Spain Vs England Euro 2024 final: The Euro 2024 tournament will come to a close today with Spain and England battling it out for the right to be crowned the Champions of Europe.
Momentum is already building as the two teams prepare to slug it out at the Olympiastadion for the coveted continental silverware. Who will win the match? Follow us as we dive into a detailed preview of the much-anticipated cracker.
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Spain Vs England Preview
It will be the third time Spain and England have clashed at the final of international tournaments in about 12 months. Back in August 2023, Spain women’s national team saw off England to clinch the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup trophy.
The Women’s World Cup victory was a vengeful one for the country, whose U21 had lost the 2023 Euro U21 Championship to Lee Carsley’s England side a few weeks back.
With the scores now settled, the Euro 2024 final cracker is delicately poised for a thriller as the two teams prepare to settle the score and secure bragging rights. Away from how the two countries have fared in competitions, how do the sides compare?
Spain will head into the match as favorites, having made a mockery of the group which was previously tagged by analysts as the ‘Group of Death’ in the tournament.
La Roja roared through the group stage with maximum 9 points. They steamrollered to a thumping 3-0 victory over 2018 World Cup finalist, Croatia, and also defeated defending champions, Italy by a lone goal, before wrapping up proceedings with victory over Albania.
In the knockouts, the de la Fuente-led side smashed Georgia 4-1 in the quarter-finals, saw off tournament hosts, Germany, 2-1, in the quarter-finals, and then France with the same scoreline.
Contrary to Spain’s flying run through to the final, it was a bumpy ride for the Three Lions. A less-than-stellar run in the group stage saw the Gareth Southgate-led side scrape to a 1-0 win over Serbia in the opening match and draw their next two games against Denmark and Slovenia. The less-than-stellar group stage showing was enough to see the team top the group though.
In the knockouts, the team needed a late dramatic turn to see off Slovakia in the round of 16 before luckily scraping past Switzerland via penalties in the last eight. Against Netherlands in the semifinals, Ollie Watkins’ late heroics secured victory at the death after a 1-1 draw in regulation.
Spain Vs England head-to-head
It is a storied football rivalry between the two teams since they first met in 1929. They have crossed paths 27 times, with England winning 14 times while Spain won 10, and 3 ending in a draw.
Meanwhile, while England will be hoping to earn their first European Championship stars, Spain are the joint-most successful team in the tournament, having won it 3 times with Germany.
Spain Vs England team news
Spain will welcome back Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand back to the team after they both picked up suspensions in the quarter-final match against Germany.
Pedri and Ayoze Perez are ruled out of the clash due to injuries. Luis de la Fuente is expected to go with his regular lineup with Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal on the wings. Alvaro Morata is expected back to his central attacking role despite an injury scare.
For England, Luke has returned from the sidelines and is expected to start. Southgate is also likely to start Kobbie Mainoo again after the youngster’s brilliant showing in the semi-final against Netherlands.
Harry Kane is expected to return to the attacking lineup after being subbed off late in the Netherlands clash.
Spain Predicted IX: Simon; Carvajal, Laporte, Le Normand, Cucurella; Ruiz, Olmo, Rodri, Yamal, Williams, Williams
England predicted IX: Pickford; Stones, Guehi, Walker; Saka, Rice, Mainoo, Shaw; Foden, Bellingham; Kane.
The match will kick off by 08:00pm Nigerian time and 20:00GMT.
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