Spain’s triumph a saving grace for disappointing Euro 2024

BERLIN: A superb Spain team led by Rodri and Lamine Yamal were fitting winners of Euro 2024 after lighting up an often disappointing tournament in which too many of the continent’s star players failed to produce their best form.

Kylian Mbappe, the world’s best striker, had been hoping to prepare for joining Real Madrid by captaining France to glory but broke his nose and scored just once, from a penalty, as his team lost in the semi-finals.

Jude Bellingham, who will play with Mbappe in Madrid next season, might have been the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or had he added the Euros with England to the Champions League with his club. But Bellingham had a poor campaign aside from two vital goals, tiring early in games and proving incapable of swinging Sunday’s final in Berlin England’s way.

Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, had hoped to add to his tournament record 14 goals but failed to score for Portugal as age finally caught up with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Spain needed a late Mikel Oyarzabal goal to beat England 2-1 in the final and win their fourth Euros, but they were comfortably the best side from the beginning of the competition.

Luis de la Fuente’s team won all seven games. They beat the reigning champions, Italy, and in their last three matches saw off the host nation and the two pre-tournament favourites. It is a remarkable feat to defeat all of the biggest four Western European nations -- Germany, France, Italy and England -- at the same competition.

“We have made history. We have beaten four (former) world champions all in one go,” savoured Rodri. “We are all agreed that they are the team who have played the best football at the tournament,” France midfielder Adrien Rabiot said of Spain before his side lost to them in the semis. Spain’s victory builds on the promise shown when they won the Nations League last year and raises hopes of another golden period of dominance.