Walter Finch
THE Costa del Sol exploded into celebrations that lasted long into the night yesterday – although not for everyone.
After Spain comfortably saw off England 2-1 in the final of Euro 2024, it was time to party for the sea of red-clad Spain fans.
Truly showing the English who rules the roost on the Costa del Sol, the hordes of Spaniards were joined by part-timers from Norway, Sweden, Holland, Poland and many other nations.
In fact, aside from a few hotspots around the coast’s ports, the English were hardly anywhere to be seen.
Certainly less so when the referee blew the whistle for full time around 11pm.
There had never been any doubt in the minds of the Spanish anyway – they knew it would be a night of celebration for them long before the game even kicked off.
The distinctive wizz of the vuvuzelas and car horns saturated towns and reminded everyone with their window open that there would be no sleeping just yet.
Roundabouts became the focal points for huge gatherings of ecstatic Spaniards – many now topless.
A favoured activity was for two people to hold a Spain flag out before a car and lure it on as they do in the bullfights.
Around the expat – immigrant as you prefer – strongholds of the ports, a deathly silence punctured only by grumbles and muttering.
But, despite their exuberance, as is usual with the Spanish there was no trouble, no violence, no vandalism – just good-natured celebrations as the police indulgently looked on.
And right they should celebrate – Spain are now the out-and-out record trophy holders in the European Championships, edging past Germany on three victories.
They set an otherwise dour tournament alight, winning all seven of their games and even breaking the record for goals scored in a single tournament – putting 15 away.
And they did it the hard way too, dispatching all their traditional European heavyweight rivals along the way.
From edging Italy 1-0 in the group stage to recording consecutive 2-1 victories over first Germany, then France and then England, they dusted all of Europe’s traditional big teams.
It was left to England to stand in their way in the final.
Gareth Southgate’s side fought back from a goal down for the fourth consecutive game but were ultimately undone by a late Mikel Oyarzabal strike.
Nico Williams had given Spain the lead early in the second half before Cole Palmer’s equaliser set up a grandstand finish.
However, it was Oyarzabal who had the final say, securing the trophy for La Roja with just four minutes remaining.
