There was a certain inevitability about it being Alvaro Morata. Spain’s Euro 2020 revolved around a striker who managed to straddle the divide between profligate and prolific. His semi-final equaliser made him his country’s record scorer in European Championships. His trip to Wembley ensured his tournament will remain remembered for the missed penalty that resulted in Italy advancing to the final. His crisis of confidence proved crucial.
Luis Enrique argued that Morata’s night was a triumph of character. “He has an abductor issue. It says a lot about his personality that, despite that, he wanted to take a penalty,” said the Spain manager. Sadly for Morata, a man subjected to harrowing abuse on social media, there was no happy ending.
Euro 2020 may have reinforced reputations: about him as a sporadically brilliant but erratic figure. Morata’s goals against Croatia and Italy were wonderfully taken but he missed a spot kick in regulation time against Slovakia and in a shootout against Roberto Mancini’s side.
It felt symbolic, too, that the other player to fail from 12 yards – and, as he blazed over the bar, in more emphatic fashion – was Dani Olmo. The Leipzig forward left the tournament with three assists, including two terrific crosses against Croatia, but having taken the most shots of anyone and still not scored.
Spain’s precision was confined to their midfield. They lived up and down to stereotypes, for producing passers in abundance but not always finishers. The precocious Pedri completed all 55 of his passes in regulation time. “No 18-year-old has done what Pedri has done in any big competition,” Luis Enrique said. “It’s devoid of all logic.”
If there is a case for arguing Pele did rather more by winning the World Cup at 17, his broader point still stood. As his manager said, Andres Iniesta had not reached the levels at 18 that Pedri has scaled. He was so good that Thiago Alcantara, who took the best Spanish penalty, was confined to cameos, only twice summoned before the 105th minute.
Italy v Spain - player ratings
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ITALY RATINGS: Gianluigi Donnarumma 7 - A big save in the first half kept the game even. The young goalkeeper had to deal with much more than usual on the night and dealt with the majority of questions asked. Saved Morata's penalty to put his side in position to win the shootout. -
Emerson 7 - The Chelsea man had the difficult task of replacing Leonardo Spinazzola on Tuesday night and looked comfortable on the left flank. Surging runs up the park opened up the attack for Italy in some of their most dangerous moments. -
Giorgio Chiellini 7 - No nonsense from Chiellini. The veteran defender may not have the passing range of some other players but his defensive work was as strong as ever at Wembley. -
Giovanni Di Lorenzo 6 - Alert to the danger from a cross that was destined for Ferran Torres. Sometimes over-exuberant with a number of fouls. -
Marco Verratti 6 - Had a difficult evening with Koke intent on reducing the playmaker’s time on the ball. Italy’s midfield couldn’t seem to control the game as well as usual at Wembley. -
Nicolo Barella 5 - Tasked with nullifying Sergio Busquets who was having success transitioning the ball forwards. The Internazionale midfielder has been impressive throughout the tournament but he wasn’t at his best on Tuesday. -
Lorenzo Insigne 5 - Not as effective as usual in a fairly quiet display from one of Italy’s best players at the tournament. Replaced by Belotti in the 85th minute. -
Ciro Immobile 5 - Worked hard but not involved much overall. Replaced just after the hour. -
SUB: Domenico Berardi (Immobile 62) 6 - An instant spark on the attack and forced Spain’s defence back. Should have done better with a couple of opportunities. -
SUB: Matteo Pessina (Verratti 74) N/A - The Atalanta star has scored twice so far at Euro 2020 but couldn’t add to his tally on Tuesday night. -
SUB: Rafael Toloi (Emerson 74) N/A - On for Emerson who had worked hard throughout the night. -
SUB: Andrea Belotti (Insigne 85) N/A - Ran the channels well to provide an out-ball for teammates. -
Unai Simon 7 - Sloppy start to second half and seemed reluctant to use his hands at times, but then made key saves, including in the penalty shoot out. -
Cesar Azpilicueta 6 - Difficult to deal with Insigne on the left but good interception led to an attack where Busquets shot just over. His epic year so far ended here, but Spain’s issues were more up front than in defence. -
Aymeric Laporte 8 - Spain’s best defender. He played a high line, a tactic vindicated as Spain had 70 per cent possession in the first half – an incredible stat. Made a key block just before Italy took the lead with a devastating counter. Touched the ball 160 times – more than any player in any game at the tournament. -
Jordi Alba 7 - Set up Oyarzabal on 39 minutes in another rapid Spain move. Supported attacks, got wide and forward to give options. Carried the captain’s armband with pride at the end. -
Pedri 9 - Key player as Spain totally outplayed Italy in the first half. Lovely first time passes as Spain dominated in midfield. The only player with 100 per cent passing accuracy in the first half – and he completed more than Verratti and Jorginho combined. -
Sergio Busquets 8 - A master of the dark arts, he was eyeball to eyeball with Chiellini as the first half came to an end. He and Barça teammate Pedri were the main men. Badly missed when he went off. -
Mikel Oyarzabal 6 - Started for first time in tournament. Played right and was one on one after 39 but ballooned the ball over the bar. Missed a header from six yards at the far most after 67 – another superb chance for Spain. -
Ferran Torres 7 - Played left of Olmo in a surprise Spain starting XI. Shot wide after 14 minutes as Spain got over a pressured start to attack. Spain pressed hard and high and got their tactics right. -
Daniel Olmo 7 - Surprise start ahead of Morata. Dropped into midfield when needed as Spain played a false nine. It confused and drew the Italians out in the first half. Shot wide after 67 minutes but set up Morata for the equaliser. Terrible penalty in the shoot out. -
SUB: Morata 7 (On for Torres after 61). Couple of half chances but didn’t look confident – like when he had to strike for goal on 77 but was too hesitant. And then he scored, a clever, calm finish after 79. Poor, slow, penalty though. -
SUB: Rodri 6 (On for Koke on 69). Played deep, too deep when Busquets went off. -
SUB: Gerard Moreno 6 (On for Oyarzabal on 69). Couldn’t finish an epic season on a high. Scored his penalty, though. -
SUB: Marcos Llorente 6 (On for Azpilicueta on 85). Made a difference on the right. -
SUB: Thiago 5 (On for Busquets after 106). He was poor and gave the ball away too many times. Incredible confidence for his penalty though. -
SUB: Pau Torres (On for Garcia on 109).
Almost every other team would have needed him; Spain did not. Against an Italy team with twin playmakers of their own, in Jorginho and Marco Verratti, Spain ran the midfield. They had 70 per cent of the ball; it was possession with more purpose than they showed in the 2018 World Cup. Sergio Busquets’ passing has acquired more edge with the verticality Luis Enrique prizes.
“We demonstrated we were superior to them,” Busquets said, but the perennial challenge for Spain has been to convert superiority into goals. When their finishing was good, they twice scored five. In the other four games, they got a total of three goals. They are the side who beat Germany 6-0 last year but the one who drew 0-0 with Sweden last month when they had 85 per cent of possession.
Luis Enrique argued before the quarter-final against Switzerland that he had not seen a better team than Spain in the tournament. That accolade may depend upon the definition of best. Perhaps their conquerors, Italy, were more complete; better defensively, winning each of their five previous games, not veering between drought and flood in front of goal. Gianluigi Donnarumma has proved a more reliable goalkeeper than Unai Simon, even if his penalty saves against Switzerland were a form of redemption for his hideous error for Pedri’s own goal.
Simon’s selection formed part of Luis Enrique’s quixotic, and at times controversial, decision-making. He dropped David de Gea from the team, Sergio Ramos from the squad and only took 24 players. His faith in Pedri, choice of Pablo Sarabia and surprise recall of Cesar Azpilicueta were justified. But perhaps it all came down to Morata.
