatched but this Spain team can be slicker and sharper.
That much can be said on the basis of their performance in Euro 2024. Seven played, seven won, the final in Berlin the perfect finish to what started with a 3-0 rout of Croatia. Spain were at England’s throat for most of the night. Cole Palmer got England breathing again after Nico Williams’ goal but Spain scored again through Mikel Oyarzabal. Dani Olmo’s clearance from the goalline in the 89th minute meant there would be no more late goals resuscitating the English campaign. When Alvaro Morata slow-bounced to his mates with the trophy, there would also be no arguing that the best team won.
“We made history but we cannot stop here,” said Rodri. “A real team, European champions. I said I was proud and today I am even prouder. It confirms what we are. For me, they are the best in the world and today I confirm that definition,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.
“Spain have been brilliant all tournament, they are great team,” said Palmer. “We hoped to get back into the game but we didn’t do that.”
The attention on Lamine Yamal, especially after his goal against France and the picture of Messi cradling him, had put Williams somewhat in the shadow of this teen phenomenon. Williams is 22 but has already played a World Cup and been a man of the match. He and Yamal have added speed, strength and width to Spain. England contained Yamal –till they didn’t – but Spain showed that if one doesn’t get you, the other will.
Yamal did have a role in the first goal if only to cut in and find Williams after Dani Carvajal had set the move going. With that Yamal had caught Kyle Walker out of position. In this age of inverted wingers, the player on the left usually has a stronger right foot. So it is with Williams but he scored with a left footer and by the 47th minute, Spain were ahead.
Though Spain had most of the possession – it was 70% after 27 minutes and 63% at the end –missing was the cutting-edge final pass. England knew they wouldn’t have much of the ball – to be fair, they couldn’t look after it when they did – leading to a first half had been cagey, conservative even.
The best chance, if it could be called that, had come England’s way with Phil Foden stabbing Declan Rice’s free-kick to Unai Simon near half-time. Bukayo Saka was England’s outlet but Simon had not been called into action till then. One reason for that of course was Rodri plugging a gap whenever one opened in the midfield. Rodri’s block of a Harry Kane shot in the 44th minute came at the expense of an injury and he had to be replaced by Martin Zubimendi.
With no disrespect to Zubimendi, given Rodri’s influence on this team it would have been fair to assume that Spain would, at the very least, need some time to settle into the second half. Instead, they exploded off the blocks. After Williams struck, he found Olmo whose shot could have been the one that put the final to bed but was off target. Alvaro Morata’s effort was pulled back by John Stones and then Williams drove wide. By the 55th minute, Spain should have been celebrating in Berlin, Bilbao, Barcelona and more.
Jordan Pickford’s save off Yamal would have felt like England’s hand-of-God moment especially when Palmer squared things with a shot that was stunning after a move in the 73rd minute that was slick. England broke with Saka and he found Bellingham inside the box. Hs back arched and under pressure, Bellingham threaded the ball back to Palmer who fired a grounder from range. Yet again, England had found a way to keep a match alive. This time it was from the man who replaced Kobbie Mainoo.
By then, both captains had been replaced as Spain and England sought greater efficiency in front of goal. On a yellow and doing little, Kane was changed for Ollie Watkins in the 61st minute. Oyarzabal came in for Morata in the 67th. Accused of being reactive with his changes, Gareth Southgate again showed how inaccurate the charge was. He gave Luke Shaw his first start in any competitive match since February when the left back had played for Manchester United against Luton Town. Shaw kept Yamal in check till he couldn’t and Spain forged ahead. The hand of Pickford again kept England alive after a Yamal shot was palmed away. As it was soon after the equaliser when Olmo tested him.
Palmer was the 22nd substitute to have scored in this edition. The 23rd helped Spain regain what they had lost in 2016. Oyarzabal found Marc Cucurella on the overlap before timing his run to stay on-side of Marc Guehi and score from the return ball. Again, England had been caught with Walker tucked inside.
England threw in Ivan Toney but it was Guehi whose header Olmo cleared from the goalline and celebrated like he had scored. It’s a new dawn for Spain who are also the 2023 Nations League winners and have won this before in 1964, 2008 and 2012. For England, the night got darker, the wait longer.