The Spanish men’s national football team defeated England 2 goals to 1 on Sunday night 14 July to win their fourth European Championship title. This result, obtained thanks to goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal, makes Spanish football the ‘King of Europe’ as the continental team with the most titles, achieved in 1964, 2008, 2012 and 2024, surpassing Germany who have a total of 3 European titles (1972, 1980 and 1996). The final was held at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin in front of some 50,000 English fans and around 12,000 Spanish supporters who, despite being in the minority, made themselves heard throughout the match in support of the national team.

Captain Álvaro Morata lifts the European Cup surrounded by his teammates and coach Luis de la Fuente. Photo: RFEF.

Thanks to a tournament in which the Spanish team played the best football on the pitch, the national team’s players also won the individual awards. Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernández was named MVP of the European Championship; FC Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal won the Best Young Player award; Athletic Club winger Nico Williams was named Player of the Final; and Leipzig midfielder Dani Olmo finished the competition with the title of Top Scorer of the European Championship, shared with England striker Harry Kane, both with three goals.

Spanish dominance

The final unfolded according to plan, with Spain dominating possession and the tempo of the match, and England staying deep in their own half and waiting for their chances on the counter-attack. The first half was a tentative affair, where both teams prioritised not making mistakes and where there were hardly any chances on goal.

The Spanish public did not stop cheering on the national team despite being in a clear minority against the English. Photo: RFEF.

The deadlock was broken in the first minute of the second half, when a run down the left flank by Nico Williams, a real headache for opposition defences throughout the tournament, ended with a cross-shot past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. From that point on, Spain played their best minutes, with several dangerous approaches into the opposition penalty area, but no goals were scored. However, the equaliser came in the 72nd minute when Cole Palmer’s long-range effort caught Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón off his line, but his save proved unsuccessful.

Goal by Oyarzabal

The blow left Spain shaken for a few minutes as England, backed by 50,000 cheering supporters who pushed their team on, poured forward towards the home side’s goal. The Spanish players overcame the equaliser, regaining control of the game and displaying the combination play that has impressed Europe throughout the competition. In one of those choral moves, Oyarzabal opened the ball up on the left flank for Cucurella to dive in like a dagger, who played the ball back into the centre of the box for the Real Sociedad striker to slot the ball into the back of the net with his right foot. It was the 86th minute and there would be no time for anything else. Thus, the national team, masterfully led by coach Luis de la Fuente, was proclaimed European champion for the fourth time and unleashed madness in the streets of the towns and cities of Spain.

More information on the website Federación Española de Fútbol.