Oyarzabal scores late winner as England are beaten in Berlin

Spain have won the Men’s European Championships for a record fourth time, with substitute Mikel Oyarzabal’s 86th minute winner condemning England to consecutive Final defeats.

Though England came to Germany as favourites, it was Spain side who were much fancied at the Olympiastadion. Luis de la Fuente’s side had beaten holders Croatia, holders Italy, Albania, Georgia, hosts Germany and France on their route back to the venue in which they played their opening game, lighting up the tournament in the process. By contrast, England had scored just one goal as they topped a group which also contained Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia, before requiring last-gasp magic from Jude Bellingham on their way to beating Slovakia, penalties to get past Switzerland, and Ollie Watkins’ 90th minute winner against the Netherlands to reach another European Championships Final.

As a result, Spanish fans could come to the game with an air of confidence. Whereas for many England supporters, the sense of expectation that had surrounded the team a few weeks ago had been somewhat dampened by performances perceived as disappointing. Though there was still a perhaps slightly unrealistic sense that things might just have been coming together at the right time - 58 years of hurt had never stopped them dreaming.

For Spain, there were two changes to the starting XI that beat France on Tuesday, the right side of their backline refreshed as Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand returned from suspension. England made one change from Wednesday night, at left wing back, Luke Shaw making his first start since picking up a hamstring injury in February.

The first half was one of few chances. Spain were dominant from the first whistle, but the final ball was generally lacking. The Spanish side suffocated England with their high press, which England struggled to play through or around. Despite their box midfield giving Southgate’s side a numerical advantage in the middle of the park they were sloppy, dominated by a superb Spanish set up.

Nico Williams got the better of Kyle Walker when attacking down the left on many occasions, but was yet to find the finish, with John Stones emphatic when coming across to cover for his Manchester City teammate, making a number of blocks.

The most important block came at the other end, towards the end of the first half, Rodri doing brilliantly to lunge for Harry Kane’s effort on the edge of the box which looked destined to nestle in the bottom right corner.

And in stoppage time, another chance for England as Guéhi flicked a free kick on for Foden at the back post, who was denied on the volley by Unai Simón.

As the two teams came back out for the second half, a surprising change was made, Player of the Tournament Rodri forced off with an injury and replaced by Martin Zubimendi. Having seen Luke Shaw return to the starting XI and limit the impact of 17-year-old star Lamine Yamal as England held firm against an excellent Spain side for 45 minutes, that sense of optimism was boosted, and then crushed less than two minutes later.

Fabián played the ball into the feet of Carvajal, who passed the ball round the corner for Yamal. The Young Player of the Tournament jinked inside, past Shaw and Guéhi on the edge of the box, and from a central area, slipped the ball across for Nico Williams to run onto and bury into the bottom right corner. It was a goal that showed this Spain team at their best, with their dynamic young wingers wreaking havoc. Every Spain player touched the ball in the minute or so between kick off and the goal, in which time England failed to complete a pass.

Just a couple of minutes later, Spain fashioned another big chance. Le Normand launched the ball from deep inside his own half up to Álvaro Morata, who flicked it on for Carvajal. He found Williams in the left half space, and after initially looking set to shoot from 20 yards out, the winger played in Dani Olmo, whose effort was fired wide.

 Williams went close to a second from distance a few minutes later as Spain continued to press high, and England struggled to get out.

Though they struggled to play out from the back, Southgate’s side did have some success with a more direct approach. With Harry Kane replaced by Ollie Watkins, England were looking for runs in behind. After chasing a long ball from Pickford, which had looked a lost cause, Foden worked it back to Saka. The number seven’s pass was square to Bellingham in the middle, who turned, leaving two defenders on the floor and shot wide from 20 yards. In a game of moments, which felt like a big one.

Another big moment would soon come, though. With John Stones having done well to force Mikel Oyarzabal wide, his shot was tame, and easy for the goalkeeper to gather. Pickford quickly threw the ball to Palmer who had dropped deep before moving the ball down the right to Saka. The winger drove down the flank and, with a low pass into the box, found Bellingham who then cut the ball back, teeing up Palmer to equalise in stunning fashion. The substitute ran onto the ball 22 yards out in the inside right channel, slotting a low shot across goal and into the bottom left corner effortlessly. Just over two minutes after coming on for Kobbie Mainoo as England chased a leveller, Cole Palmer had delivered. Simply Ice cold.

Having recovered from what had been England’s best spell of the match, Spain pushed for a winner in the final ten minutes. Yamal forced another good save from Pickford as he cut inside onto his left foot again, but it was real Sociedad’s Mikel Oyarzabal, leading the line as a false nine after replacing captain Morata up top, who would find the winner.

Spain played through the England lines quickly with three vertical passes taking them from their defensive third to their attacking one. With the ball at his feet, Oyarzabal sprayed the ball to Marc Cucurella, who had burst forward from left back and would return the favour with a first-time pass into the box, which Oyarzabal would stretch to poke low into the centre of the goal. As Spanish players and staff rushed to the corner to celebrate with Oyarzabal, England had to pick themselves up, with just four minutes of normal time remaining.

Cole Palmer’s ninetieth minute corner presented the chance. His left-footed out-swinging deliver was met by the head of Declan Rice next to the penalty spot. Unai Simón could only parry the effort. Marc Guéhi got his head on it. Denied. Dani Olmo headed off the line. It came back to Rice; would it be third time lucky? No.  His header sailed high and wide.

Spain were breathing a massive sigh of relief. After holding on for four minutes of stoppage time, where the ball was rarely in play, they had done it. Álvaro Morata would follow in the footsteps of Ferran Olivella and Iker Casillas in lifting the Henri Delaunay Cup.

Analysis: The best team won, but what now for England?

Spain were the best team at Euro 2024, very few will argue against that. After a disappointing round of 16 exit in Qatar, the RFEF (Spanish FA) turned to Luis de la Fuente, who had nearly a decade of experience coaching in the national youth set up. His tenure started with a hiccup, as La Roja lost 2-0 away to Scotland, the only side to beat them throughout their entire Euros campaign. They responded by winning the Nations League, and were quietly building towards this summer, de la Fuente entrusting many promising youngsters, alongside experienced heads like six-time Champions League winners Nacho Fernández and Dani Carvajal, former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte and of course captain Álvaro Morata.

This Spain side may not have embodied the Spanish football ideals of tiki-taka in quite the way that the sides of 2008, 2010 and 2012 did, as they won back-to-back European Championships and a World Cup, but the are still the best side I have seen at a major tournament since then. de la Fuente is willing to be slightly more pragmatic, but still incredibly entertaining, be it the pacey direct runs of Yamal and Williams on the counter, or playing long balls up to Morata, who though very effective is not the most fashionable profile of strikers in Spain – so much so that some fans didn’t even want him to be part of the squad and went as far as sending him death threats. For a side that looked to have lost their way a little when he took over, to become European Champions by navigating one of the toughest routes in memory, beating the other four European countries to have won the Men’s World Cup and a Croatia side who have made the final and semi finals at the previous two World Cups is quite an achievement.

Like the Spanish side that won the Women’s World Cup last year, this is a team full of young talent that will be a threat at major tournaments for years to come (Lamine Yamal could easily still be playing in 2040!) Similar can be said of England, both the men’s and women’s teams, who it could be argued are in somewhat of a golden age too, having reached the semi finals in six of the last seven tournaments between them.

A lot of that, is down to Gareth Southgate, who has reached a quarter final, a semi final and two finals with the Three Lions. During his tenure, the nation have again started to care about the England team.  A group of players who truly represent the diverse England of 2024. A humble, likeable group that are remarkably relatable for many considering they are mostly multi-millionaires. Having come in at a time when the national team were in crisis, he has overseen seismic change in tournament fortunes, but also in player development and resetting the relationship between the team and the media, which had at times been toxic.

Southgate’s contract is coming to an end, and it is widely expected that he will leave, despite the FA being desperate for him to sign a contract extension. With England’s performances this summer frustrating many, some will feel that it is time for a new perspective, a new manager who can build on Southgate’s excellent work and finally end what will be sixty years of hurt by the time the World Cup comes around. Others will point to his record: more major finals than under every other England manager combined, as many semi final appearances as under every other England manager combined. The grass isn’t always greener.

The England manager said before the game that he knew the result “would define him for others”. To an extent, it will. Some may see him as the ‘nearly man’. Others will look at the transformation of the team under his stewardship and his remarkable character. Whatever happens next, that will define Gareth Southgate for me.

Spain (4-2-3-1): Simón (GK); Carvajal, Le Normand (Fernández 83’), Laporte, Cucurella; Fabián, Rodri (Zubimendi 46’); Yamal (Merino 89’), Olmo, Williams; Morata (C) (Oyarzabal 68’).

England (3-4-2-1): Pickford (GK); Walker, Stones, Guéhi; Saka Mainoo (Palmer 70’), Rice, Shaw; Foden (Toney 89’), Bellingham; Kane (C) (Watkins 61’).