Yamal, Williams, and the Spanish Stars are European Champions

The Spanish national team claimed their record fourth European Cup title by defeating England 2-1 in the final on Sunday in Berlin.

Spain now holds the largest number of championship titles, breaking their tie with Germany (three titles in 1972, 1980, and 1996). Spain’s previous titles were won in 1964, 2008, and 2012.

Spain opened the scoring early in the second half with a goal from winger Nico Williams (47’). England equalized through substitute Cole Palmer (73’), but another substitute, Mikel Oyarzabal, restored Spain’s lead and secured the victory (86’).

The Spanish team deserved the championship title, having delivered the best performance and demonstrated their superiority by eliminating several major teams. They defeated France in the semi-finals, host Germany in the quarter-finals, Croatia in the opening match (3-0), and Italy, the titleholders of the last edition, (1-0).

On the other hand, the English team’s disappointments in major matches continued. They lost the Euro final for the second edition in a row and were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. England remains without a major title since the 1966 World Cup.

Despite their disappointment, the English team was fortunate to reach the final after a relatively average performance in the tournament. They faced widespread criticism after barely qualifying and miraculously winning against Slovakia 2-1 in extra time in the second round, followed by a penalty shootout victory over Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

Nico Williams expressed his joy after the match: “I am very delighted, very happy. Our people deserve the title. The family, the fans… We are European champions and we will look forward to the World Cup.”

England captain Harry Kane reflected on the loss: “Losing in the final is very difficult… We did a very good job to return to the match with a 1-1 draw and then we were not able to use our momentum to move forward… It is as painful as it can be in a football match.”

Rodri Named Best Player

Midfielder Rodri was awarded the Best Player of the Tournament for his role in leading Spain to their fourth European Cup title. The Manchester City midfielder was substituted at halftime in the final due to a knee injury but was recognized for his contributions throughout the finals. Rodri scored an equalizing goal against Georgia in the round of 16, helping Spain to a 4-1 victory.

Rodri has only lost once in the last 80 matches across all competitions for both club and country, highlighting his importance to both “La Roja” and Manchester City. With City, he has won all possible titles, including the UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, and FIFA Club World Cup.

Additionally, rising star Lamine Yamal was named Best Young Player. Yamal provided the assist for Spain’s first goal in the final, marking his fourth assist of the tournament.