Ben Pawlowski
THREE years on from a heartbreaking defeat to Italy on penalties, England stumbled at the final hurdle, losing 2-1 to a magnificent Spain side who continued their run of fantastic performances and secured a record-breaking fourth European Championships win.
Once again, the England side and tens of thousands of fans packed into Berlin’s Olympiastadion suffered excruciating heartbreak as once more the Three Lions were denied in a major tournament, this time the second consecutive Euros final.
Spain had come into the game favourites after a magnificent tournament which had seen them pass through the ‘Group of Death’ (Italy, Croatia and Albania) without conceding a goal, before defeating hosts Germany in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Gareth Southgate’s England side, following an underwhelming group stage campaign, had been forced to rely on a 95th minute Jude Bellingham equaliser and extra time against Slovakia, penalties against Switzerland and a 90th minute winner against the Netherlands to progress to Sunday’s coveted final.
The game, particularly in the first half, was unsurprisingly cagey, but Spain ultimately received the reward they deserved having been the best team this tournament.
Their two starlet wingers, Nico Williams and now 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, combined impeccably at the start of the second half as Williams found a yard of space and slotted the ball beyond a despairing and angry Jordan Pickford.
Against the balance of play, England appeared intent on continuing their record of coming from behind after substitute Cole Palmer fired in an audacious equaliser.
But sadly the Spaniards triumphed after Mikel Oyarazabal, marginally onside, tapped home a cross to seal a record-breaking fourth European Championships for Spain.
The triumph rounded off a golden day for Spain after Carlos Alcaraz regained his Wimbledon crown via a straight sets victory against Novak Djokovic, and Sergio Garcia won LIV golf’s event in Andalucia.
