If a major part of the definition of a good tournament is that the best team ends up lifting the trophy, then Euro 2024 moved a long way to passing the ‘good tournament’ test. By beating England 2-1, via late goals from both teams but no need for extra time, Spain stamped the same authority on the last match of the 51 that has kept large parts of the world captivated – or at least curious – as they had on their previous six.
Spain won all seven of their matches in Germany, a rarity in a competition that includes three group games and another three knockouts on the way to the final. They beat the previous holders Italy, pre-event favourites France, hosts Germany and an England who had seemed blessed by good luck even if their football was often drab. Gareth Southgate’s gifted but underperforming players at least honoured a habit of suspense in the Olimpiastadion with the kind of belated equaliser that characterised their lurch to Berlin, Cole Palmer coming off the bench and, within three minutes, answering Nico Williams’ smooth finish after fine work from the wonderfully precocious Lamine Yamal, shortly after half time.
But this time, England ran into opponents uninhibited by a late setback. A Spain substitute, Mikel Oyarzabal, delivered the winning goal with three minutes of the 90 remaining, which left enough time for the reliably influential Dani Olmo to clear a goal-bound England header off the line. With that, England’s hopes of ending a 58-year drought of major trophies died.
Olmo’s story typifies some of the best aspects of this Spain squad, not least their strength in depth. He started the tournament outside head coach Luis de la Fuente’s preferred starting side. He ended up among the tournament’s joint leading scorers. This having come off the bench more often than he had lined up at kick-off. He owed his promotion to the first XI to the injury picked up by Pedri in the quarter-final against Germany.
Nor would Fabian Ruiz, excellent in Spain’s midfield throughout, likely have established his key role had Barcelona’s Gavi, recuperating from cruciate ligament surgery, been available. The stand-ins all starred, no more so than when, halfway through Sunday’s final, the absolute governor of Spain’s midfield, Manchester City’s Rodri, had to be withdrawn with a muscle problem.
A Spain without Rodri looked like another blessing for England. It was not. Rodri’s half-time replacement, Martin Zubimendi, who has two competitive international starts on his resume, immediately set about knitting together a period of uninterrupted Spanish possession, of patient pass-and-move, that would lead to Williams’ opening goal. No Rodri? No problem. No Pedri or Gavi? Spain can manage.
Pedri and Gavi both play for Barcelona. Rodri is a Champions League and serial Premier League winner and could be glimpsed, as Zubimendi was being briefed, with his tracksuit top on, at the touchline, issuing his own advice to teammates on how to chase down Spain’s fourth European Championship title, their third of the tournament’s last five editions.
This being Rodri, there was no ostentation to his barking out of orders, his briefly supplementing the coaching staff. He is one of the least showy of football’s modern stars, discreet in his public appearances, reluctant to advertise himself for commercial spin-offs.
And there’s a modesty to the back-ups who manned the midfield in his absence. Olmo, 26, is from Catalonia, so grew up in Barcelona’s catchment area. But he made his professional debut for Dinamo Zagreb, and now plays for RB Leipzig. The only time in his senior career he’s been able to call himself a club champion is in the relatively unheralded Croatian league. Fabian, 28, only started winning league titles when he joined Paris Saint-Germain two years back, after stints at Real Betis and Napoli.
Zubimendi, 25, is at Real Sociedad, the club he grew up with. Club colleagues include Oyarzabal, Robin le Normand, the Spain centre-back, and Mikel Merino, match-winner for Spain against Germany. Quite a four weeks it has been for la Real, as Real Sociedad are known.
Quite a tournament, too, for the Basque region of Spain, home to la Real and to Athletic Bilbao, suppliers to the national team of the electric Williams and Unai Simon, whose aggressive, front-foot goalkeeping is a basis for probably the most efficient pressing game of any side at Euro 2024 – the event that concludes a European season in which Basque football already had plenty to boast about. Its native coaches, for a start, like Xabi Alonso, who led Bayer Leverkusen to a German domestic double, Mikel Arteta and Unai Emery who raised standards so high at Arsenal and Aston Villa respectively.
That Basque school of influence reached beyond the European season. Aymeric Laporte, a touchstone for Spain both as defender and passer from the back, came through the youth system at Athletic Bilbao before joining City and, last summer, Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. He had spent nine months hearing his place in the Spain team, his readiness for major international competition, questioned because he had moved to the ambitious Saudi Pro League.
On Sunday night, with his gold medal achieved, he settled some scores. “There was a lot of bad information and a lot of opinionating,” Laporte said. “I was very prepared for this tournament. The rest is history.”
Spain have made plenty of history. No one more thrillingly than Yamal, who only turned 17 the day before the final, scored a breathtaking goal in the semi, and assisted Williams’ strike against England. A year ago, he had never started a senior game for Barcelona, and was still being pursued for a future international career by Morocco, where his father comes from.
He and Williams, whose Ghana-born parents arrived in Spain seeking asylum in the 1990s – having travelled by land from west Africa and climbed over the border fence than separates Melilla from Morocco – find themselves celebrated as figureheads for a generation of Spaniards of Middle East and African heritage.
Williams finds himself coveted, too, all the more for his brilliant wing play at the Euros. Barcelona are the superclub who have least disguised their interest in triggering a buyout clause estimated at under €60 million in his Athletic contract.
As for Yamal, he will never have a year again like 2024. Yet he could still be playing elite football in 2044. By then he’ll be the same age as Lionel Messi – who on Sunday picked up another Copa America title with Argentina – is now.
From here on, the scrutiny on Yamal will suddenly be fiercer, the man-marking tighter, the distractions plenty. He’s about to start a new La Liga season with Barca where he’ll suddenly be the major star. It’s a season for which rivals Real Madrid will be arming themselves with a new megastar, the grown-up former prodigy Kylian Mbappe. Up next: 'Lamine versus Kylian', clasico after clasico. That should keep Spanish football centre stage.
Spain v England player ratings
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SPAIN RATINGS: A great night for Basques and not just Spaniards. Far quieter than his opposite number as Spain had 63 per cent of possession and six shots on target to England’s three as a Spanish side won their 27th consecutive final in club and national team football. Spain now sit alone with four European championship titles and Simon, beaten by a deflection for the goal, pushed away Rice’s header in the 90th minute to help their cause. AP -
Back in the side after being suspended for the semi-final, the 32 year old Real Madrid man crossed well and was involved in the opening goal, but was also robbed by his teammate Bellingham, which led to one England chance. AP -
Recalled after serving his suspension, the Real Sociedad man couldn’t get his foot around a 13th-minute ball close to England’s goal. Excellent in the air. PA -
A comfortable evening against an unfit-looking Kane. More touches than any player on the pitch – and a higher passing accuracy, too, for a team that won all seven tournament games. EPA -
Booed again by the Germans in the crowd, but he crossed beautifully to set up Oyarzabal’s winner. EPA -
Juan Mata said of him: ‘In Rodri’s position there is no other like him. He gives options to everyone and he gives the forward players the security not to look back. He is amazing.’ Quite – and yet Spain initially improved after he went off injured and went ahead. Then England equalised. Rightly congratulated by a gracious Gareth Southgate afterwards. AP -
Spain’s surprise performer in the tournament for the bold side that dominated possession, pressed and had individual skills. His half-volley went over after 70 minutes. AP -
Great chance after 49 minutes from near the penalty spot. Smart first touch, then he dragged the ball wide. He also cleared a 90th-minute Guehi effort off the line. Getty Images -
Work cut out against Shaw, though he did get behind him in the build-up to Spain’s 47th-minute opener, passing to Williams. On the day after his 17th birthday, he missed a clear 83rd-minute chance. Also had a 66th-minute shot saved by the diving Pickford. Getty Images -
Man of the match. Man of the tournament for many. An early danger, one of the stars of Euro 2024 saw an effort well blocked by Stones. Put his side ahead after being set up by Yamal. AFP -
Spain’s captain dropped deeper to get the ball, making him less of a threat, though he got behind Guehi to shoot wide on 55, a minute after a 20-yard shot was blocked. Getty Images -
SUBS: (On for Rodri, 46') Spain’s subs again showed their importance. Won the ball from Palmer on 82, which led to an attack and almost a goal. Reuters -
(On for Morata, 68') He’ll forever be remembered as the man who got the winner in a European final, sliding an 86th-minute cross past Pickford from six yards out. Only had eight touches, but two of them were shots on target. Getty Images -
(On for Le Normand, 83') EPA -
(On for Yamal, 89') AP -
ENGLAND RATINGS: A couple of good saves from Yamal to keep his side in it. His distribution was poor, though. He sprayed long balls that handed Spain possession when England needed it most. EPA -
After a bright start, his worst performance of the tournament. Won a couple of foot races to show he hasn’t lost his pace but was all at sea for Williams’ opener and out of position for Spain’s winner. Getty Images -
A monster at the heart of defence. Time and again he rescued his team. Threaded passes forward and carried the ball into midfield as he does for Man City. Unlucky to have played Oyazabal onside. Got better and better as the tournament progressed as he shook off the rust from his injury. AP -
Good positioning and reading of the game. Made several excellent blocks and played some probing passes. Had a header cleared off the line by Olmo late on as he raided forward in search of an equaliser. Should be a fixture in England's defence for years to come. EPA -
Barring one mistake, he was superb given he was returning from a long spell out. Just one lapse against Yamal in the lead-up to Spain’s opener but, that’s all it takes against a top-quality team. Showed what England were have been missing on the left-hand side. PA -
A disappointing game. Sloppy with his passing when his team needed to keep possession. Good steal from Williams as he broke into the box. Forced a good save from Simon at the death. AFP -
Looked a little overrun and overawed at times. Had to concentrate mostly on defensive duties. Beautiful tackle to dispossess Olmo on the edge of the area. Lovely quick feet under pressure in one attack. Misplaced a few passes, which his side could ill afford. His time will come. AP -
Lively and sharp. Excellent pass to slip Walker free into the box. Fantastic work in setting up Palmer’s goal. One of England’s best players again. AFP -
Not his best game but showed flashes. Did well to set up Kane just before half time. Brilliant turn and strike on the edge of the area. Careless passing at times but laid on a lovely cushioned pass for Palmer to score. Looked tired. EPA -
Despite being given licence to roam, he didn’t have the impact he did against the Netherlands as Spain denied him space. Lovely layoff to Bellingham. Really inventive snap shot at the back post from a free kick just before the break. AFP -
Maybe the end of the line for England’s record goal scorer at major tournaments – in the starting XI, at least. Far too static yet again. A poor tournament despite his three goals. The only possible excuse is that he was carrying an injury, in which case, why was he starting? AP -
SUBS: (On for Kane, 60’) What a difference he made with his running and energy up front. He unsettled the Spain defence and gave his side options. A poor touch when put in by Bellingham at the end meant he couldn't repeat his semi-final heroics. Getty Images -
(On for Mainoo, 69’) The lad is a game-changer. Alongside Watkins, he galvanised England. The finish for his goal was sheer quality. Should have had more time on the pitch during the tournament. Getty Images -
(On for Foden, 89’) PA
