The Henri Delaunay trophy indeed goes home, as Spain have now won it for a record fourth time. England’s years of hurt will go to 60 years, and at least the 2026 World Cup in America. Whether Gareth Southgate will still be there remains to be seen, after a defeat that was respectable but still reflected something bigger.
England, for the second tournament in succession, were beaten by the better team.
This wasn’t like Italy at Wembley in Euro 2020 in terms of a lost opportunity, but it was another lost game against the first elite side that Southgate’s team played. England are both so close, and yet still far away. The scoreline said enough, at a narrow 2-1, as substitute Mikel Oyarzabal scored by staying onside by a matter of centimetres. It is almost worse that it was so close. If Oyarzabal was an unlikely hero, Spain are far from unlikely champions. They have been the team of the tournament and deserving winners, both on the night and through the campaign. They are the first team to win an expanded Euros by winning every game – and only the second-ever after Brazil 2002 to win seven from seven at a tournament. They really could have won by more.
England were fortunate that Spain didn’t score more – with Jordan Pickford their best player – but the luck that has characterised their campaign did eventually run out. Spain just had more. They didn’t even feel the loss of Rodri through injury at half-time.
That meant, as with defeat by France at the last World Cup, this time it was difficult to be too critical of Southgate on the night. He maybe got his starting line-up wrong but his subs were right, and brave, and they worked. Cole Palmer offered one of the moments of the match with that equaliser.
The bigger question will be over whether something more is just needed, whether a manager who plays “results football” isn’t enough of a winner himself. The same will be said of the ineffective and seemingly unfit Harry Kane, who was again hauled off having done little. It feels harsh to be critical of such a fine player who has come to define this England era. More searching questions should maybe go for how England’s right side was opened up. That was where the game was won, as both man-of-the-match and initial goalscorer Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal look like they define a new era for Spain. It’s still a team that plays to an idea that amplifies all their talent. England, by a contrast, have an approach that forces players to perform within their talent. That was the main difference, and could have led this to being an even bigger victory for Spain. It also dictated the entire match.
For all the potential criticisms of Southgate’s approach, the threat of that duo forced the England manager’s hand.
The pattern of any game against Spain is obvious, with their side dominating possession, so it oddly means it isn’t that difficult for opposition sides to figure out what to do. It’s just very difficult to execute.
That is to shore up all space around your area, and ensure Spain’s midfielders can’t angle those balls through. England were for long stretches very good at this, which was why the way the goals went in should have been so frustrating. Even in moments like when Kyle Walker was beaten by Nico Williams in the first half, there was John Stones in with maybe the best challenge of the game.
While Spain might have always had a man over in every area of the pitch, England had to always have a man over around their own area.
The war of attrition the match turned into – attacking possession against defensive position – gradually brought some bite to the challenges, and an increasing edge. After Bukayo Saka went to ground under pressure from Dani Carvajal, the right-back made a point of making a “tears” gesture. There were a lot of bodies colliding rather than properly open play.
One completely unintended clash saw Rodri pick up an injury, and eventually have to be forced off at half-time. It felt like a huge moment, and there was a sudden tactical shift when the second half started. The surprise was that it was on England’s side – and specifically their right side – rather than Spain.
Having previously been so good at shutting down space, Southgate’s team suddenly allowed an ocean to open up around Kyle Walker. It was Dani Carvajal, of all people, who got the move going through a creative flick to Lamine Yamal. The recently turned 17-year-old was in the game for the first time, and moving ominously into the centre of the pitch. Williams was going down Spain’s left like an express train, though, for which Yamal laid the perfect track. Williams ran onto it and fired low past Pickford superbly.
It was so sleek, and so fitting that a tournament this duo had decorated ended up combining in the final.
There was still the final to actually be won, though, and England now had to actually come out. That required more mobility, as the sadly ineffective Kane was taken off for Ollie Watkins. The captain just hasn’t looked fully fit all tournament.
It was still Spain actually creating the chances, though. Dani Olmo struck wide when he probably should have scored. Pickford saved well from Yamal. Then, in one key moment, Spain overhit a pass when an attack was on.
These felt like the sort of moments that could cost you. It just required England to take advantage. They had opened up but could have done with someone to exploit the space created by Watkins’s running. Southgate went brave by quickly bringing in Cole Palmer.
It paid off.
With Marc Cucurella exposing his position by going too forcefully into a challenge, England had an opening. A previously quiet Jude Bellingham offered his best moment of the game so far by so cleverly cutting back to Palmer. The forward just let fly, the distance making the control of the finish all the more impressive. There was a deflection to take it away from Unai Simon, but that didn’t take away from the goal.
England were back in it but also quickly back around their own goal. That wasn’t down to Southgate’s approach this time, for his part, but more the pattern of play. Spain still just had the ball, Pickford still had to make saves.
What was most galling was how Spain’s second goal came. It was again down that right side. Cucurella atoned for his error with a fine cross, for Oyarzabal to finish. This time, Pickford could do nothing.
England now had to find something. They looked like they had it when Declan Rice powered a header at goal that resulted in pinball around the Spanish box. There was Olmo to head it away.
The reality was that greater quality prevailed. That is no shame for England or Southgate, it is just the same old issue. It means Europe doesn’t have new champions. The competition’s most successful team have won it again.