Spain won Euro 2024 by defeating England 2-1 in the final on July 14. The team also beat France and Germany en route to the final and overcame Croatia and Italy in the group stage. England lost its second consecutive final, having fallen to Italy on penalties at Euro 2020.
Forward Nico Williams scored the first goal for Spain at the beginning of the second half, sliding forward Lamine Yamal’s cross into the bottom left corner. England forward Cole Palmer tied the game in the 73rd minute with a long range strike past Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón. The game looked poised to go to extra-time, but forward Mikel Oyarzabal snuck between the England center-backs and slotted home the winner in the 86th minute.
After the game, Spain lifted its record-breaking fourth European Championship trophy. Midfielder Rodri was awarded Player of the Tournament, and 17-year-old Lamine Yamal won Best Young Player of the Tournament.
Heading into the tournament, Spain were not the clear favorites, behind England, Germany, France and Portugal in the betting odds. Here are three factors that contributed to Spain’s record-breaking win.
Young Stars
Williams and Yamal made many of the headlines for Spain throughout the entire tournament. Other coaches may not have been so quick to have a teenager and 21-year-old as their starting wingers. Spain Head Coach Luis de la Fuente, who coached Spanish youth teams between 2013 and 2021, thought otherwise, and his trust in youth paid off.
Yamal attempted 32 dribbles during the tournament and Williams attempted 31 as both proved to be constant threats for outside backs. During Spain’s Round of 16 matchup against Georgia, Williams confirmed the win for his team by smashing the ball into the top of the net to make it 3-1 to Spain. Yamal also came up with a stellar goal against France in the semifinal, curling the ball into the net from outside the box. Williams and Yamal then combined in the final for Spain’s opening goal.
Yamal’s entire tournament broke records. He led the tournament in assists with four, he became the tournament’s youngest-ever player and his goal against France made him the youngest scorer in tournament history. He also became the youngest player to appear in a Euro or World Cup final, which was held by Brazilian legend Pelé since 1958.
England shied away from playing young stars, including 22-year-old Palmer who spent most of the tournament on the bench. Teams that played emerging talents, like the Netherlands forward Xavi Simons and Germany midfielders Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, were rewarded, with Spain having the most success as a result.
Midfield Dominance
Midfield dominance was a crucial part of Spain’s win. In recent years, Rodri has established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, going unbeaten in a record 74 games with his club side Manchester City. The last time Rodri lost with Spain was over a year ago against Scotland in March 2023, and his dominant performances at Euro 2024 extending this run even more for his country.
Midfielders Fabián Ruiz and Dani Olmo have also shone at Euro 2024. They supported attacking talents Williams and Lamal and helped control possession for Spain. Ruiz recorded two goals and two assists throughout the tournament. Olmo, who came in for the injured midfielder Pedri, had three goals and two assists, including the winner in the semifinal against France. These contributions were instrumental for Spain en route to the championship title.
Tactical Changes
For years, Spain’s men’s national team was known as the ultimate possession based-side. At Euro 2020, Spain led the overall possession with 66.8% per game, had an 89.3% passing accuracy and made 4,688 passes per game, nearly 1,000 more per game than the second highest team. This led Spain to the semifinals where the team lost to Italy on penalties.
De la Fuente, who became head coach last year, abandoned some of these possession based principals. At Euro 2024, Spain ranked third in possession with 58.2% and third in passing accuracy at 90.2%. Spain even had less than 50% possession in its 3-0 win over Croatia.
By putting less emphasis on total control of the ball, the team’s attacking play had more opportunity to shine. Defenders Marc Cucurella and Dani Carvajal pushed forward alongside Yamal and Williams on the wings, and midfielders contributed to the goal scoring. This new style of play, which afforded players more freedom, helped Spain carve a new identity and capture a fourth European trophy.
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