European Championship 2024: Spain defeat England to win fourth title

England’s quest to end a 58-year trophy drought ended in failure as they were defeated 2-1 by Spain in the 2024 European Championship final on Sunday.

The narrow scoreline fails to tell the story of a game where one side showed plenty of attacking endeavour while the other was unable to match them.

Read on as we assess some key talking points from the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England in Germany.

Spain ease past lacklustre England

After winning every game at Euro 2024, no one could dispute that Spain thoroughly deserved to emerge victorious in Berlin.

They showed more ambition and imagination than England throughout the tournament, and anything other than a Spain win would have been a travesty.

La Roja were solid at the back, inventive in midfield and devastating in attack – a combination that proved too hot for their opponents to handle.

Losing star midfielder Rodri at half-time made no difference to the outcome, with replacement Martin Zubimendi running the show after the break.

Star wingers show England the way forward

Spain’s defence and midfield provided wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal with the licence to thrill, and they did not disappoint.

The swashbuckling duo terrorised opponents throughout the tournament and it was no surprise that they combined to put Spain ahead in the final.

Their efforts gave England a glimpse of the route they could have taken had Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer been allowed to weave their magic.

Southgate criminally underused the pair at Euro 2024 as he once again refused to let the brakes off in a major tournament.

Three Lions need a fresh approach

England did well to reach the final after producing several poor performances but ultimately fell short against the first top team they faced.

This has been a common feature under manager Gareth Southgate, whose overly cautious nature undoubtedly prevents the squad from fulfilling its potential.

The team’s inability to gain control in the middle of the park was a major issue and one which Southgate was incapable of resolving.

England have plenty of talented players in their squad but need a fresh tactical approach if they are to have any chance of winning the 2026 World Cup.

England must place their trust in youth

Having missed another opportunity to win major silverware, some of England’s senior players must step aside to allow the next wave of talent to come through.

Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier are prime candidates to be axed, while some of the regulars in the team have question marks hanging over them.

They include Arsenal’s Declan Rice, who lacks the quality to provide England with the control they desperately need in the middle of the park.

A midfield trio of Adam Wharton, Kobbie Mainoo and Jude Bellingham is the way forward for the Three Lions if they want to compete with the best.

Kane has run his race

Striker Harry Kane was a liability during Euro 2024, with his insistence on dropping deep repeatedly leaving England without an attacking outlet.

It is impossible to know whether Kane took it upon himself to do this or was adhering to Southgate’s instructions, but it was a problem which cost England dearly.

While Kane’s international goalscoring record merits respect, one crucial factor cannot be ignored – his goals do not translate into silverware for club or country.

Kane no longer has the legs to lead the line for a team which wants to press – he must be restricted to a role as an impact substitute moving forward.

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