Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal, center, scores his side’s second goal during the final match between Spain and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Spain beat England 2-1 in a dramatic Euro 2024 final on Sunday, standing up to the tournament’s comeback kings and rising back to the top of European soccer in style.
Mikel Oyarzabal, off the bench as a second-half substitute, scored the decisive goal in the 86th minute, knifing between English defenders and sliding a fine finish past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
And the Spaniards, the undisputed best team of the tournament, the toast of soccer purists, the chief storytellers, the top goalscorers, roared to their fourth European title.
They had already knocked off Germany and France. They had won six of six, and arrived in Berlin favored to win a seventh match in a row, this blockbuster final against an underperforming England team overflowing with talent.
They showed why throughout a crescendoing second half. The first 45 minutes had been cagey, dragged to a near-halt by England’s defensiveness. Spain, though, sent the second 45 erupting into life.
In the 47th minute, they took the lead. The Spanish wave rolled back to front, then right to left, pulling Englishmen out of position and sweeping them aside. Fabián Ruiz passed to Dani Carvajal; Carvajal flicked the ball to Lamine Yamal; when it found him, Alvaro Morata and Dani Olmo came alive.
Their runs yanked John Stones and Kyle Walker, respectively, toward the play and away from Nico Williams, who was lurking in wait on the far side.
Yamal picked out Williams, who needed only one emphatic touch to break English resistance.
The goal epitomized La Roja’s renaissance. Yamal and Williams, two delightful and youthful wingers, were the ones who transformed a decent team into a dynamic unit. For years, Spain had controlled games but lacked directness and end product. These two, with their skill and unbridled energy, unlocked sturdy opponents, and at the Olympiastadion, forced England to come out of its shell.
Even then, however, Spain continued to ascend. For 25 minutes, most seasoned eyes could only see one potential winner.
Then, out of nowhere, Cole Palmer appeared.
Palmer, Chelsea’s stone-cold, slim, understated star, entered in the 70th minute. In the 73rd, out of almost nowhere, he slotted a 20-yard shot through Spanish bodies, past goalkeeper Unai Simón, and into a net that, until that point, England had hardly even threatened to find.
But the equalizer was a blip, not a momentum-swinger. Spain stayed steady, and resumed its ascent. Yamal, one day past his 17th birthday, tested Pickford. A few minutes later, Oyarzabal — onside by perhaps only a few inches — beat him.
And Spain, which has arguably done more than any other nation to shape modern soccer, became the first to win four men’s European championships.
LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER 59 updates
FINAL score: England 1-2 Spain
47′ Nico Williams scores for Spain off an assist from Lamine Yamal.
73′ England’s Cole Palmer scores the equalizer off a Jude Bellingham assist.
86′ Marc Cucurella sets up Mikel Oyarzabal, who puts Spain back in the lead.
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:54 PM EDT
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:52 PM EDT
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:51 PM EDT
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:51 PM EDT
90′ England can’t find the equalizer
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:50 PM EDT
90′ 4 minutes added
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:49 PM EDT
89′ Substitution – Dani Vivian replaces Lamine Yamal for Spain
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:48 PM EDT
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:46 PM EDT
86′ GOAL FOR SPAIN!
Mikel Oyarzabal makes it 2-1!
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:44 PM EDT
83′ Substitution – Nacho subs in for Robin Le Normand for Spain
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:42 PM EDT
82′ Yamal denied again
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:37 PM EDT
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:37 PM EDT
Those missed chances felt ominous for Spain – always going to be dangerous when England have such quality to bring on.
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) July 14, 2024
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:36 PM EDT
Taking Kane off has transformed England. They were one-dimensional and had no outlet, but now they have a front three like Liverpool at their best under Klopp
— Mark Ogden (@MarkOgden_) July 14, 2024
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:35 PM EDT
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:35 PM EDT
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:35 PM EDT
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:33 PM EDT
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:32 PM EDT
73′ GOAL FOR ENGLAND!
Cole Palmer gets an equalizer!
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:31 PM EDT
70′ Substitution – Cole Palmer on for Kobbie Mainoo for England
Sun, July 14, 2024 at 4:30 PM EDT
68′ Substitution – Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal replaces Alvaro Morata
Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. This website makes no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you are affiliated with this page and would like it removed please contact editor @americanfork.business
