Spain defeated England 2-1 in the Euro 2024 final to win a record-tying fourth European Championship.
With this win, Spain tied the record for the most trophies won in the history of the competition, and England’s search for their first major trophy since 1966 continues.
Before the final, Spain had won every match in the competition, demonstrating their dominance. Against England, who were itching to break their protracted trophy drought, their momentum persisted.
The first half of the contest was intense, with both teams having chances but failing to score.
But in the second half, Spain did not lose any time, ending the tie 69 seconds into play. The goal resulted from a masterfully planned play involving Lamine Yamal, which saw the ball fall to Nico Williams inside the box. Williams made no mistake, steering it beyond Jordan Pickford to give Spain a 1-0 lead in the 47th minute.
England fought back valiantly and found their equalizer in the 73rd minute. Substitute Cole Palmer unleashed a great shot from about 22 yards out, beating Unai Simon with a low and hard finish. The goal sent the England fans into raptures and Gareth Southgate punched the air in celebration.
As the game seemed to be heading towards extra time, Spain struck again. In the 86th minute, Mikel Oyarzabal stretched to meet Marc Cucurella’s low cross into the box and steered it past Jordan Pickford. The goal was initially checked for offside but was confirmed, leaving England with only four minutes plus stoppage time to find another equalizer.
Despite a valiant effort from the Three Lions, they were unable to break through Spain’s defense in the dying moments of the match.
We need to enjoy the dream against England – Cucurella
Spain’s triumph marks a significant achievement for the entire team and especially for youngster Lamine Yamal, who was instrumental in their success.
For England, it was another heartbreaking end to a promising campaign, similar to their loss to Italy in the 2020 final.
As the final whistle blew, the Spanish players and fans erupted in celebration, while Gareth Southgate and his men were left to reflect on what might have been.
