Match report: Euro 2024 final
Spain defeat England to win 4th Euros behind Mikel Oyarzabal's late goal
Spain beat England 2-1 to become European champions for the fourth time. Here are the key moments, stats and takeaways.
Key moments:
12’ — John Stones recovers to make an important block on a shot from Nico Williams.
25’ — Harry Kane is shown the game’s first yellow card for a tackle on Fabián Ruiz.
31’ — Dani Olmo picks up a yellow card following a collision with Declan Rice.
45’ — Rodri blocks Kane’s shot that looked to headed for the corner of the net.
45+1’ — Phil Foden records the game’s first shot on target from a free kick.
46’ — Martín Zubimendi replaces Rodri to start the second half.
47’ — GOAL: Lamine Yamal picks out Williams, who beats Jordan Pickford.
49’ — Olmo has a clear look at goal but drags his shot wide.
53’ — Stones brings down Zubimendi and goes into the book.
55’ — Álvaro Morata’s shot is cleared off the line. Williams misses the target with a shot soon after.
61’ — Ollie Watkins enters. Kane exits.
66’ — Pickford denies Yamal at full stretch.
68’ — Mikel Oyarzabal takes the place of Morata.
70’ — Cole Palmer comes on for Kobbie Mainoo.
73’ — GOAL: Palmer hits the ball first time from just outside the box, and it nestles into the corner of the net to tie the game.
82’ — Lamal is denied by Pickford again.
83’ — Robin Le Normand is replaced by Nacho.
86’ — GOAL: Oyarzabal stretches to meet Marc Cucurella’s cross and restores Spain’s lead.
89’ — Ivan Toney comes on for Foden, Mikel Merino takes the place of Yamal.
90’ — Two England headers are repelled by Spain. Unai Simón saves the first, Olmo clears the second off the line. A third header goes over the net.
90+1’ — Watkins kicks Nacho and picks up a yellow card.
90+4’ — The final whistle blows.
Stats of note:
Spain becomes the first nation to win the men’s European Championship four times (1964, 2008, 2012, 2024).
Spain have won the men’s Euros three times in 17 years. The only other nation to do so is Germany/West Germany, who won three times in 25 years.
The last team to win the men’s Euro final in normal time was Spain back in 2012.
Per OptaJoe, England are the first team to lose back-to-back men’s Euro finals.
Spain completed more than twice as many passes (496) as England (246).
Player of the game: Nico Williams
Rodri’s early exit and England’s minimal attacking threat don’t leave many options, and Williams was Spain’s most dangerous player. He took his goal well, had a couple other threatening moments and helped keep England’s wingers quiet.
The takeaways:
1. The best team won the tournament
Italy were not impressive on the way to winning Euro 2020, and Portugal were arguably even less impressive at Euro 2016. The last team to triumph at the Euros in relatively convincing fashion was, ironically, Spain in 2012. There is no doubt who the best team at this tournament was. Spain were the most dangerous, most cohesive team in Germany and controlled the final. They weren’t the most talented group of players, but nobody performed better from start to finish.
2. Gareth Southgate stuck to the plan
The England team that came out and pressed the Dutch high up the field in the first half of the semifinals was nowhere to be found. England sat back and absorbed pressure like they’ve done time after time under Gareth Southgate. For better or worse, Southgate chose to stick with what got his team here. The Three Lions were going to be on the wrong side of the late decisive moment eventually if they kept having to play from behind. Their magic ran out one game too soon.
3. Spain did what nobody else had
Southgate’s approach effectively boils down to making the opponent beat his team. England are difficult to break down and have the players to get a goal when they need one. When Spain finally broke through after a very good defensive half by England, Palmer was there to equalize out of nowhere. Coming back against a team of Spain’s caliber is a different type of challenge than the ones England faced previously though. The English defense feel asleep once, and that was the game.