Euro final: Spanish royalty meets English resilience

Kolkata: The expectations on them having changed during the European championship, England and Spain will seek a final flourish in Berlin on Sunday.

England arrived in Germany fizzing with attacking talent that included best players in two of the world’s most competitive leagues and a third who had been prolific in Bundesliga. Supposed to thrive, they barely survived.

It’s been the opposite with Spain. Their quality was not the problem, the question was: would performance match potential. Doubts were laid to rest in the opener against Croatia and as they went deeper, Spain got better. Before the quarter-final against Germany, Luis de La Fuente said they were the best team in the tournament and it was difficult to dispute the Spain coach.

From managing matches with adroit possession play to sparkling goals and solid work in the defence, Spain have ticked boxes on way to winning all six matches. Lamine Yamal has not only lifted the self-esteem of Rocafonda, up the coast from Barcelona where he grew up, but lit up a tournament. Dani Vivian stepped in for Jesus Navas when the 38-year-old full back ran out of gas and did enough to check Kylian Mbappe. And Vivian is a centre-back. Yamal’s father has said Spain will win 3-0. Alvaro Morata is not 100% fit but Ollie Watkins has accepted that Spain were the favourites. Spain have scored 13 goals, nearly twice that of England.

This, therefore, can be termed a contest between royalty and resilience, energy against inertia, dazzle v dour. But the thing about a final is this: the best team does not always win. Add to that Harry Kane’s comment and you know Spain have a fight on their hands. “We have had to show unbelievable character, resilience, physical strength, mental strength – we have shown it all but there is still one more to go.”

Kane has 406 goals for club and country, 44 of them in 45 matches for Bayern last term. He has been far from his best but can win the Golden Boot. And he is still looking for his first-ever trophy. Believe the England captain when he says they are going to look Spain in the eye.

For all the obvious differences, there are also a lot of similarities. Both teams have conceded in all the knockout rounds but have been robust in defence. England have won 35 tackles, Spain 28. Crucially, England have lost 35 tackles which is the least among the quarter-finalists. That number for Spain is 46 but it is balanced by Spain making 255 ball recoveries, the most in the tournament, 30 more than England.

The midfield battle promises to be quite something with Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Kobbie Mainoo pitted against Yamal, Nico Williams, Fabian Ruiz and Rodri. England’s passing accuracy is 90.3%, Spain’s 90%.

That even in the midst of such galacticos, Rodri is crucial was borne out by Watkins saying, “he dictates games the way he plays.” Stopping the ball going to him will make England’s life a lot easier, said Watkins. “But it is never that simple with a world-class player like him.” Of the last 79 matches he has played for club and country, Rodri has lost one.

Spain and England topped their groups in the qualifiers and in the first round of the tournament. The draw opened up favourably for England with France, Germany, Portugal and Spain on the other side. “We have had to go through the hard road,” said Olmo, referring to Spain having to beat Germany and France.

“The style of game we are playing has got us here.” Spain have pressed hard and high and complemented that with swift, slick, often one-touch moves in the front third. England have struggled for balance but against Holland in the semi-final they looked like a team. Southgate will have to decide whether Luke Shaw starts or Kieran Tripper continues as the right-footed left-back.

And both have coaches who have worked their way up meaning they are familiar with the players from when they were boys. De la Fuente knows most of the squad from when they were in Spain’s age-group teams. Southgate has headed the English FA’s elite player development programme and coached the under-21s.

“He has changed our culture within the team which is…extremely difficult having players come from different environments with their clubs to feel so comfortable in everyone’s company,” said centre-back John Stones, who has played under Southgate as an under-21.

De la Fuente, whose team won silver in the Tokyo Olympics, inherited a squad eliminated by Morocco in the last World Cup. “We have come from a period of strict rules (when Luis Enrique was Spain coach). Now, it’s…controlled anarchy,” said Spain right-back Dani Carvajal.

Spain and England have played an under-17 World Cup final, the European championship that preceded that, and in a Women’s World Cup final. But the men’s teams haven’t played each other in a Euro or World Cup since 1996.

The last time they met, in a 2018 Nations League match, England led 3-0 before managing to win 3-2. The last time England played a Euro final, Italy won and seeing them lift the trophy is an image that will haunt him forever, Declan Rice told BBC. The last time Spain won a major title, it was overshadowed by a lip-lock scandal.

Not all of that will change at the Olympiastadion where Dhyan Chand and Jesse Owens pricked German pride in the 1936 Olympics. But it will either see an English first or a record European fourth title for Spain.