Spain vs England: Luis de la Fuente and Gareth Southgate tactics analysed ahead of Euro 2024 final

England face Spain in the Euro 2024 final on Sunday – but how do the teams’ styles and form compare ahead of the blockbuster clash?

Which team is in better form?

Spain have set their marker by winning all six games at Euro 2024 – the most wins any side has ever picked up in the competition’s history.

In contrast, England have registered four wins, including the shoot-out victory over Switzerland, and two draws – although, technically, the shoot-out win is logged as a draw.

The Three Lions have conceded the first goal in all three of their knockout games. In fact, they’re unbeaten in their last six when conceding first at the Euros (W5 D1) – with no side ever winning more such games in Euros history.

What’s the system?

Spain have started in a 4-3-3 formation in five of their six games, deploying a 4-2-3-1 against France in the semi-final.

The average positions below highlight the attacking intent of Luis de la Fuente’s side.

Wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal average in the final third, with both full-backs averaging in the opposition half – while striker Alvaro Morata frequently drops deeper to link play.

Gareth Southgate has tinkered with his starting systems in Germany, using a 4-2-3-1 against Serbia, Denmark and Slovakia, a 4-3-3 against Slovenia and a 3-4-2-1 in the quarter-final and semi-final against Switzerland and the Netherlands, respectively.

The graphic below shows the average positions from the first four games and reveals all outfield players averaged in the central third of the pitch, with five players averaging in their own half.

The shift to three-at-the-back appears to have pushed England upfield, with Bukayo Saka averaging even higher into opposition territory from a wing-back role, with only three players averaging in their own half.

England are expected to stick with three-at-the-back against Spain, with the only change potentially seeing Luke Shaw replace Kieran Trippier at left wing-back – earning his first start of the tournament.

Attacks analysed

Spain are the most potent attacking force at Euro 2024 with a tournament-topping 13 goals scored – nearly double the tally England have mustered.

You can use the dropdown menu on the interactive graphic below to see how both sides rank across a raft of key, attacking metrics among all 24 teams.

Euro 2024 has produced an uptick in attempts from range and both teams have fired numerous shots from distance.

Spain have fired considerably more shots from inside the box, while England have been notably more accurate from central and right-hand areas of the opposition box.

The source of Spain’s chances have primarily come from their left-hand channel, typically patrolled by Marc Cucurella and Williams.

However, England will also need to look out for long balls through and over defensive lines down central areas and Yamal’s considerable threat down the right flank.

England’s creative threat is far less pronounced – having typically deployed a more defensive approach than the Spanish to date – but the distribution of threat is more balanced down both channels.

The players

Harry Kane and Dani Olmo lead their respective sides with three goals from six shots on target and are hunting for the Golden Boot, with Jude Bellingham and Fabian Ruiz netting twice.

Kane leads the way for expected goals, boosted by his 0.79 xG from the penalty converted against Netherlands. However, Spain’s attacking threat is stark beyond Kane, with seven Spanish players dividing Kane and Bellingham.

Unsurprisingly, the same applies to creativity, with Yamal registering a table-topping 16 chances created, while Trippier leads the way for England with nine.

Yamal has a tournament-high three assists, with Olmo and Ruiz both teeing up team-mates twice. No England player has clocked more than one assist to date, with Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, Ivan Toney and Marc Guehi among the creators so far.

The graphic below shows the number of expected goals players have contributed to team goals during the passage of play leading up to shots, revealing how Southgate will be concentrating on nullifying dangers from Yamal, Williams and Ruiz, while also looking to disrupt pass master Rodri.

Clash of speeds

England have traditionally posed notable threat on the counter in recent times, but are slightly less threatening this time out with the likes of Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford failing to make the 26-player squad.

However, Southgate has Saka bombing up and down his right flank, with speedster Kyle Walker regularly joining the attack against Netherlands, while Anthony Gordon remains an option from the bench.

However, Spain have registered a tournament-topping 11 fast breaks, so the Three Lions will be requiring defenders to apply the afterburners.

Interestingly, Netherlands rank second for counter-attacks and England largely nullified that threat in the semi-finals.

The players

Unsurprisingly, Spain’s wingers lead the way for attempting dribbles, but Saka and Bellingham punctuate the pair with almost equal intent to take on opponents.

Notably, Yamal has run nearly 700 metres upfield with the ball at his feet, which underlines how the 16-year-old – who turns 17 on Saturday – is a key driver from more advanced areas into dangerous positions.

In terms of sheer distance covered, five England players lead the way in Rice, Foden, Bellingham, Walker and Kane. In fact, Rice and Foden lead the way across the tournament.

However, Rodri provides the engine for Spain in midfield, while Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi provide ample gusto from the bench.

Passing analysed

Only Portugal and Germany averaged more possession at Euro 2024 than Spain and England. In the advent of Spain’s transition from tiki-taka, England have completed more passes to date – albeit from playing an additional 30 minutes.

However, England were widely criticised for failing to penetrate with their passing during the early stages of the tournament – emphasised by the fact Spain have completed more passes in the final third.

The graphic below reveals England’s build-up is evenly distributed in the middle third of the pitch, but Spain have a notable hotspot of activity down the left channel, halfway inside the opposition half.

The players

Rice has completed a table-topping 109 passes in the final third at Euro 2024, ahead of Ruiz, Bellingham and Cucurella.

Meanwhile, Spain will be looking to close down the likes of Foden and Saka, who rank among the elite for playing passes into the opposition box. Southgate will be wary of Williams’ distribution into the box.

Who presses hardest?

Winning the midfield battle could be the key to success on Sunday.

In terms of the press, Spain certainly dominate, winning more high turnovers, more pressed sequences, more defensive actions, regaining possession higher up the pitch and registering a more intense press.

Only Austria, under Ralf Rangnick, won the ball back higher than Spain at the tournament – who have typically regained possession 44.6 metres from their own goal. England have typically started passing sequences two metres deeper.

Spain’s intense high press has also contributed directly to two goals – both against Georgia – with the graphic below revealing a band of pressure applied just outside of the penalty box.

The equivalent graphic for England reveals far less intensity in the final third, with clusters of pressure in off-centre areas – particularly in the right-of-centre region.

However, the graphic below suggests both sides are permeable in their respective attacking final thirds, potentially down wider areas, which could generate ample opportunity on Sunday.

The players

Ruiz has regained possession in the final third 12 times at Euro 2024 – twice as often as any other player at the tournament. Rodri ranks joint-second with six turnovers, while Bellingham and Rice lead the way for England (five each).

Across the pitch, England edge the battle for winning 50/50 duels, while no player has applied more pressures than Kane among the teams – underlining how his work off the ball can benefit the team.

Soft spots?

Despite England’s defensive-focussed approach at Euro 2024 contrasting with Spain’s front-footed style, De la Fuente’s side have still conceded one goal fewer than the Three Lions. Attack is the best form of defence, after all.

You can use the dropdown menu in the interactive graphic below to check a raft of defensive stats, which reveals Spain have perhaps been fortunate to ship only three goals to date, with 6.5 expected goals conceded. However, 2.38 of those came during their opening Group B 3-0 win over Croatia.

In terms of chances conceded, Spain appear to be vulnerable from passes played down their left flank and passes through or over defensive lines from long passes in their left-of-centre area. The same applies to England, to a lesser degree.

Who’s red hot?

Six Spain players feature in the top 10 form rankings at Euro 2024, according to the Sky Sports Power Rankings.

The Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo tops the leaderboard ahead of Spain trio Olmo, Yamal and Unai Simon, while Ruiz sits behind France goalkeeper Mike Maignan at No 6.

Only Bellingham represents England in the top 10, while Jordan Pickford, Saka and Rice make the top 20.

Opta stats and facts

• England have failed to score in three of their four major tournament (World Cup/EUROs) games against Spain, with the last two such matches both finishing 0-0 (1982 World Cup, EURO 1996).
• This is the third meeting between Spain and England at the UEFA European Championship, with England winning 2-1 in the 1980 group stage, before progressing 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the 1996 quarter-final.
• Spain have only lost four of their last 14 meetings with England in all competitions (W7 D3), having lost seven in a row against the Three Lions before this.
• England won 3-2 the last time they faced Spain in the UEFA Nations League in October 2018; they’ve not won consecutive meetings with La Roja since a run of seven between 1960 and 1980.
• Spain have won their last three major tournament finals, winning the UEFA European Championship in 2008 and 2012, and the FIFA World Cup in 2010. No European side has ever been successful in four consecutive World Cup/EUROs final matches before.
• England have reached the UEFA European Championship final in consecutive editions. Indeed, they’ve now reached more major tournament finals in four attempts under Gareth Southgate (2), than they did in their first 23 appearances at the World Cup/EUROs combined (1) before his tenure.
• This will be England’s first major tournament final played outside of England, with the 1966 World Cup and EURO 2020 finals being played at Wembley Stadium. The Three Lions have never lost a match in Berlin in six attempts (W4 D2), only playing more in Helsinki (8), Amsterdam (7) and Sunderland (7) without ever suffering defeat.
• Spain have won all six of their games so far at EURO 2024, already the most wins any side has picked up in a single edition of the UEFA European Championship. Since the introduction of the group stage in 1980, only France in 1984 (5/5) have won the competition while maintaining a 100% win rate.
• Spain have won each of their last eight matches in all competitions, scoring 23 goals and conceding just four. They last had a longer run between June 2009 and June 2010 (12).
• England have conceded the first goal in all three of their knockout stage games so far at EURO 2024. Indeed, they’re unbeaten in their last six when conceding first in the UEFA European Championship (W5 D1), with no side winning more such games in the competition’s history.
• England have conceded just 13 goals in their last 20 matches in all competitions, only shipping more than once on one occasion in that run, a 2-2 friendly draw with Belgium in March.
• Aged 17 years and one day, Spain’s Lamine Yamal could be the youngest ever player to feature in a FIFA World Cup or UEFA European Championship final, surpassing Pele’s record from the 1958 World Cup (17y 249d). He has three assists so far at EURO 2024, with no Spaniard ever providing four at a single EUROs.
• England striker Harry Kane has scored more knockout stage goals at major tournaments (World Cup/EUROs) than any other European player (9), including a record six at the UEFA European Championship.
• Spain’s Lamine Yamal has had 13 shot involvements following a ball carry at EURO 2024 (6 shots, 7 chances created), at least three more than any other player.
• England boss Gareth Southgate (runner up at EURO 2020) will be the third manager to take charge of more than one UEFA European Championship final (excl. replays), after Helmut Schön with Germany (1972, 1976) and Berti Vogts with Germany (1992, 1996), with all three doing so in consecutive editions. No manager has ever lost two finals in the competition before.

What about history?

England hold a historic edge over La Roja with a head-to-head record of 13 wins, four draws and 10 defeats – but the majority of that advantage was achieved before the 1980s.

Since then, the Three Lions have won only four times, drawn three and lost seven games. The Euro ’96 game remains their only meeting to go to extra-time or a penalty shoot-out.

Pick your England XI

What will the score be?

What does the supercomputer say?

According to data provider Opta, Spain have a 55.3 per cent chance of winning the game, with England registering 44.7 per cent.

The supercomputer predicts a 30.5 per cent chance of the game ending in a penalty shoot-out.