Euro 2024 Final, Spain vs England Preview: It’s that time of the year again. Three-time champions Spain will lock horns against England in the final of the 2024 European Championships at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on Sunday. Both teams will be hungry for continental glory and even more hungrier among the two teams will be England, who reached the summit clash of Euro 2020 in Wembley three years back only to go down to Italy via penalties.
England, whose only major international trophy remains the 1966 FIFA World Cup, will hope to write off the ghosts of the past but face a tougher challenge against a Spain side whose youngsters have improved and keep better with every game.
Spain ended the group stage with a 100 per cent record and what’s more, the La Roja maintained clean sheets in each of their group stage matches. And although they had it quite comfortable against Georgia in the round of 16 (4-1), the Luis de la Fuente-coached side were made to sweat against Germany and France in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively, with both matches ending in 2-1 wins.
England, on the other hand, have often been criticised for Gareth Southgate’s questionable tactics and a defensive approach to matches, but their worries might have eased a bit following their 2-1 win over Netherlands in the semi-final in Dortmund on Wednesday. While the match seemed like it would go into extra-time with the scores level at 1-1, Ollie Watkins scored a stunner in the first minute of second-half injury time to send the Three Lions into a second successive Euros final.
Harry Kane will remain England’s main superstar to keep an eye on, but on their day, even the likes of Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham can create an impact. Kane is after all England’s top-scorer in this tournament and is also in the reckoning for the Golden Boot. Cole Palmer impressed for Chelsea last season but it remains to be seen if he would start in the final.
One of Spain’s key players will be teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. Yamal has assisted thrice and scored once for Spain in this Euros but it’s more about the creativity that he brings to the fore. Dani Olmo and Nico Williams have been equally impressive for Spain.