Spain v England
UEFA EURO 2024 Final
8pm BST, Sunday 14 July 2024
Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany

Gareth Southgate is focused on making history as his England side prepare to play Spain in the EURO 2024 final.

Previewing the game, the Three Lions boss discussed the challenges posed by Sunday's opponents and what it would mean to win the trophy.

Here is what he had to say in full.

On his emotions after the Netherlands semi-final…

"I was just thinking, "What a night". It was a really complicated game on the back of a very complicated tournament for us. But ultimately we're still in the competition and where we wanted to be when we arrived here. If I wasn't here managing the team I would be at home supporting the team. I am a fan in the dugout and I've always wanted England to be successful. My early memories of England are watching them in tournaments. For those fans who have spent fortunes and travelled hours, yeah, it was lovely to be able to share that moment with them in the stadium."

On Ollie Watkins and the impact of his subs at this tournament…

"His journey is an amazing person one. What he's done over the last few weeks, his level of training, his commitment, and then to be ready at the moment we needed him was superb. I was so happy for him, he's a super boy. You could see all the rest of the team pushing him into the spotlight for his moment. The substitutes have been brilliant. It's not easy for them because we have a very settled team. To keep training the way they do, keeping themselves in the right headspace for the time we've been away, is very hard. They're motivated players who are used to playing with their clubs. They're having to sacrifice themselves but goodness me they've done it so well. They've impacted the game and been brilliant around the camp so without them we wouldn't still be here."

On Harry Kane's captaincy…

"He's grown hugely into that role. In the last few weeks he's been particularly outstanding, recognising more than ever the value of the group. Giving himself up for others, good messages to the team at the right moments, before games, after games, around the training pitch. We've lost a couple of experienced leaders from the group with injuries, Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire, for example. Even more has fallen on his lap but he's risen to that challenge."

One more in Berlin 🦁#ThreeLions | @NuffieldHealth pic.twitter.com/oegFDpdwo4

— England (@England) July 13, 2024

On his legacy as England manager…

"I will think about that with time as I reflect on everything. At the moment all I'm thinking about is how we prepare for this final. It's a great challenge, we play an excellent team and we've got to be in the best possible space to win the game."

On the challenges Spain pose…

"They're excellent, I have a lot of admiration for them. They’ve been excellent with the ball and without the ball, they work as a team and without doubt deserve to be in the final. But we have to hope we are rising to the occasion each time. There's no question we've improved with the ball and we needed to. We were inhibited at the start of the tournament and we've been freer in the last few games. We've shown great resilience in coming through a difficult period where people doubted us. I'm very proud of the players and now we have a history-making possibility rather than a fear. It's a different mindset. I do think we feel different to 2021. To qualify for a first final in 50 years was a huge landmark at home and it too a lot emotionally from us. This semi-final took a lot of emotion but there's a real desire to make this count having walked past that trophy the last time."

On Spain's wingers, Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal…

"They both looks very good talents. They work for the team and they are making their team a little bit more direct than Spanish teams of the past. They've contributed hugely. We've got a day less recovery so we have to be more efficient, more focused and recover better."

On what it would mean to win the trophy…

"We'd be bringing happiness to our nation, bringing credibility. I think we've brought credibility back to English football in terms of how we're viewed around the world in recent years. To win a trophy would ultimately answer a lot of the questions that are still posed. For the group of players and staff, and also the players who have been with us for the past six or seven years, I'd be hugely proud of them. There are a lot of people who haven't got enough credit and that would all come together in my head."

England captain Harry Kane has also been speaking ahead of the game, as he prepares to lead the Three Lions into action, three years after the disappointment of the EURO 2020 Final at Wembley.

A penalty shootout defeat denied England victory on that occasion and the Bayern Munich striker believes his squad mates deserve credit for reaching a second successive final.

"I think it shows unbelievable consistency, first and foremost,” he said.

“I think a lot of us after that Final were heartbroken with the result and it's always a long journey getting back to where we are now, so full credit to the boys for the resilience they've shown

We’re live with @HKane and Gareth Southgate in Berlin to preview tomorrow’s #EURO2024 final against Spain! 🚨 https://t.co/Rix1iAU7YU

— England (@England) July 13, 2024

"It speaks volumes for the mentality of this squad and we're happy to be back in this situation and to be back in the European final and we're desperate to go and that one step further than we did last time.

"Whenever you lose a final it's tough to wipe it out of the memory, but I'm someone who likes to learn from disappointment and learn from times that are tough and that helps me improve as a player and a person.

"So of course that moment was difficult but it was three years ago and a lot has happened since at international level and club level, so I'm excited to be back on that stage.

"It would mean everything to win [to England as a nation] and the most incredible feeling as a professional footballer that you could get and I'm sure also for the fans to have that moment in history to celebrate would be something very special.

"But we've been here before and it was a tough finish in the last EUROs so there's extra hunger and fire in the belly to make sure it goes our way but we also know it's going to be an extremely tough night.

"It's been a hard journey to get here and now it's about going out there and trying to execute the gameplan that we want and getting over the line.”

Berlin, we are here! 📍🦁 pic.twitter.com/OW07REPRKD

— England (@England) July 13, 2024

England travelled from their EURO base camp to Berlin earlier on Saturday, and Kane believes the team are well prepared for what to face on Sunday in a Spain side who have impressed throughout their EURO campaign.

"We've prepared well and we'll have a couple more meetings before the game,” he revealed. ”But like the boss said, it'll come down to small details which we've been able to get right the whole tournament so far and we're going to need that and even more in the Final.

"That's what we've spoken about over the years and we've done fantastic in a lot of tournaments but now it's time to get over the line and we have the opportunity to do that tomorrow.

"It's going to be a big battle and we're going to give it everything we've got and hopefully at midnight tomorrow, we're going to be the team to bring the trophy to England.”

Head to head

The Three Lions have played Spain at men's senior level on 27 occasions, registering 14 wins, drawing three and losing ten times. The first meeting came back in May 1929 when the nations met in a friendly game in Madrid that ended in a 4-3 victory for Spain

Last three meetings v Spain

Spain 2-3 England, UEFA Nations League, 15 October 2018

England 1-2 Spain, UEFA Nations League, 8 September 2018

England 2-2 Spain, International Match, 15 November 2016

● This is the third meeting between Spain and England at the UEFA European Championship, with England winning 2-1 in the 1980 group stage, before progressing 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the 1996 quarter-final.

● England have failed to score in three of their four major tournament (World Cup/EUROs) games against Spain, with the last two such matches both finishing 0-0 (1982 World Cup, EURO 1996).

● Spain have only lost four of their last 14 meetings with England in all competitions (W7 D3), having lost seven in a row against the Three Lions before this.

● England won 3-2 the last time they faced Spain in the UEFA Nations League in October 2018; they’ve now won consecutive meetings with La Roja since a run of seven between 1960 and 1980.

● Spain have won their last three major tournament finals, winning the UEFA European Championship in 2008 and 2012, and the FIFA World Cup in 2010. No European side has ever been successful in four consecutive World Cup/EUROs final matches before.

● This is Spain’s fifth UEFA European Championship final, winning the trophy three times (1964, 2008, 2012) and losing once (1984). They could become the first team to win the competition on four separate occasions.

● England have reached the UEFA European Championship final in consecutive editions. Indeed, they’ve now reached more major tournament finals in four attempts under Gareth Southgate (two), than they did in their first 23 appearances at the World Cup/EUROs combined (one) before his tenure.

● This will be England men's first major tournament final played outside of England, with the 1966 World Cup and EURO 2020 finals being played at Wembley Stadium. The Three Lions have never lost a match in Berlin in six attempts (W4 D2), only playing more in Helsinki (8), Amsterdam (7) and Sunderland (7) without ever
suffering defeat.

● Spain have won all six of their games so far at EURO 2024, already the most wins any side has picked up in a single edition of the UEFA European Championship. Since the introduction of the group stage in 1980, only France in 1984 (5/5) have won the competition while maintaining a 100 per cent win rate.

● Spain have scored 13 goals so far at EURO 2024 – only France in 1984 (14) have scored more at a single edition of the UEFA European Championship.

● England have conceded the first goal in all three of their knockout stage games so far at EURO 2024. Indeed, they’re unbeaten in their last six when conceding first in the UEFA European Championship (W5 D1), with no side winning more such games in the competition’s history.

● Spain have won each of their last eight matches in all competitions, scoring 23 goals and conceding just four. They last had a longer run between June 2009 and June 2010 (12).

● England have conceded just 13 goals in their last 20 matches in all competitions, only shipping more than once on one occasion in that run, a 2-2 friendly draw with Belgium in March.

● Spain have applied more pressures in the final third than any other side at EURO 2024 (890), while England have had the most pressures received so far at the tournament (3,369).

● England’s five shots on target against Netherlands in their semi-final victory were their most in a single match so far at EURO 2024. Meanwhile, Spain have had five or more shots on target in four of their six games at the tournament.

● Spain coach Luis de la Fuente will be 63 years and 23 days on the day of this game, the third-oldest manager to take charge of a UEFA European Championship final, after Luis Aragonés with Spain in 2008 (69y 337d) and Otto Rehhagel with Greece in 2004 (65y 330d), both of whom won the trophy.

● England boss Gareth Southgate (runner up at EURO 2020) will be the third manager to take charge of more than one UEFA European Championship final (excl. replays), after Helmut Schön with Germany (1972, 1976) and Berti Vogts with Germany (1992, 1996), with all three doing so in consecutive editions. No manager has ever lost two finals in the competition before.

● Aged 17 years and one day, Spain’s Lamine Yamal could be the youngest ever player to feature in a FIFA World Cup or UEFA European Championship final, surpassing Pele’s record from the 1958 World Cup (17y 249d). He has three assists so far at EURO 2024, with no Spaniard ever providing four at a single EUROs.

● England striker Harry Kane has scored more knockout stage goals at major tournaments (World Cup/EUROs) than any other European player (nine), including a record six at the UEFA European Championship.

England Squad News

Ticket Information

 

Where can I watch England v Spain?

Mikel Oyarzabal’s goal four minutes from time denied England in the final of UEFA EURO 2024 as Spain triumphed 2-1 in Berlin.

Cole Palmer had equalised for England just three minutes after coming on, but substitute Oyarzabal was able to poke home Marc Cucurella’s cross to break English hearts as they were beaten in the final of the tournament for the second edition running.

England were so close to equalising a second time, Declan Rice forcing a desperate save out of Unai Simon before Marc Guehi’s header from the rebound was cleared off the line by Dani Olmo. It proved the final English opportunity.

After an even first half, Spain had burst out of the blocks in the second, scoring just 69 seconds after half-time as Nico Williams fired past Jordan Pickford.

Palmer came off the bench to draw England level with a precise strike 18 minutes from time before Oyarzabal provided the final dagger.

Gareth Southgate had made one change to the side that saw off the Netherlands with Luke Shaw replacing Kieran Trippier on the left.

Three years after scoring the opening goal after two minutes in the final against Italy, Shaw made his first start of the tournament in the showpiece event.

To reach the Olympiastadion in Berlin, England had seen off Slovakia, Switzerland and the Dutch in the knockout stages, becoming the first team to make it to the final after coming from behind in each round.

They did so again in this final, but could not find a second equaliser after Oyarzabal’s strike.

Spain started the game the stronger, with Rice making an important first intervention before John Stones got across well after Williams had broken down the left.

Kyle Walker provided an early scare for England fans after he was left limping following a sliding tackle. But he shook that one off to burst down the right on an overlap, his whipped cross blocked and forced out for a corner.

Shaw held up well against the threat of Lamine Yamal and showed that he can pose a danger going forwards as well. After Kobbie Mainoo had slipped out of a tackle and found Harry Kane, the skipper played in Shaw, who dribbled past two players before Cucurella cleared the ball.

Kane and Olmo were then booked within quick succession, both seeing yellow for challenges after losing control of the ball.

The best chance of the half came right before the break, Phil Foden stretching out a left foot to volley at Simon, but the Spanish keeper coped comfortably with it.

Spain made a dream start to the second half, with their two young wingers combining. Dani Carvajal found Yamal with a first-time pass. Having found some space on the right, he cut inside and found Williams. With a first-time shot, he fired the ball back across goal past Pickford just a minute into the second half.

Within a minute, it could have been two, Williams finding Olmo in the box, but his effort on the turn was dragged wide.

Stones then had to be alert after Morata was played in down the right, getting across to clear after the Spain skipper had slipped the ball past Pickford.

On the hour, Southgate brought on Ollie Watkins, the hero from the semi-final, in place of Kane.

Shortly after, Jude Bellingham turned out of a tackle, leaving two defenders strewn in his wake before a shot on the turn from the edge of the box which drifted just wide.

Still, Spain were dangerous on the counter-attack, with Yamal getting in and Pickford getting down brilliantly to deflect his shot past the post.

Southgate made another change, introducing Palmer in place of Mainoo as England chased an equaliser.

It looked an inspired call when England drew level minutes later. On the counter-attack, Bukayo Saka beat his man on the right before playing the ball across to Bellingham who laid it off to Palmer. His first-time shot was guided between two defenders and past Simon.

Suddenly, the momentum was with England, Saka again wreaking havoc down the right and forcing a desperate clearance.

Pickford then stepped up once again, getting down brilliantly to deny Yamal after Williams had set him up, with Olmo dummying the ball to allow the 17-year-old a clear shot at goal from the left.

In the end though, it was Spain who produced the final moment of magic, Oyarzabal diverting the ball past Pickford to allow Spain to become the first nation to win the Euros four times.

Our #EURO2024 journey comes to an end at the final stage, as the #ThreeLions are beaten 2-1 by Spain. pic.twitter.com/3oUgFANkGW

— England (@England) July 14, 2024

England: 1 Jordan Pickford (Everton), 2 Kyle Walker (Manchester City), 3 Luke Shaw (Manchester United), 4 Declan Rice (Arsenal), 5 John Stones (Manchester City), 6 Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace), 7 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), 9 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), 10 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), 11 Phil Foden (Manchester City), 26 Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)

Substitutes: 19 Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) for Watkins 61’, 24 Cole Palmer (Chelsea) for Mainoo 70’, 17 Ivan Toney (Brentford) for Foden 89’

Subs not used: 13 Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), 23 Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), 8 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), 12 Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), 14 Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), 15 Lewis Dunk (Brighton & Hove Albion), 16 Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), 18 Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), 20 Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), 21 Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), 22 Joe Gomez (Liverpool), 25 Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)

Goals: Palmer 73’

Yellow Cards: Kane 25’, Stones 53’, Watkins 90+2’

Coach: Gareth Southgate

Spain: 23 Unai Simon, 2 Dani Carvajal, 3 Robin Le Normand, 7 Alvaro Morata, 8 Fabian Ruiz, 10 Dani Olmo, 14 Aymeric Laporte, 16 Rodri, 17 Nico Williams, 19 Lamine Yamal, 24 Marc Cucurella

Substitutes: 18 Martin Zubimendi for Rodri 46’, 21 Mikel Oyarzabal for Morata 68’, 4 Nacho for Le Normand 83’, 6 Mikel Merino for Yamal 89’

Subs not used: 1 David Raya, 13 Alex Remiro, 5 Daniel Vivian, 9 Joselu, 11 Ferran Torres, 12 Alex Grimaldo, 15 Alex Baena, 22 Jesus Navas, 25 Fermin Lopez

Goals: Williams 47’, Oyarzabal 86’

Yellow Cards: Olmo 31’

Coach: Luis de la Fuente