Spain won a record fourth European Championship title on Sunday after a pulsating 2-1 victory over England at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany.
This marks an unprecedented fourth European championship for La Roja – and they were undoubtedly the best team in the tournament. Spain also won the title in 1964, 2008 and 2012.
Spare a thought for England who will now have to reflect on back-to-back European championship final defeats as they continue their search for an elusive international trophy.
Substitute Cole Palmer equalised for England in the 73rd minute to cancel out Nico Williams’ opener in the 47th from 17-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal’s pass.
Mikel Oyarzabal’s 86th-minute goal clinched a 2-1 victory over England, whose painful decades-long wait for a major trophy goes on. Oyarzabal slid in to poke home Marc Cucurella’s cross, just when the game seemed destined for extra time after the latest show of resilience by England at the tournament.
The substitute winning goal scorer, Oyarzabal, said: “I have done my job. I did what I had to do at every moment to try to help. I was lucky enough to give the victory. When you are among the 26 names to be picked, that is special enough; but then, to get to help the team as I did, that is the most important part”.
England men’s team has lost back-to-back Euro finals and is still without a major title since winning the 1966 World Cup.
Britain’s King Charles sends thoughts to both teams. “All those who have participated in sporting activities at any level will know how utterly despairing such a result can feel when the prize was so near – and will join me in sending heartfelt sympathy, even as we congratulate Spain.”
There were joyous scenes after the final whistle of the Spanish players, with Williams putting his hands to his face before his teammates embraced him. Dani Carvajal slumped to the field and was piled on by jubilant teammates.
Yamal, Marc Cucurella and Dani Olmo were among the first to jump over the advertising hoardings to reach the Spanish fans in the stadium’s east end of the stadium.
It was fitting that Yamal and Williams combined for the crucial first goal as they are the poster boys of this exciting, multicultural team that mirrors the new reality in Spain.
Williams received the Man of the Match Award in the final game, Yamal was honoured as the Young Best Player of the Tournament and Rodri received the Best Player of the Tournament.
Yamal’s mother is from Equatorial Guinea and his father is from Morocco. At the same time, fellow winger Williams has Ghanaian parents who made the long journey to Europe looking for a better life. To make it to Spain, they had to ride on the back of a crowded truck and walk barefoot through the Sahara Desert.
Unlike his brother Iñaki Williams, who is a Ghana international, Nico chose to play for Spain and will now be regarded as a national hero there.
Spain’s first goal scorer Nico Williams reflects on the win after the match: “Euphoric. All our people deserve it. We suffered a lot. They had a good team. They have players who can make the difference but we were able to counter their weapons and, in the end, we won the European Championship and we are very happy”.
The Spanish team won all seven of their matches at this tournament, an unprecedented feat — and beat heavyweights Germany, France and England, back-to-back in the knock-out stage.
Spain is back as a major player in senior soccer after winning both the Women’s World Cup and the men’s UEFA Nations League in 2023. Since 2001, Spanish men’s teams have won 23 consecutive major finals in club and international soccer.
England Coach Southgate, whose future with the England team has been a topic of great contemplation, had this to say post-match: “We’ve competed until the very end of the final. Today, we didn’t keep possession quite well enough, especially when we defended well.
“They pressed us well and we had to get out of it, which meant they had the best of the game. It is fine margins but Spain was the best team in the tournament and they deserve it. There is a disadvantage to having a day less to prepare, but we were in the game for up to 80 minutes.”
