Euro 2024 final: England faces Spain… Is it finally coming home?
England has secured a spot in the EURO final for the second consecutive time in a row, this time setting the stage for a potentially electrifying match against a young, vibrant and attack-minded Spain at Olympiastadion on Sunday evening.
Spain and England’s journeys to Berlin have been vastly different. Spain has been the tournament’s standout team, consistently impressing with cohesive and identity-driven performances. In contrast, England’s talented squad has underwhelmed, failing to click as a unit, yet still managing to eke out results and reach their second successive European Championship final.
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Spain’s dominance at Euro 2024 is undisputed, with a perfect record of six wins, including impressive victories over hosts Germany and pre-tournament favorites France in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively. They have consistently played attractively and are attack minded making them to score the most goals (13) and creating a staggering 96 chances, making them the team to beat in the final.
England’s semifinal win was their best performance yet, and it’s got them feeling strong and confident. They’ve been winning games at the last minutes, like against Slovakia, Switzerland, and Netherlands, and that has created a sense of excitement and hope that they might finally win a major trophy after a long wait of 58 years.
England and Spain have a rich history of competition in major tournaments, with England claiming victory in their 1996 European Championship matchup and a 1968 European Championship quarterfinal playoff. The teams played to a stalemate in the 1982 World Cup. More recently, England secured a 3-2 win in Seville six years ago. In total, they have played 27 games and Spain have won 10, England won 14 times and 3 ended in draws.
SPAIN VS ENGLAND TEAM NEWS
Spain’s defense will get a significant boost for the final against England, as Robin Le Normand and Dani Carvajal return from suspension. They’ll likely replace Nacho Fernandez and Jesus Navas, who struggled against France and picked up an injury.
Alvaro Morata is expected to be fit despite a scare, and Spain will have a full squad available except for Pedri, who’s still out with a knee injury. Olmo, who scored a crucial goal against France, will likely keep his place in midfield.
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England’s manager, Gareth Southgate, has opted for a 3-4-2-1 formation, but faces tough decisions for the final. Luke Shaw, now fit, will challenge Kieran Trippier for the starting spot, having impressed off the bench in the last two games.
Meanwhile, Ollie Watkins’ goal-scoring impact could earn him a start over Harry Kane, who has underwhelmed despite scoring three goals. Otherwise, England’s lineup is expected to remain unchanged, with no new injury concerns arising from the semifinal.
SPAIN PREDICTED STARTING LINE-UP:
Simón, Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella, Ruiz, Rodri, Olmo, Yamal, Morata(C), Williams
ENGLAND PREDICTED STARTING LINE-UP:
Pickford, Walker, Stones, Guéhi, Saka, Mainoo, Rice, Shaw, Bellingham, Foden, Kane(C)
SPAIN VS ENGLAND TIME AND VENUE:
Kick-off date is Sunday 14th July, 2024
Kick-off time is 8:00PM (WAT)
Venue: Olympiastadion, Berlin
Referee will be Francois Letexier
Video Assistant Referee (VAR) will be Jérôme Brisard
SPAIN VS ENGLAND PREDICTION
Spain have shown resilience in coming back from behind to win games in this tournament and England has developed a habit of finding ways to win, but this match presents their toughest challenge yet.
Spain’s superior and consistent performance suggests they may be the team to beat, but England’s determination and grit could still lead to an upset.
Spain 2-1 England
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