Fans around the globe were captivated by the titanic matchbetween Spain and England in the UEFA EURO 2024 final. The match, which took place at the iconic Olympiastadion in Berlin, was a thrilling spectacle of European football’s finest players. After a hard-fought battle, Spain emerged as the winner with a 2-1 victory over England and took home the trophy.
The final match saw both teams exchanging blows and creating numerous scoring opportunities. After a disappointing first half, Spain winger Nico Williams scored the first goal in the Euro 2024 final in the 47th minute after 17-year-old Lamine Yamal pierced through the English defense and provided Williams plenty of room to find the back of the net. The Williams score sent the Spanish fans into a frenzy and set the tone for the rest of the match.
England fought back valiantly and equalized through a spectacular long-range strike from Cole Palmer that leveledthe score for England in the 73rd minute. Cole Palmer’s introduction changed the dynamics of the game with a minor tactical change in addition to his goal. While Jude Bellingham returned to a largely midfield position, Kobbie Mainoo was substituted. And that gave Palmer the freedom to attack via his preferred right channel, finishing perfectly and allowing England to be back in the game.
As the game neared the end and seemed destined for extra time, Spain regained the lead thanks to a brilliant team goal that winger Mikel Oyarzabal completed in the 86th minute, denying England the trophy. Oyarzabal’s goal proved to be the decisive moment of the game, allowing Spain to claim the European Championship title and break the record for the fourth time in EUFA EURO’s history, sparking scenes of jubilation among the Spanish players and fans.
The England men’s team has now lost two consecutive Euro finals after painfully waiting to win the championship since winning the World Cup in 1966. Another heartbreaking defeat for one of the most resilient but underperforming national teams in the world in front of Prince William and King Felipe of Spain.
Prince William wrote on social media that “this time it just wasn’t meant to be” and that they are all proud of the team.
On the other hand, Spanish players and fans were joyous after the final whistle, with Dani Carvajal slumping on the field and his jubilant teammates piling up. Among the first to breach the advertising boards and approach the Spanish supporters at the east end of the stadium were Dani Olmo, Cucurella, and Lamine Yamal.
“This is the best (birthday) gift I could have asked for,” Yamal said. “It is a dream come true.”
Nico Williams, the winger, won the second goal of Euro 2024 with his darting runs.
“Euphoria! We are so happy. We deserved this,” Williams said. “This is for our fans and our parents, who have supported us throughout.” He added.
In club and international football, Spanish men’s teams have won 23 straight major finals since 2001. Following their victories in the 2023 UEFA Nations League men’s division and the Women’s World Cup, both against England, Spain has returned to prominence in senior football.
“I said before the tournament that nobody can hang with us,” Williams said. “We are a great team.”
This European Championship saw Spain win all seven games, an unprecedented accomplishment, and break the record for the most goals scored in a single tournament with 15.
While Rodri receives the Player of the Tournament award, Lamine Yamal gets the Young Player of the Tournament award. The Golden Boot will be shared between six players, including England captain Harry Kane, the Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo, Spain’s Dani Olmo, Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze, Slovakia’s Ivan Schranz, and Germany’s Jamal Musiala.
Article by Lena Ndolo
