Spain makes history and wins the fourth European Cup title
The Spanish team won the European Championship for the fourth consecutive time with an impeccable campaign of seven wins in seven games.
Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal were responsible for the goals that guaranteed Spain's victory - Photo Reproduction / Annegret Hilse / Reuters
The Spain men's football team consolidated its position as one of the greatest powers in world football by winning its fourth European Cup title on Sunday night (14), at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. With a brilliant performance, the Spanish team defeated England 2-1 in the final, a game that will be etched in the fans' memories. Oyarzabal stood out as a hero in winning the Spanish title. He came on in the second half and scored the decisive goal in the final minutes of the game. Before that, Nico Williams had given Spain the lead, while Palmer equalized for England.
Path to Glory
Spain's trajectory at Euro 2024 was full of challenges and achievements. After advancing through the group stage with convincing victories, the Spanish team faced strong opponents in the qualifiers. In the round of 16, they dominated Georgia in an easy game, with a score of 4-1. In the quarter-finals, against Germany, in a fierce confrontation, the Spanish emerged victorious by 2-1. In the semi-final, despite starting out losing, they turned the game around in the first stage and defeated France 2-1.
The Grand Final
The final confrontation against England It promised to be an epic duel, and it didn't disappoint. Spain entered the field with determination to once and for all ensure supremacy in the competition and become the biggest winner of the tournament. Meanwhile, England were looking for their first title. Both teams had a tepid first half, with a lot of physical competition and few chances to score.
Spain, traditionally strong, faced an England confident in the abilities of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, but It was only in stoppage time that the English managed their only shot on goal, when Foden took advantage of a free kick in the area, being saved by Unai Simón.
The second half was electrifying. The Spanish started with a lot of pressure and managed to open the score in the first minute. Nico Williams finished a beautiful move started by Carvajal, who made a first-time pass to Yamal. The latter dribbled past two markers before making the decisive pass that opened the scoring for the Spanish.. With the advantage on the scoreboard, the Spanish team controlled the game and dominated much of the time, maintaining the pressure with specific attacks.
The English tried to react, and Bellingham almost scored in the 18th minute with a left shot that went close to the goal. However, England's equalizer only came in the 27th minute, with young Palmer taking over from Mainoo. The midfielder hit a beautiful first-time shot from outside the box. As the game headed into extra time, Dani Olmo passed the ball to Oyarzabal, who found Cucurella on the left wing.
The full-back made a low cross and the striker scored in the 41st minute, securing the title for the Spanish team at Euro 2024. England almost scored in the 44th minute, when Guéhi took advantage of a rebound, but Olmo saved on the line. Rice had another chance, but sent the ball over the goal.
Retrospect of the National Teams
Spain is now the biggest winner in the history of the European Championship, surpassing Germany to win their fourth cup, this time on German soil. While the Spanish were looking for their fourth title (previous ones in 1964, 2008 and 2012), England continued their search for their first championship. However, the English again left empty-handed, having remained fast since their victory in the 1966 World Cup. Harry Kane, at 30 years old, also continues without winning a significant title in his career, either for clubs or for the national team.
Awards
In the 2024 Euro Cup final, the Spanish team not only took home the trophy, but also pocketed a prize of 28.25 million euros. UEFA, the tournament organizer, offered financial incentives to the two finalist teams. Spain, who won all their games in the championship, received the top prize, made up of 9.25 million euros for participation, 3 million for victories in the group stage, 1.5 million for the round of 16, 2.5 million in the quarter-finals, 4 million in the semi-finals, plus an 8 million bonus for winning the final.
On the other hand, the England team had a more modest campaign, but could still have received up to 27.25 million euros if they had won the unprecedented title. This amount included bonuses for draws in the group stage and proportional amounts for wins in subsequent stages, although England only recorded 2 draws in the group stage. With the runner-up, the English team ended up receiving just 5 million euros for participating in the final, totaling 23 million euros in prizes.
