Berlin: Mikel Oyarzabal struck Spain’s eventual Euro 2024 winner against England on Sunday, but La Roja’s triumph was inspired from start to finish by explosive wings Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal.
The youngsters were instrumental in their side’s progress to the final in Berlin and combined to send Spain ahead against England, which seemed fitting given their peak summer.
Williams’ fine strike gave Spain a deserved lead and both men came close to extending it before Cole Palmer equalized for England.
Spain previously last won a major trophy in 2012, ending a golden era that saw them lift the 2008 and 2010 World Cup trophies.
Since then, they have battled in the wilderness both on the pitch and more recently off it for their crisis-hit Football Federation.
Yamal became the youngest goalscorer at the Euros at 16 in the semi-final triumph over France with a brilliant long-range effort and was named Young Player of the Tournament.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said the pair had a “godsend” earlier in the tournament and deserved credit for choosing to field both instead of taking the more cautious route.
As a result, Spain didn’t always end up with more of the ball than their opponents, but that didn’t bother them or their fans as they celebrated with the trophy.
Despite their stellar performances leading up to the final, De la Fuente’s young Spain squad, many of whom were playing the biggest game of their careers, failed to hit their stride in the first half against England.
Gareth Southgate’s cautious side contained them to some extent, but La Roja also showed nerves, misplacing some passes and making more accuracy errors than on the trip to the Olympiastadion.
Yamal, the youngest player ever to play in a Euro or World Cup final, initially struggled to get Luke Shaw through, despite it being the Manchester United defender’s first start since February.
The England manager switched his system to a 4-2-3-1 to ensure Spain’s wingers had less space to exploit, and it worked for a while.
Williams flicked a cross across goal as Spain’s frustration grew. However, they entered the second half refreshed, encouraged by their coach and quickly reaped the rewards.
Yamal broke in from the right and looked for Williams with a cutting low pass into space. The Athletic Bilbao winger stroked the ball past Jordan Pickford and into the far corner, a guaranteed finish.
Williams fed Dani Olmo, who stretched and then hammered a toe-kick just wide of the post, providing by far Spain’s biggest threat.
Yamal played a cute pass for Alvaro Morata but the captain dragged his shot wide and John Stones was on hand to push it to safety.
As England started to chase the game, Barcelona’s teenage star had a joy he hadn’t found before the break and Pickford made a smart save to deny him.
In the end it was substitute Oyarzabal who decided the game, but Spain’s successful campaign will rightly be remembered for his flamboyant wings.
