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Spain wins the Euro Final. They won their fourth overall Euro title in history, breaknig a tie for first with Germany. Now, they stand alone among nations with the most Euro titles of anyone.
It was not easy.
Spain went ahead after a goal by winger Nico Williams, who does not have the most Spanish sounding name on the team. In fact, I had thought that it might have been an English team member, or perhaps that someone on England had scored an Own Goal. But Williams was a member of the Spanish team, and he broke through to end a scoreless deadlock that had persisted past the first half, scoring in the 47th minute to give Spain the 1-0 lead.
However, England did respond. Cole Palmer managed to notch the tying goal in the 73rd minute. The two sides were tied late, and with time quickly running out during regulation.
In fact, it felt like this was destined to go to extra time, with the distinct possibility of a penalty shootout to determine the new champion at the end.
Spain, however, had other ideas. Mikel Oyarzabal managed to score a dagger in the heart goal in the 86th minute. Once again, Spain jumped ahead, and with time now very much against England. It was the kind of goal that betrayed the heartbreak for England and their fans. English players dropped to the field and slunk down, looking dispirited and disheartened.
Sure enough, the late goal proved too much for the English side to overcome. They were unable to get another goal to tie the contest and send it into extra time.
Thus, Spain earned their fourth overall Euro championship, and their first major international title since the 2012 Euro, which was the final championship of the Spanish dynasty that saw the nation win the 2008 Euro and then the 2010 World Cup title.
England, meanwhile, seem to be earning a reputation of a team that can consistently go far in major international tournaments, including reaching the final (which they now have in two consecutive Euro tournaments), but for whatever the reason, cannot quite seem to elevate their game enough to win the championship. They had a remarkably successful tournament at this Euro. Yet, it will likely continue to be bittersweet, as they ultimately fell short of their desired intention to finally win a major international title for the first time since winning the 1966 World Cup championship.
You might think that Mikel Oyarzabal in particular would be celebrating extra hard after his goal proved to be the winning one, the one which clinched Spain's title. Yet, his home was vandalized and he was described as a "traitor" by Basque nationalists, who also referred to his teammate Mikel Merino also as a "traitor" to the Basque cause. They are opposed to being ruled by Spain, and reject what they feel is a forced integration with Spain, which they feel is an occupying force, rather than their nationality. Oyarzabal's home was vandalized, with even a swastika painted on his mother's house.
Go figure.
Spain's Euro 2024 hero Mikel Oyarzabal and team-mate Mikel Merino are branded 'TRAITORS' for representing their nation in graffiti message displayed in the Basque region of the country LISTEN to It's All Kicking Off! EUROS DAILY: Will Gareth Southgate stick around for the World Cup? Spain claimed record-fourth European Championship after victory over England By MILO POPE PUBLISHED: 16:08 EDT, 15 July 2024
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13637093/Spains-Euro-2024-hero-Mikel-Oyarzabal-team-mate-Mikel-Merino-branded-TRAITORS.html
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