Spain, aiming for their 4th European Championship trophy, will face either England or the Netherlands in the final on Sunday (22:00). France initially led with Kolo Muani’s 9th-minute goal, but Spain equalized in the 21st minute through Yamal and secured the win with Olmo’s goal in the 25th minute.
Spain is back in the Euro final after 12 years. De La Fuente’s squad overcame France 2-1 at the Allianz Arena in Munich in the Euro 2024 semi-final and will compete in the grand final at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on Sunday (14/7).
Once again, Spain has proven to be the best team in the tournament. This will be their fifth appearance in the European Championship final, aiming to secure their 4th title.
The “tricolors” ended their tournament run in the semi-final. They survived a penalty shootout against Portugal but could not overcome Spain’s challenge despite an early lead, failing to mount a comeback.
Match Highlights
The semi-final’s first major moment came early. In the 5th minute, Yamal’s cross found Ruiz unmarked at the far post, but his header missed the target.
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Kolo Muani made up for this in the 9th minute with a header from Mbappe’s precise cross, giving France a 1-0 lead.
However, Spain quickly turned the game around. In the 21st minute, Lamin Yamal scored a remarkable goal, becoming the youngest player to score in a European Championship at 16 years and 323 days. He also set the record as the youngest to start in a Euro or World Cup semi-final, surpassing Pele’s record from the 1958 World Cup.
In the 25th minute, Danny Olmo scored after evading Tchouaméni and hitting a powerful shot that deflected off Koundé, leaving Maignan helpless.
Spain, the tournament’s highest-scoring team with 13 goals, pulled off a great comeback against the best defense in the Euros, which had only conceded one goal in five matches.
Second Half
In the second half, Spain maintained tactical discipline, effectively closing down spaces and preventing France from creating opportunities. Mbappe and the French attack struggled to break through Spain’s defense, with only Hernandez’s 75th-minute shot posing any threat.
Despite their efforts, France’s play remained predictable. Mbappe’s struggles continued, and his missed shot from inside the area in the 86th minute sealed their fate.
Referee
- Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)
Yellow Cards
- Spain: Navas, Yamal
- France: Tchouaméni, Kamavinga
Team Lineups
Spain (Luis de la Fuente):
- Simon, Navas (58′ Vivian), Nacho, Laporte, Cucurella, Rodri, Ruiz, Yamal, Olmo (76′ Merino), Williams, Morata (76′ Oyarzabal)
France (Didier Deschamps):
- Maignan, Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Hernandez, Kante (62′ Griezmann), Tchouaméni, Rabiot (62′ Kamavinga), Dembele (79′ Giroud), Kolo Muani (62′ Barcola), Mbappe
