In the end, beauty beat the beast as attacking, daring football triumphed over pragmatism. Spain met their match in England for 45 minutes of the Euro 2024 final, but once the second half began, they turned up the volume and took the bull by the horns. And that was after Rodri had been taken off, too!
It mattered little that Spain had lost their best all-rounder for they still had the same structure and the same attacking ideals. And they could count on their truly brilliant, youthful wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, who combined for their opening goal.
Spain could and should have put the game to rest there and then, but Gareth Southgate finally saw sense and made some attacking changes, which led to the mercurial Cole Palmer finding an equaliser from nowhere. England should have seized the momentum, but instead they sat back again and Spain passed their way through them, the unlikely figure of Mikel Oyarzabal firing La Roja back in front.
Spain’s deserved win vindicates their decision to hire the unassuming Luis de la Fuente after parting with the blockbuster Luis Enrique following the last World Cup, and they have a very bright future ahead of them, with every chance of carving out another era of dominance.
England, meanwhile, must reflect on another missed opportunity. Gareth Southgate looks set to be remembered as the manager who lost two European Championship finals while Harry Kane is still waiting for his moment to lift a trophy.