The howl of the final whistle arrived like a note of melody for the Spanish ears. From the touchline raced Lamine Yamal and Rodri, the two chief constructors of their fourth European Championship, their first in 12 years, after the golden generation of Xavi and Andres Iniesta. Behind them was coach Luis de la Fuente, an unknown figure in much of Spain until he assumed charges of the office, widely considered a cost-cutting choice, as Spain could have splurged money on bigger names. On the ground, Dani Carvajal let out a roar and fell back, to be buried in a sea of bodies in shimmering red.
Amidst all the chaos stood Mikel Oyarzabal, the 68th minute substitute who had rendered the finishing touch to the goal won Spain the crown back, with unreal calmness, even detachment. From the centre line, he sliced a pass out to left back Marc Cucurella who darted upfront, and slipped in a delightful low cross back to Oyarzabal, who slapped the ball past Jordan Henderson.
While it was a triumph of youth, of their two youthful wingers, and the unremitting technical excellence of Spain, it was also a victory of the unfashionable men in the Spanish ranks. Oyarzabal, the Real Sociedad forward, seldom headlined transfer rumours. His Instagram page is not the most followed among footballers, he doesn’t earn a fortune, but his name would be immortalised in Spanish and European victory. He finds himself breathing beside Iniesta and Fernando Torres.
2024 CHAMPIONS: Spain 🇪🇸#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/8jGoI5ZSv0
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) July 14, 2024
The final moments were tense, Spain were not as imperious as they were in the semifinals of quarterfinals, but they were the deserved winners, the most thrilling team to behold in the tournament. They could have conceded another equaliser, but for the rescue act of Dani Olmo on the line, heading away a net-bound header of Ivan Toney in the dying moment. England were distraught and disconsolate, this was their successive defeat in the Euro finals.
But none would begrudge Spain hoisting the trophy even though the final—as the coach would poetically put on the eve of the match, “are for winning, not for playing” —was not their most emphatic game. The match was on a knife’s edge after Cole Palmer had cancelled out Nico Williams’s splendid opening.
It was a half that began optimistically for England. Spain’s totemic midfielder Rodri was subbed after the blow he sustained when blocking a Harry Kane shot. But one minute and 11 seconds on, Spain seized with a rapid sequence of quick passes.
CAMPEONES 🏆#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/bJxBAGqbq3
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) July 14, 2024
Dani Carvajal strung a deliciously weighed ball to Lamine Yamal, hitherto kept quiet by Shaw, slid past the England full back, spun inside and laser-guided a cross to his left-side ally, Williams, past Dani Olmo, who distracted Kyle Walker. Williams’s run went untracked, and by the time England spotted him, he had already blasted the shot past Jordan Pickford. Often the forgotten winger, overshadowed by his spectacular colleague Yamal, this was his moment of glory. The celebrations were characteristically ebullient.
If Yamal wouldn’t get you, Williams certainly would. It capped a memorable for Williams, whose parents had walked half of the Sahara to flee Ghana to reach the Spanish border town of Melilla by jumping over the border fence.
Perhaps, this was the ignition the game required. If this didn’t rouse England, nothing would have. They had to draw deep from the groundswell of belief that they had come back from behind to see past all their opponents in the knockout stages.
Spain win it right at the last 👏#EURO2024 | #ESPENG pic.twitter.com/5FIuNCrncq
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) July 14, 2024
Gareth Southgate immediately rung in change, replacing the listless Kane with semifinal saviour Ollie Watkins, a more in-touch and industrious forward. But England lacked the inspiration and creativity—defiance alone wouldn’t suffice—and were only kept in the game by Jordan Pickford, who fisted a swirling grass-trimmer by Yamal. Later, he blocked a late-swinging shot from the wunderkind.
And then the benediction arrived for England. From nowhere, as has the pattern been for them. It stemmed from Saka’s persistence and calmness. He flung a low cross to Bellingham, who nodded the ball to the onrushing Cole Palmer, barely three minutes on the pitch. But he was in space to wrap his feet around the ball and snap it through three defenders and Unai Simon from 21 metres out.
From the start, Spain clanged into gears, moving forward with energy and passing with incision. England were not nervous but gingery, guilty of not keeping the ball and letting Nico Williams a free run through the spacious right side. But for last-ditch tackling and last-gasp lunging, England would have dealt early blows. The focus scattered on the flanks-men, false nine Alvaro Morata found himself in oceans of space and made excellent passes.
W. W. W. W. W. W. W.#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/r3EZ8mAZGJ
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) July 14, 2024
A quarter into the game, England found their bearings, found their passing symmetry, rushed forward, the usual port-of-call being Bukayo Saka, who tucked and twisted past Marc Cucurella twice, though his crossing was wanting for finesse. But England were far from content sitting back and soaking the pressure, ensuring that the match was intense than cagey. England’s biggest success was Luke Shaw’s aggressive marking of Lamine Yamal, who he pursued as diligently as a sleuth chasing a pickpocket. Shaw would frequently scream forward and once rolled the ball to Jude Bellingham and Kobbie Mainoo Both made a meal of it, but there were portends that England were far more dangerous with a force through the left-side with Shaw reinstalled.
Real goal-scoring openings knocked at a premium. Spain, and Morata, running hard behind the defence, got into fine positions, but John Stones and Marc Guehi methodically snuffed out the danger, mixing muscle with method. The best chance either side had in the first game came at the end of the stoppage time, when Kyle Walker out-sped Williams and provoked a push, 35 yards out of goalmouth. From then ensuing Declan Rice free-kick, Phil Foden, stretching at the far post, lashed a powerful volley but straight at goalkeeper Simon. That either team managed only a shot on goal apiece reflected the non-event nature of the first half. England, thus, left the field in a happier mood. They had repelled the initial wave of attacks, flung a couple of punches themselves, induced mistakes from Spain towards the end.
But the game aroused after Spain’s early strike in the second half, England repartee and then the inevitable heartbreak for England and joy for Spain.
