Sun 14 Jul 2024 UEFA European Championship – Final at Olympiastatio, Berlin

Spain 2                                       England 1

Nico Williams 47’ Mikel Oyarzabal 86’.        C Palmer 73’

Mikel Oyarzabal scored a late winner at the 86th minute to sink England’s 58 Years of pain and disappointment, as they were beaten by Spain in the Euro 2024 final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion.

Spain’s young star wingers powered them to secure the lead nminutes after the break as Lamine Yamal’s pass opened yup space for Nico Williams to beat England keep Jordan Pickford with a powerful low finish.

England captain Harry Kane was off form and was sustituted on the hour and it was Cole Palmer on for Kobe Mainoo who raised hopes of another dramatic Cucurella’s cross to leave England’s hope alive. When Palmer’s smooth finish against the run of play 17 minutes from time drew England level, confidence surged and many were hoping England would win. England was shocked by Oyarzabal’s decisive strike that gave Spain a lead of 2-1. England’s agony persisted as Declan Rice and Marc Guehi’s headers cleared off the line in the closing moments, firstly by keep Unai Simon and then Dani Olmo.

During Southgate’s eight-year reign, tangible success has eluded England, as they have lost successive European Championship finals to Italy three years ago and now to Spain plus a World cup Semi-final in 2018 and a World Cup quarter-final in Qatar in 2022.