Spain prevailed on Sunday in Berlin, defeating England 2-1 to win Euro 2024 and claim a record fourth continental crown. Here’s what our writers made of the game in the heat of the moment.
A gripping Euro 2024 ended on Sunday with Spain crowned champions for a record fourth time, with goals from Nico Williams (47th minute) and Mikel Oyarzabal (86th minute) enough to defeat England, after Cole Palmer briefly pulled the Three Lions level with just over 15 minutes remaining.
With the confetti still settling on the pitch, ESPN’s writers at the ground and at home chime in with their immediate thoughts on Sunday’s remarkable final.
Spain have won the European Championships for a record-breaking fourth time, edging one clear of Germany, and few would argue against them being the best team at the finals. They have scored the most goals, won all seven matches — only needing extra-time once — and played the best football throughout. (They are the only men’s team to win all seven games at a Euros.)
While pre-tournament favourites France and England were more reactive, preferring to sit deeper and hope for some magic from one of their star players, Spain played on the front foot and beat the best: holders Italy, hosts Germany, France and England. However, to win a tournament, you also need to dig in. They did that against Germany in Stuttgart, and in the second half against France in the semifinal Tuesday.
They also showed resilience, coming from behind against Georgia and France and reacting well to England equalising — even after losing midfielder Rodri to injury at half-time. That attitude was on display until the very last moments on Sunday, as Dani Olmo (who scored three goals at Euro 2024) headed Marc Guéhi’s goal-bound effort off the line in stoppage time.
It is an exciting time for La Roja, who have now won three of the past five Euros. This team is completely different than the side that won it in 2008 and 2012, though. Only Jesús Navas remains from the 2012 final, and he will retire from international football now. Instead, a new generation is coming through, led by wide men Nico Williams and 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal.
The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico can’t come soon enough for them. — Sam Marsden
BERLIN — Looking at the substitutes’ benches for Spain and England, one thing was strikingly different. Not only did England manager Gareth Southgate have more name-brand options, but he had players who could change the face of his side. And that’s what they did when they came on. Ollie Watkins gave England more dynamism and verticality, Cole Palmer not only scored the equalizer, but allowed England to shift into a 4-1-4-1 formation, slotting in alongside Jude Bellingham and shifting Phil Foden out to the left flank.
Keep up to date with the latest news, results and coverage from Euro 2024: Schedule | Rosters | Predictions (E+)
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente, on the other hand, did not have the luxury of changes that would give Spain a different look. He made the enforced like-for-like substitution at half-time — Martín Zubimendi for Rodri in midfield after the Man City star took a knock — and then took off his center-forward, Álvaro Morata, for Mikel Oyarzabal. The latter’s day job is usually more as a winger, but he filled the No. 9 position in much the same way as Morata.
(The later subs — Ivan Toney for England, Nacho and Mikel Merino for Spain — were late-game fodder.)
Is it better to change system and personnel or keep your system and tweak the personnel, as needed? It’s a case-by-case situation, obviously, but in Spain’s case, having set up to take the game to the opposition from the first minute, the fact that de la Fuente did not have game-changers on his bench didn’t really hurt him.
