Mikel Oyarzabal’s Winner Crucifies England And Sends The Trophy Back Home

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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.