Euro 2024: Moment of truth for Spain, England

BERLIN, Germany — A brilliant Spain team featuring teenage sensation Lamine Yamal stands between England and a first major men’s international trophy in almost 60 years in Sunday’s Euro 2024 final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

Spain has been the outstanding side at this European Championship, its run to the final taking in wins against title-holder Italy, host Germany and pre-tournament favorite France.

England, in contrast, has labored its way to Berlin, going four straight games without winning inside 90 minutes before a stunning last-minute strike by Ollie Watkins in a 2-1 semifinal victory over the Netherlands.

But a team led by Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane contains enough match-winners to believe it can go toe to toe with Spain and end England’s wait for glory which goes back to the 1966 World Cup.

Unlike the country’s women, who won their equivalent competition two years ago, England’s men have never won the European Championship.

This, however, is their second straight continental final after their agonizing defeat on penalties against Italy in 2021, and the memory of that will help drive them on in their first ever final on foreign soil.

“Seeing Italy lift that trophy will haunt me forever,” midfielder Declan Rice told the BBC.

“We are now presented with another opportunity where we can write our own history but we are up against another top side who we have to massively respect.”