X-ray of the finalists: Spain and England duel in Berlin for the Euro title

England, who were considered one of the big favorites before the start of the tournament, and Spain, the team that showed the best football throughout the competition, face each other this Sunday in Berlin in the Euro 2024 final.

With more than half of the stadium occupied by English fans, the Spanish will once again face a hostile environment, after the quarter-final duel against hosts Germany (2-1 in extra time) and the boos from the home fans during the semi-final game against France (with Spain coming from behind to win 2-1 in 90 minutes).

For the army of England fans, who have flocked to Germany in large numbers throughout the Euros, Sunday’s final is a great opportunity to turn the page on the traumatic experience at Wembley in the last edition, when England lost the title at home on penalties (3-2) to Italy after a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes.

The Italian team, which fell in the current edition in the round of 16 (after losing to Switzerland), eliminated the Spanish in the 2021 semi-finals, preventing Spain and England from meeting in that final.

But three years is a long time in football, and youngsters Jude Bellingham and Pedri (both 21 years old), protagonists of that edition due to their talent and youth, gave way to a new and brilliant generation, with Kobbie Mainoo in the English midfield and Lamine Yamal in the Spanish attack.

HERE WE GO, FINAL!!

🛫 The expedition of the @SEFutbol takes off for Berlin. #VamosEspaña | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/i2XFxCD1i0

— Spanish Men’s Football Team (@SEFutbol) July 13, 2024

Spain fights for the fourth

Yamal, who turned 17 on Saturday, wants to blow out the candles by lifting a trophy and thus end a tournament in which he broke records and made headlines around the world, especially after his amazing goal in the semi-finals against France.

His friend Nico Williams, who celebrated his 22nd birthday last Friday, Dani Olmo and Rodri are some of the other names in Spain’s squad at the Euro, not forgetting the solid defense and the good performance of Unai Simón in goal.

The team led by coach Luis de la Fuente is “90 minutes away from glory”, as Olmo summed up on Friday during the press conference. Spain, with three European Championship titles (1964, 2008 and 2012), is currently tied with Germany (1972, 1980 and 1996) as the country with the most continental trophies.

A victory on Sunday will serve to break the tie in this particular duel with the German team, making Spain the only four-time champion and at the same time it will represent the baptism of gold for a generation that has many years ahead of it.

For England, there is even more at stake: the country where football was born only won the 1966 World Cup, in which it was the host country, and this long wait of 58 years is an additional weight on the shoulders of manager Gareth Southgate and his players.

Tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/RVWKoav5qu

— England (@England) July 13, 2024

Duel between “colleagues”

Booed in the stadiums and criticized by the media, the coach once again led England to the final stages of a major tournament.

It is true that the numbers in the attacking part are not corresponding to the level of performances at clubs of players like Harry Kane, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham, but the “Three Lions” have shown an improvement in Germany and arrive at the final at their best moment in the Euro.

But to get to Berlin, they had to suffer, like Bellingham’s bicycle kick in injury time in the round of 16 against Slovakia, which prevented elimination, or Ollie Watkins’ goal, also in injury time, which took England to the final.

Several teammates will be reunited at the Olympiastadion, including Real Madrid players Bellingham, Dani Carvajal and Nacho, Manchester City players Rodri, Phil Foden, John Stones and Kyle Walker, Chelsea players Marc Cucurella and Cole Palmer and Arsenal players David Raya and Bukayo Saka.

“Go out there and show the world what you’re made of,” Prince William, president of the English Football Association (FA), who will be present at Sunday’s match, urged on Saturday.

“We are proud of you, just one more push to finish the job,” he added in his post on social media platform X.

In the authorities’ gallery, the prince will meet with King Felipe VI of Spain, who already announced his presence at the final a few days ago.

With experienced captains Harry Kane and Álvaro Morata needing to score goals to prove their worth, the final promises to be a spectacle worthy of the stakes.