Spain is the king of European soccer for a record fourth time. For England, it91裸聊视频檚 another agonizing near-miss in the team91裸聊视频檚 decades-long tale of underachievement.
Completing a tournament the team dominated from start to finish, Spain beat England 2-1 in the European Championship final on Sunday with Mikel Oyarzabal the unlikely match-winner in the 86th minute.
Oyarzabal, a backup striker who came on as a substitute for captain Alvaro Morata, slid in to poke home a left-wing cross by Marc Cucurella, just when the game at Berlin91裸聊视频檚 Olympiastadion seemed destined for extra time.
England, the birthplace of soccer, is still without a major title in the men91裸聊视频檚 game since winning the 1966 World Cup and its players watched on forlornly as Morata raised aloft the silver trophy to backdrop of confetti and fireworks inside the stadium built for the 1936 Olympics.
Add 2024 to the titles won by Spain in 1964, 2008 and 2012.
91裸聊视频淗ere we are, champions of Europe,91裸聊视频� said Nico Williams, whose opening goal for Spain in the 47th minute was canceled out by England substitute Cole Palmer in the 73rd. 91裸聊视频淲e are thrilled and hope this can keep going and we can go for the (2026) World Cup.91裸聊视频�
Lamine Yamal, the prodigy who turned 17 on Saturday and is the youngest player to have appeared at a European Championship, set up Williams91裸聊视频� goal with an inside run before passing across the face of the area. The two wingers have become the poster boys of an exciting, multicultural team that reflects Spain91裸聊视频檚 changing demographics.
Yamal91裸聊视频檚 mother is from Equatorial Guinea and his father is from Morocco, while the 22-year-old Williams has Ghanaian parents who made the long journey to Europe looking for a better life. To make it to Spain, they had to ride on the back of a crowded truck and walk barefoot through the Sahara desert.
91裸聊视频淚 believe there is a historical change, we are really grateful,91裸聊视频� said Williams, the player of the match with his darting runs and his second goal of Euro 2024.
91裸聊视频淢y parents have suffered a lot to get here. They are the ones who have suffered the most and they have instilled this sort of respect and loyalty in me,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 really happy because we are making history.91裸聊视频�
Unlike his brother Inaki, who is a Ghana international, Nico chose to play for Spain and will now be regarded as a national hero there.
Spain is back as a major player in senior soccer after winning both the Women91裸聊视频檚 World Cup 91裸聊视频� also against England 91裸聊视频� and the men91裸聊视频檚 UEFA Nations League in 2023.
Since 2001, Spanish men91裸聊视频檚 teams have won 23 consecutive major finals in club and international soccer.
91裸聊视频淚 said before the tournament, nobody can hang with us,91裸聊视频� Williams said.
Spain won all seven games at this European Championship 91裸聊视频� an unprecedented feat 91裸聊视频� and broke the record for goals scored in a single tournament, with 15.
There were joyous scenes after the final whistle, with defender Dani Carvajal piled on by jubilant teammates after slumping to the ground. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente was thrown into the air by his players. Both Cucurella and Yamal led Spain91裸聊视频檚 players in jumping over the advertising boards to reach the red-and-yellow-clad Spanish fans in the stadium91裸聊视频檚 east end.
91裸聊视频淭his is the best (birthday) gift I could have asked for,91裸聊视频� Yamal said. 91裸聊视频淚t is a dream come true.91裸聊视频�
After getting his medal, the teenager turned and shook his fist in celebration, stuck his tongue out and showed off a beaming grin. By then, Yamal and his team mates were wearing Spain jerseys with 91裸聊视频淜ings of Europe91裸聊视频� and the number 91裸聊视频�491裸聊视频� on the back.
Meanwhile, fans who had watched the game on a big screen in Madrid celebrated wildly, chanting 91裸聊视频渃hampions, champions91裸聊视频� in Spanish. It was a great sporting day for the nation, with Carlos Alcaraz winning the Wimbledon men91裸聊视频檚 singles title for a second straight year hours before the Euro 2024 final.
As for England, the men91裸聊视频檚 team has now lost back-to-back Euro finals 91裸聊视频� it was defeated in a penalty shootout by Italy on home soil in the final in 2021 91裸聊视频� and this was another painful loss for a team that will have gone six decades without a major title by the next World Cup.
England91裸聊视频檚 women have been more successful, though, winning the European Championship in 2021 and reaching the World Cup final two years later.
91裸聊视频淭his time it just wasn91裸聊视频檛 meant to be,91裸聊视频� Prince William, who attended the final alongside other dignitaries including Spain91裸聊视频檚 King Felipe, wrote on social media. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e all still so proud of you.91裸聊视频�
It was the fourth straight game that the English came from behind since the group stage, but their resilience wasn91裸聊视频檛 rewarded this time.
A team that has produced big moments when it really mattered at Euro 2024 91裸聊视频� including Jude Bellingham91裸聊视频檚 95th-minute overhead kick against Slovakia in the round of 16 91裸聊视频� couldn91裸聊视频檛 deliver another one, with Spain midfielder Dani Olmo clearing the ball off the line at a corner in the 89th minute.
91裸聊视频淚t has been a difficult ride, we have done extremely well to get here, but ultimately we are going to be judged on this game,91裸聊视频� England captain Harry Kane said.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 extremely painful,91裸聊视频� he added. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 going to hurt for a long, long time.91裸聊视频�
England coach Gareth Southgate, who has been in charge for eight years and also led the team to the World Cup semifinals in 2018, said it wasn91裸聊视频檛 the time to make a decision on his future. His contract expires in December.
91裸聊视频淢ost of this squad are going to be around not just for the World Cup but the next Euros as well,91裸聊视频� Southgate said. 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a lot to look forward to but at this moment that91裸聊视频檚 not any consolation.91裸聊视频�
Steve Douglas, The Associated Press
