Football’s coming home. That’s right, to the Spanish sunshine. After twelve years, La Roja brings the trophy back home. The 2012 triumph is still remembered by many, marking one of the most epic wins in history, featuring legendary Spanish players like Xavi and Iniesta.
After twelve years and a few disappointing tournaments, Spain has reclaimed the title. And what a story it was.
Two Different Storylines
Spain’s story is the complete opposite of England’s. Their narrative is driven around enjoying football, while Gareth Southgate’s team appeared cagey: they focused on preventing goals before attacking. And so it happened.
🤪 𝗪𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗭𝗬!!
We gatecrashed the @SEFutbol dressing room in Berlin after they won their fourth European Championships.
🥳 Music…. Dancing…… and 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗬𝗜𝗡𝗚!!#VamosEspaña | #C4MPEONESpic.twitter.com/bSK5xObcbR
— Spanish Football (@SpainIsFootball) July 15, 2024
To England’s dismay, Lamine Yamal faced Luke Shaw, one of the players who missed most of the campaign. The Manchester United left-back was injured but also happened to be the most capable player from wide of the team.
He was a big part of England’s success in EURO 2020. He barely played in the last games (as he was still recovering), and was tasked with keeping 17-year-old Lamine Yamal under control.
Lamine Yamal And Luke Shaw
Containing Lamal is no easy task for any full-back, and it became even more challenging for Luke Shaw, who lacked match fitness. As often happened with Gareth Southgate, the focus was on prevention, even if it meant hampering England’s attacking potential.
Jude Bellingham joined Luke Shaw’s efforts, making sure Lamine Yamal had limited opportunities.
𝗪𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗨𝗘 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗭𝗘𝗦!!
Player of the tournament | Rodrigo
Best young player | Lamine Yamal#VamosEspaña | #C4MPEONES pic.twitter.com/tKVqwLSnCo— Spanish Football (@SpainIsFootball) July 14, 2024
Despite these efforts, the Barcelona star found a couple of breaks. As time passed, Lamine Yamal appeared increasingly dominant, with Shaw struggling to keep up.
Nonetheless, there is no doubt that playing the left-back was better than deploying Kieran Trippier. Some damage was mitigated, but Lamine Yamal’s sparks of genius allowed him to break through on several occasions.
Eventually, Yamal assisted. This probably best summarizes his tournament: if he didn’t break through, he assisted; if he didn’t assist, he scored.
🥲 You don’t mind if I cry with joy, do you?#C4MPEONES#VamosEspaña | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/ENZADWWqXI
— Spanish Football (@SpainIsFootball) July 14, 2024
There’s no doubt that Lamine Yamal’s performance throughout the tournament was impressive, even surpassing the record set by Pelé, who was the youngest to start in major international tournaments. Not anymore – the name now is Lamine Yamal.
Spain’s Double Winger Strikes Again
Yamal’s partner on the other wing, Nico Williams, also found opportunities to break through a couple of times. This probably explains why Spain keeps scoring and why they seem to enjoy their football: because they do.
One of the main criticisms of Spain’s team ahead of the tournament was that many players were too young.
🏆🏆🏆🏆 #C4MPEONES pic.twitter.com/irPBRMwKz2
— Spanish Football (@SpainIsFootball) July 14, 2024
Chico, this is their strength. Nico Williams is a bit older than Lamine Yamal at 22 and displayed the same relentless drive for dribbles and confrontations. This approach often allowed Spain to speed up the game on the wings, with both of England’s full-backs on their last legs as Spain’s wingers toyed with them in 1v1 situations.
Injuries Cannot Stop Spain
Not even an injury could stop Spain from winning. Rodri was taken off following an injury, with Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi taking the reins at the heart of the pitch.
While many might have thought he would look inexperienced due to limited minutes in the tournament, this couldn’t be further from the truth. It seemed as if Zubimendi had always been there, playing as if he were a seasoned starter.
🥰 Fancy some emotion filled photos?
My pleasure.#VamosEspaña | #C4MPEONES pic.twitter.com/oOJ0oQBvKk
— Spanish Football (@SpainIsFootball) July 14, 2024
This feeling encapsulates Spain’s strength perfectly: a ready group. There are plenty of ballers on the bench, and switching one for another yields similar results. The cohesion remains intact regardless of substitutions. Zubimendi continued organizing the team to his liking, allowing Fabián Ruiz to push up. The game was to be won in the midfield, and Zubimendi made it clear that this was his mission.
England couldn’t do much as they focused more on preventing threats than creating them. Spain was more comfortable than ever, and the 1-0 result from Lamine Yamal finding Nico Williams shifted the momentum.
𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗬 (photo with the 🏆)#VamosEspaña | #C4MPEONES pic.twitter.com/OWE9aPlQBc
— Spanish Football (@SpainIsFootball) July 14, 2024
England had to start attacking, which they did with Cole Palmer’s inclusion. However, they played scrappy football, barely maintaining possession. Too often, The Three Lions gave the ball away, practically setting themselves up for failure against Spain’s team.
England Tried To Fight Back
To a certain extent, England did contain Spain’s chances. However, it was not enough. Alvaro Morata’s influence was minimal, as John Stones and Marc Guéhi made sure that Spain’s striker wouldn’t get a clear shot on goal. The problem is that when Morata doesn’t score, he continues moving around, acting as one of Spain’s leading pressing machines.
They wanted this #EURO2024 so much that they wouldn’t let it go 😅#VamosEspaña | #C4MPEONES pic.twitter.com/xWfxfk2y9q
— Spanish Football (@SpainIsFootball) July 14, 2024
Dani Olmo frequently arrived in the box, and though his shot went wide, England had no one tracking RB Leipzig’s forward. With Lamine Yamal, Morata, and Nico Williams occupying their defenders, Dani Olmo remained a free agent.
Olmo is tough to track because he flows with the tempo, appearing in different zones according to the situation. As Morata dropped deep and Olmo pushed forward, England was forced to choose between the lesser evil.
Spain’s Dynamic Spirit Wins The Game
England continued to fight and managed to equalize fifteen minutes before the end. Mikel Oyarzabal came on and changed the game. A tired Marc Guéhi lost track of the ‘La Real’ star, and a cross from Cucurella was enough for the Basque academy graduate to head it home, with only five minutes left on the clock.
🏆 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗨𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘!!!
🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸#VamosEspaña | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/I3pIwPJOFo
— Spanish Football (@SpainIsFootball) July 14, 2024
The key difference between England and Spain was confidence. Spain had built immense self-belief throughout the tournament, having won every single game, often flawlessly. They knew they would score again, particularly as Lamine Yamal’s influence galvanised his teammates.
Even significant injuries, like Pedri’s against Germany or Rodri’s at half-time, did not deter them. Spain’s team is not just a collection of stars; they are a cohesive unit, a collective star.
❤️ 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗨𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛.
💛 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗕𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗨𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗨𝗧𝗘.
❤️ 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗖𝗨𝗣 𝗜𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗬𝗢𝗨#VamosEspaña | #C4MPEONES pic.twitter.com/iQTJjJq21j
— Spanish Football (@SpainIsFootball) July 14, 2024
Every player is a vital part of the puzzle, working in perfect harmony. This unity allowed Dani Olmo to step up as the creative force following Pedri’s injury. While they are different players, their impact was equally significant. Spain had clarity and confidence; that was all they needed to secure victory.
A Worthy Winner
Rarely have football fans seen a clearer winner. Spain was confident and united from the beginning to the end. Remarkably, this squad featured very few players from Madrid or Barcelona, instead being dominated by talent from Basque clubs. This inclusivity was one of the promises of Luis de la Fuente’s tenure, and he delivered on it brilliantly.
❤️🏆 I’ve spent years dreaming about you, and now I’m holding you in my arms.#VamosEspaña | #C4MPEONES pic.twitter.com/M7BKUqOE1W
— Spanish Football (@SpainIsFootball) July 15, 2024
The formula was clear, and Spain won all their games convincingly. At no point did any match seem “shaky” for Spain. They arguably had one of the toughest paths, finishing the tournament by defeating Italy, Croatia, Albania, Georgia, Germany, France, and England.
Not many tipsters fancied them initially, but this journey underscores the (non) importance of individual stars, emphasizing instead the clarity of a well-organized set-up. This victory marks Spain’s fourth European Championship, a record achievement.
