Just a year after the Spanish women’s team defeated England 1-0 at the FIFA Women World Cup final, their male counterparts will go head-to-head for European glory at Euro 2024 in Germany. Can the Three Lions avenge the Lioness at the Olympiastadion Berlin on Sunday 14 July?
Gareth Southgate will be hoping to be fourth time lucky on Sunday having led his team to consecutive Euro finals for the first time in England’s history. The former defender has outperformed his predecessors and he his keen to etch his name in history books by clinching England’s first Euro silverware.
For the first time, England topped their group in the Euro in consecutive editions, having previously managed to emerge group winners just twice in their last eight tournaments. The Three Lions saw off competition from Denmark, Slovenia and Serbia to advance as group leaders on five points after recording one victory and two draws.
A Round of 16 clash with Slovakia ended 2-1 in extra time. Jude Bellingham’s bicycle kick cancelled Slovakia’s early lead to drag the game into extra time, before captain Harry Kane fired the team into the quarter finals against Switzerland. Once again, the team needed a heroic equaliser from Bukayo Saka to go into extra time before winning 5-3 on penalty shootout against the Swiss.
In the semi finals, the team went behind against the Netherlands when Xavi Simons opened the scoring in 7th minute, but Harry Kane restored parity from the spot in 18th minute. The Three Lions seemed set for another extra time battle until Cole Palmer set up Ollie Watkins who found the bottom corner of the net in the 90th minute to send England to a consecutive Euro final.
However, they will be up against one of the few teams to have made consecutive Euro finals, Spain who did it in 2008 and 2012. La Roja who have won all six matches in this tournament. The three-time winners commenced their campaign impressively by defeating Croatia, Italy and Albania in the group stage to set up a knockout stage game with the debuting Georgia, another match they comfortably won 4-1.
The Spaniards displayed grit to defeat host nation, Germany, in 120th minute of their quarter-final clash to advance to the semi finals to clash with France. Wonderkid, Lamine Yamal hit a sublime strike to cancel Les Bleus early lead, before Dani Olmo scored found the back of the net for the third consecutive game to give Spain a deserving victory.
Luis De La Fuente is a renowned winner with Spain’s younger national team sides having won with the U-19 and U-21 teams in 2015 and 2019 respectively. He also led the team to bounce back from World Cup disappointment by winning the UEFA Nation’s League last year while defeating Italy and Croatia in the process. The Basque coach is keen to make history by leading Spain to a record fourth Euro title.
Tune in GO Football (ch 61) to watch as both sides battle to rewrite history on Sunday at 8pm. This will be third meeting between the two sides in this tournament, the last ended in England’s favour. Overall, both teams have clashed 11 times, both claiming four wins apiece and three draws.
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