European Championship Showdown: Spain and England Vie for Glory in Berlin
The European Championship final between Spain and England has commenced, drawing significant attention to a young talent and the possibility of ending a long title drought for one of the world's most underperforming teams. The match kicked off at Berlin's Olympiastadion on Sunday, following an electronic-themed closing ceremony with robotic dance moves and fiery pyrotechnics.
Spain is aiming to secure its fourth Euros title, surpassing Germany/West Germany, and their first since 2012. The team's new star, winger Lamine Yamal, turned 17 on Saturday and is the youngest player to have appeared and scored at the European Championship. Defenders Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand returned to Spain's starting lineup after suspensions, with Yamal in the front three.
England, considered the birthplace of soccer, has not won a major men's title since the 1966 World Cup held on home soil. This marks their second consecutive European Championship final, having lost to Italy in a penalty shootout three years ago. Luke Shaw returned at left back for England, replacing Kieran Trippier for his first start since February.
Key Figures in Attendance
The match was attended by notable figures including Prince William, Spain's King Felipe, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Britain's new prime minister Keir Starmer. England fans outnumbered Spanish supporters in downtown Berlin, gathering in large numbers at popular locations like the Brandenburg Gate.
Chants of "God save our King," "Hey Jude" — after midfielder Jude Bellingham — and "Football's coming home" echoed from England supporters beside the Spree River. Spain had already celebrated an early victory on Sunday with Carlos Alcaraz winning his second straight Wimbledon men's singles title by defeating Novak Djokovic.
Teams' Journey to the Final
Spain has won all six of its matches and is widely regarded as the best team at Euro 2024, having defeated Germany and France in the knockout stages. In contrast, England was unimpressive during the group stage but showed resilience by coming from behind in all three of its knockout-stage games.
"The teams took different paths to the showpiece being held at the 71,000-seat stadium built for the 1936 Olympic Games and which hosted the 2006 World Cup final featuring Zinedine Zidane's infamous headbutt."
Before kickoff, England coach Gareth Southgate expressed his hopes: "We want to give everyone the night of their lives." The only change to England's team saw Luke Shaw return at left back, replacing Kieran Trippier.
Lineups
The starting lineups for both teams were as follows:
Carlos Alcaraz was asked about the Euro 2024 final during an interview on Centre Court after his Wimbledon win. The crowd started booing when he mentioned it. He responded with a smile: "I've already done my job," he said, "so let's see the football."
The anticipation surrounding this match is palpable as both teams vie for glory on one of football's biggest stages.
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