NEW DELHI: England are determined to break their long-standing drought of winning a major men's international tournament as they face a formidable Spain side in the
Euro 2024 final
on Sunday.
The Olympiastadion in Berlin will host the match, which is set to commence at 9:00 pm (1900 GMT). This final will mark the end of a month-long
football
extravaganza, during which Spain, led by their teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal, have been the standout team.
Spain have already knocked out several of Europe's top teams while maintaining a perfect record of six wins on their way to the final. They are aiming to secure a record fourth European championship title, having previously triumphed in 1964, 2008, and 2012.
England, on the other hand, have faced challenges against weaker opponents but delivered their best performance in the semi-finals, defeating the Netherlands 2-1 with a crucial goal from substitute Ollie Watkins.
This marks England's second straight appearance in the European Championship final, as they seek to erase the painful memory of their penalty shoot-out defeat to Italy at Wembley in the previous edition three years ago. If Gareth Southgate's men can secure victory, it will be England's first major men's title in 58 years, since their 1966 World Cup triumph on home soil.
"We know that we have to do this one, we have to get this trophy to really feel the respect of the rest of the football world," Southgate told reporters on Saturday as he reflected on the number of near misses his team has had in recent years.
England's national football team has consistently performed well in recent international tournaments, reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the final of Euro 2020. However, they suffered a disappointing exit in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup, losing to France.
Despite boasting a talented squad led by captain Harry Kane and rising star Jude Bellingham, England struggled in the group stage of the current tournament, managing just one victory against Serbia and scoring only two goals across their matches.
In the last 16, England faced a tough challenge against Slovakia, requiring a last-gasp intervention from Bellingham to force extra time. They eventually progressed through the additional period before triumphing on penalties against Switzerland and narrowly defeating the Netherlands.
As England prepares to face Spain, they will be confronting their most formidable opponent yet. The two nations have not met at a major tournament since Euro 96, when an England team that included current manager Gareth Southgate as a player emerged victorious on penalties in the quarter-finals.
"The belief has grown as we've gone through the tournament," Kane said.
"What we have been through with the late goals and the penalty shoot-outs builds resilience and builds belief. The team is obviously confident."
Under the guidance of coach Luis de la Fuente, Spain's thrilling new generation has propelled the country to their first men's major tournament final since their incredible victories at Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup, and Euro 2012.
The team has illuminated an otherwise lackluster tournament, thanks to the commanding presence of Rodri Hernandez in midfield and the electrifying performances of wingers Nico Williams and Yamal, who celebrated his 17th birthday on Saturday.
Spain dominated their group stage, winning all their matches without conceding a single goal, including impressive victories over Croatia, the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists, and Italy, the current European champions.
In the quarter-finals, they triumphed over hosts Germany in extra time in Stuttgart. Then, in the semi-finals, a breathtaking goal from Yamal helped them overcome a deficit to defeat
Kylian Mbappe
's France.
"Tomorrow is when I will ask the least of my team. They have been giving everything. Tomorrow is simply about enjoying it," insisted the 63-year-old De la Fuente.
"We are two great sides, the best two teams. Of course it will be a very even game.
"It really is just little details that decide matches like these. The team that makes the fewest mistakes has more chances of winning."
Dani Carvajal, the right-back, and Robin Le Normand, the central defender of French origin, are set to return to the Spanish lineup after serving their suspensions during the semi-final match.
It is anticipated that England will maintain their starting eleven, with Kane spearheading the attack. Watkins, who made a decisive impact as a substitute against the Netherlands, is expected to begin the match on the bench once again.
According to reports from UK media outlets, English supporters may constitute up to 50% of the spectators within the Olympiastadion, which has a capacity of 71,000, even though both teams in the final were allocated only 10,000 tickets each.
English (US) ·