Spain squeeze past England for fourth European trophy

The Henri Delaunay trophy indeed goes home, as Spain have now won it for a record fourth time.

- MIGUEL DELANEY

Spain 2

Williams, (47), Oyarzabal, (86)

England 1

Palmer (73)

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.