Spain beat England to win Euro 2024 with late Oyarzabal strike

BERLIN: Spain substitute Mikel Oyarzabal scored four minutes from time to give his side a deserved 2-1 Euro 2024 final victory over England on Sunday (Jul 14) and a record fourth European crown, as Gareth Southgate's team lost in their second successive final.

Oyarzabal finished off a swift counter-attack for the winning goal as Spain were crowned champions, having won all seven games they played in the tournament.

"I have done my job," said Oyarzabal, who came on for captain Alvaro Morata after 67 minutes.

"Just the fact of being ... in the 26, you value it a lot. It happened to me but could have happened to anyone."

After a cautious first half where Spain had 65 per cent possession but England's Phil Foden had the only shot on target, it took two minutes after the restart for Spain to strike despite losing influential midfielder Rodri to injury at the break.

Teenager Lamine Yamal found space down the right and crossed for fellow winger Nico Williams to slot home as England fell behind for the fourth successive match.

Spain then enjoyed a purple patch with a series of sharp attacks as England's previously watertight defence fell apart and Dani Olmo, Morata and Williams all had good chances.

Southgate reacted by sending on Ollie Watkins, the scoring substitute hero of the semi-final, for an ineffective Harry Kane after an hour, with Cole Palmer, England's most creative player for the last month, joining him 10 minutes later.

It paid off almost immediately when Jude Bellingham laid the ball back into Palmer's path and the substitute curled home a precise low 20-metre shot in the 73rd minute.

The massed ranks of England fans, who vastly outnumbered their rivals, exploded and the whole feel of the night changed.

Spain weathered the