Spanish players celebrate after winning the final against England. Matthias Schrader/AP Photo
It’s hard to believe that four years have passed since the tumultuous year that was 2020, but this summer it was once again time for the European Soccer Championship (Euros). The highly competitive tournament is held every four years, with national teams from all over Europe competing for the first-place title. This summer, from June 14 to July 14, fans from all over the world gathered in Germany to witness their favorite teams play in some of the most electrifying matches of the year.
This year, nineteen of the twenty-four qualifying teams played in the last Euros, so fans were expecting heated games and perhaps some surprises along the way. Italy, England, and Croatia qualified yet again, having placed first, second, and third, respectively. The Serbian, Georgian, Slovenian, Albanian, and Romanian teams all qualified this year after failing to qualify for the last Euros.
The twenty-four teams were split into six groups and the tournament started with the always-entertaining group stage games. After the group stages, the top two teams from each group and the four third-place teams with the best records moved on to the round of sixteen. One of the most surprising eliminations from this round was Croatia, who placed third in Group B. Meanwhile, underdogs Georgia and Slovenia unexpectedly advanced to the round of sixteen.
The round of sixteen was shocking as well. The defending champion, Italy, was eliminated by Switzerland with a 2-0 loss. Following the round of sixteen were the quarter-finals, where games grew more intense and were extremely close. The Portugal versus France and the England versus Switzerland games both dramatically ended in penalties.
Next to follow were the semi-final matches, which were arguably some of the most intense games of the whole tournament. The first semi-final was held on July 9 between Spain and France. France led the game with an early goal by Kolo Muani nine minutes in. However, in the twenty-first minute, sixteen-year-old Lamine Yamal scored what many consider to be the best goal of the tournament; leveling the game for Spain. Four minutes later, Spain’s Dani Olmo scored, and Spain was able to hold onto their two-one lead, finalizing their win.
England and the Netherlands faced off on July 10 for the second semi-final game. Xavi Simons from the Netherlands scored the first goal of the match in the seventh minute. But soon after, England’s Harry Kane scored the equalizer from a penalty kick in the eighteenth minute. The remainder of the game was evenly matched until England eventually won with a last-minute goal scored by Ollie Watkins.
On July 14, it was time for the final match: England versus Spain. The final was held in the Berlin Olympiastadion in front of more than 65,600 spectators. The first half of the game started slowly. Spain had several close shots on goal, but England managed to defend themselves every time. Just over a minute after halftime, Nico Williams from Spain scored the first goal of the match with a fantastic assist from Yamal. For the next few minutes of the game, Spain continued to dominate ball possession and had many more close shots on England’s goal. This changed when England’s Cole Palmer was substituted, as he scored a stunning goal in the seventy-second minute, equalizing the game. During the next ten minutes, the teams fought for a 2-1 lead, and finally eighty-five minutes into the game, Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal scored the last goal of the game, securing Spain a fourth Euros win.
Spain had many standout players that led them to their victory, and many of them received awards for their excellence. After the final game, Williams was selected as Man of the Match for his impressive goal and pass accuracy throughout the entire match. As expected, “star boy” Yamal received the best young player of the tournament award. Spanish defensive midfielder Rodrigo Cascante (Rodri) was given the award for best player of the tournament. Sports experts say Rodri is currently one of the most technically sound players in the world, and he is known for his versatility. All of these players were included in the Union of European Football Associations’ Team of the Tournament, which features the best players for every position. In total, six players from the Spanish squad were selected, which showcases the quality of the team.
Overall, the 2024 Euros was a thrilling part of this summer and is always a reason for excitement all over the world. Players put their blood, sweat, and tears into every game, and it is amazing to see teams celebrating hard-earned victories for their countries. There is no doubt that in four years, fans will be ready to cheer on their favorite teams as they compete for the European title once again.