July 14, (THEWILL) – Spain clinched their fourth UEFA European Championship title with a 2-1 victory over England in the final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. The win solidifies Spain’s position as the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
England manager, Gareth Southgate, surprised many by opting for a four-man defence, with Luke Shaw making his first competitive start since February. The first half ended goalless, with Phil Foden’s stoppage-time volley being the only shot on target.
Spain lost midfielder Rodri to injury at halftime, yet they took the lead just 70 seconds after the restart. Nico Williams finished off a move started by Lamine Yamal. England equalised through substitute Cole Palmer, who scored with a low shot from the edge of the box after being set up by Jude Bellingham.
The Spanish team reclaimed the lead when another substitute, Mikel Oyarzabal, scored from close range following Marc Cucurella’s cross. England pushed for another equaliser, with John Stones, Marc Guéhi, and Declan Rice all having headed chances; however, Spain’s defence held firm.
This victory marks Spain’s fifth win in six major finals, a remarkable achievement. For England, it is a second consecutive European Championship final defeat, following their loss to Italy in 2021.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
