Spain have won Euro 2024 after a last-gasp second half against England, who lose their second consecutive European final and fail to break a 58-year-long trophyless curse.
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Euro 2024 is over. Spain are crowned champions after beating England 2-1 to win the trophy for a record fourth time, while England lose their second consecutive European final following the 2021 defeat to Italy on home soil.
The game lightened up in the second half with all three goals scored in the last forty-five minutes. Nico Williams netted first, in the 47th minute, before Pamer equalised with a stunner for England in the 73rd.
In the 86th minute, Oyarzabal, a backup striker who came on as a substitute for captain Alvaro Morata, slid in to poke home a left-wing cross by Marc Cucurella, just when the game at Berlin’s Olympiastadion seemed destined for extra time.
“We are thrilled and hope this can keep going and we can go for the 2026 World Cup", said a jubilant Nico Williams after the final whistle, as he was elected man of the match.
Spain won all seven games at this European Championship - an unprecedented streak - and there were joyous scenes after the final whistle, with defender Dani Carvajal piled on by jubilant teammates after slumping to the ground.
Spain won their previous European titles in 1964, 2008 and 2012.
“This is the best (birthday) gift I could have asked for,” said Lamine Yamal, who turned 17 on Saturday and became the youngest player to win a Euro. “It is a dream come true.”
It was fitting that Yamal and Williams combined for the crucial first goal as they are the poster boys of this exciting, multicultural team.
Yamal’s mother is from Equatorial Guinea and his father is from Morocco, while fellow winger Williams has Ghanaian parents who made the long journey to Europe looking for a better life. To make it to Spain, they had to ride on the back of a crowded truck and walk barefoot through the Sahara desert.
Spain are back as a major player in senior football after winning both the Women’s World Cup and the men’s UEFA Nations League in 2023.
Since 2001, Spanish men’s teams have won 23 consecutive major finals in club and international football.
Meanwhile, fans who had watched the game on a big screen in Madrid celebrated wildly, chanting “champions, champions” in Spanish.
It was a great sporting day for the nation, with Carlos Alcaraz winning the Wimbledon men's singles title for a second straight year hours before the Euro 2024 final.
England's nearly 60-year-old trophyless streak continues
As per England, the men’s team has now lost back-to-back Euro finals.
They were defeated in a penalty shootout by Italy in the final in 2021 - and this was another agonizing loss for a team that will have gone six decades without a major title by the next World Cup.
England’s women have been more successful, though, winning the European Championship in 2021. England’s defeat Sunday came in front of Prince William and Spain’s King Felipe.
“This time it just wasn’t meant to be,” William wrote on social media. “We’re all still so proud of you.”
It was the fourth straight game that the English came from behind since the group stage, but their resilience wasn’t rewarded this time.
“It has been a difficult ride, we have done extremely well to get here, but ultimately we are going to be judged on this game,” England captain Harry Kane said. “We wanted to do it so badly for ourselves and the fans, everyone who has believed in us.”
Southgate looks forward to future despite painful defeat
England boss Gareth Southgate is leaving his future as England manager open for now. His contract expires in December and it's unclear whether he might sign an extension that would cover upcoming tournaments such as the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“I don’t think now is a good time to make a decision like that. I’m going to talk to the right people," Southgate told British broadcaster ITV after the final. “It’s just not for now.”
He added: “I think England are in a really good position in terms of the experiences they’ve got now, the age of the squad. Most of this squad are going to be around not just for the World Cup but the next Euros as well. There’s a lot to look forward to but at this moment that’s not any consolation.”
Southgate has been in charge of England since 2016, reaching two European Championship finals and the World Cup semifinals in 2018.
Spain's Rodri wins man of the tournament as Kane ends as joint top-scorer
England striker Harry Kane finished Euro 2024 in a six-way tie for top scorer, another individual accolade for a player yet to win a major trophy for club or country.
Kane ended the tournament tied on three goals with Spain midfielder Dani Olmo, Germany midfielder Jamal Musiala, Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo, Slovakia winger Ivan Schranz and Georgia striker Georges Mikautadze.
Kane has now been a runner-up in back-to-back European Championship finals after England's loss to Italy three years ago, and a runner-up in one Champions League final and two English League Cups, even as he's won a string of individual scoring awards.
UEFA allowed multiple players to share the Euro 2024 top scorer award if they scored the same number of goals, in a change from recent tournaments.
Under the old system, Olmo would have won the tiebreaker with two assists, the most among the players tied on three goals.
UEFA named Spain midfielder Rodri its player of the tournament and Spain forward Lamine Yamal, who turned 17 on Saturday, was the young player of the tournament.
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Madrid streets on fire
The party is on! Spain lift Euro 2024 cup
England's curse continues
England have played a decent game but it wasn't enough to break their 58-year-long drought. Southgate's players looked exhausted and distraught as they watched their opponents getting on stage to get the gold medal.
Spain are the champions of Europe!
What a night for La Roja! Spain have won their fourth European title, becoming the top-European winner of all time ahead of Germany, France and Italy. Spain have deservedly won the competition after beating all seven teams on their way, starting from a death group with Italy, Croatia and Albania, to the knockouts against Georgia, Germany, France and England.
Spanish fans are celebrating
Olmo saves the ball on the line for Spain!
Unbelievable! England fired a quick series of headers towards goal. Simon saved the first, and then, a fraction of a second later, Olmo headed the second one away literally on the line. What a save from the Leipzig midfielder.
Gooooaaaal! It's 2-1 Spain!
Oyazarabal puts Spain in front! Cucurella cuts a ball inside the box from the left wing and Oyarzabal is quick to stretch onto it and nudge it past Pickford.
Pickford keeps England level!
What a chance for Spain! Yamal got the ball inside the penalty area and tried to fire it into the net from close range. The shot was powerful but too central as Pickford promptly repelled it away with both hands.
Goaaaaal! Palmer levels it 1-1 for England!
Palmer has equalised just a few minutes after coming in from the bench! Spain were relentlessly looking for the 2-0 but got punished on the counter! Bukayo Saka speeded down the left and nudged the ball to Bellingham. The Real Madrid midfielder sent it back to Palmer as he hit the ball clinically with the inside of his foot from outside the box to send it into the low far post.
Alvaro Morata out, Oyarzabal in
Great save by Pickford on Yamal, corner kick
Bellingham! Shot wide of the post but only just
Great play by Bellingham who swings around Spain's defence to bang a powerful shot from outside the box, which goes half a metre wide of the left post.
Harry Kane substituted, Watkins called in
Southgate's hoping Ollie Watkins will work the magic again for England after the Aston Villa striker sent the Three Lions to the final with his stoppage-time goal against the Netherlands.
Spain dangerous again!
Morata's shot stopped nearly on the line by England's defence as Nico Williams fires it near the left post only seconds later. Spain are dominating the game right now as England struggle to bounce back.
Olmo chance! Spain nearly double lead
What a second-half start for Spain. La Roja get near the 2-0 with Dani Olmo but his shot from close range goes wide of the far post.
Spain ahead! Nico Williams nets the 1-0
Lamine Yamal cuts through England's half to hand to unmarked Nico Williams a perfect ball into the box as the Atletic Bilbao player slots an unstoppable low shot into the far post.
First half ends 0-0
First half over in Berlin. The game got off to a lively start and then slowed down later on.
No huge chances on either side with only one shot on target each.
Spain have had a dominating 70% ball possession but failed to turn that into real goal chances. England got into Spain's half a little less but any time they did they seemed able to be more dangerous than the opponent.
Foden's shot blocked
Phil Foden has a good chance following a free kick from the right side but his shot is not powerful and ends right into Simon's hands.
First chance for Morata
Spain's Morata receives a good ball into the penalty area but Stones and Guehi are quick to close in on the Atletico Madrid striker and prevent him shooting from close range.
Madrid hopes for a fourth Spanish title
Is it coming home? Here's London right now
Harsh Rice-Olmo clash
Declan Rice fell onto the pitch for a couple of minutes after being hit hard by Dani Olmo's knee. The Spanish player got booked.
Spain in tiki-taka mode
Spain are trying to get England to open up more by slowing down the rhythm and keeping the ball as much as they can to get the opponent to come out and take it. But England are not losing control as the two teams keep sizing each other up.
Tense first fifteen minutes
Lively game in Berlin although no clear occasions so far. Spain seem to control the game more but England are trying to use speed on the wings to sting La Roja on the counter.
Packed fan zone in Berlin
Our correspondent Liv Stroud reports from a packed Brandenburg Gate where thousands of Spanish and English fans have gathered
The game is on! The Euro 2024 final has begun
Royals in Berlin
Spain's King Felipe and UK's Prince William are attending the Berlin showdown
Here are the lineups for Spain and England
Spain (4-2-3-1)
Unai Simon, Carvajal, Le Normand, Morata, Fabian Ruiz, Olmo, LaPorte, Rodri, Nico Williams, Yamal, Cucurella.
England (3-4-2-1)
Pickford, Walker, Stones, Guehi, Shaw, Rice, Mainoo, Saha, Foden, Bellingham, Kane
Katy Perry UK flag backlash
Katy Perry has taken to X to wish the Three Lions the best, but some fans didn't like that she used the UK flag instead of the English one...
FOOTBALL IS COMING HOME 🇬🇧
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) July 14, 2024
Who has already won a Euro championship?
Here's how the previous 16 editions went.
Spain and Germany are the joint all-time top winners (3), followed by France and Italy (2).
- 2021 Italy
- 2016 Portugal
- 2012 Spain
- 2008 Spain
- 2004 Greece
- 2000 France
- 1996 Germany
- 1992 Denmark
- 1988 Netherlands
- 1984 France
- 1980 West Germany
- 1976 Czechoslovakia
- 1972 West Germany
- 1968 Italy
- 1964 Spain
- 1960 USSR
Spain's de la Fuente rejects 'favourites' label
Spain had a triumphing march toward the final, beating all teams on their way and breaking the record for the most consecutive wins at a Euro tournament. Bookies and algorithms put them ahead of England, but their manager rejected being labelled as favourites
"We know that there are no favourites for tomorrow's game. It's balanced, exactly the same as the last few qualifiers we've had to face. Exactly the same and we leave it to the bookmakers to decide favourites", he said on Saturday.
Soutghate says time for England to claim back 'respect'
"We had high expectations but they didn’t match where we were, performance-wise. … We've come through a lot of big nights now, a lot of records have been broken, but we know we have to get this trophy to really feel the respect of the rest of the football world" said the English boss on Saturday.
England are Euro 2024's highest valued team
According to Transfermarkt, England are the highest-valued squad of the tournament with €1.52bn in player-worth over fourth-placed Spain with €966.
What do previous heads-to-head say?
Remember Euro 96? It was the last time Spain and England faced off in a knockout game of a major tournament. They drew 0-0 before England had it 4-2 on penalties to reach the semifinals.
In general, they clashed only 12 times in official games. England fared better, with five wins over Spain's four. There were three draws. The last face-off was in 2018, a Spain 2-3 England in Seville in the Nations League.
More about the final here
The Olympiastadion at a glance
It's Germany's second-largest football venue, with a capacity of more than 74,000 seats. Nazi Germany built it for the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Previously, It hosted the 2006 FIFA World Cup final won by Italy against France.
During the regular football season, it's home to German second-division club Hertha Berlin.
