Spain lifted their fourth Euro trophy thanks to superb performances from their youthful squad, edging past England 2-1 in the final in Berlin on July 14, 2024.
Coming through the youth ranks of their respective clubs, wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal tormented the England defense with their pace and trickery. It was Williams who opened the scoring for Spain in the 8th minute, latching onto a perfectly weighted pass from Yamal before firing a shot past Jordan Pickford.
England drew level through substitute Cole Palmer who finished coolly from inside the box in the 35th minute. However, Mikel Oyarzabal had the final say for Spain, combining well with Marc Cucurella before finding the back of the net six minutes from time to seal victory.
While Williams and Yamal grabbed the headlines, it was a triumph built on teamwork and technical quality for unfancied Spain manager Luis de la Fuente. His 4-3-3 system enabled the gifted Spanish midfielders like Rodri and Dani Olmo to dictate possession, wearing England down in the process.
Goalkeeper Unai Simon also played his part, pulling off several saves including a late denial of Ivan Toney to prevent England from equalizing again. As the Spain players celebrated on the pitch at the final whistle, it marked a triumph for their coach’s understated approach and youth-focused philosophy.
