England’s quest to end 58 years of pain and disappointment ended in failure as they were beaten by Spain in the Euro 2024 final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion.
Gareth Southgate’s side were sunk by Mikel Oyarzabal’s late winner, leaving England heartbroken again in a second successive European Championship final.
Spain’s young stars, Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, combined to give Spain the lead shortly after the break, with Williams scoring a powerful low finish.
England captain Harry Kane struggled and was substituted on the hour, with Cole Palmer’s composed strike briefly raising hopes of a comeback. However, Spain’s Oyarzabal sealed the victory four minutes from time, ensuring England’s long wait for success continues.
The iconic Olympiastadion was a sea of white as England supporters outnumbered their Spanish counterparts, hoping for a long-awaited triumph.
Palmer’s equaliser 17 minutes from time gave England a glimmer of hope, but Oyarzabal’s clinical finish dashed their dreams. England’s agony was compounded as Declan Rice and Marc Guehi saw headers cleared off the line in the closing moments.
Despite the progress and optimism of Southgate’s eight-year reign, tangible success remains elusive. Skipper Kane, despite sharing the Euro 2024 Golden Boot, looked short of his best throughout the tournament.
