The Euro 2024 Final will be contested between Spain and England in what promises to be an epic occasion at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on Sunday.
Spain have been the most consistently impressive team at the tournament, winning all six games and only being taken to extra-time once - by Germany in the quarter-finals.
England’s path to the final has been a rocky one as Gareth Southgate’s side faced criticism for their group-stage conservatism and fell behind in all three of their knockout matches.
The Three Lions came out on top when the nations last met in Seville six years ago and have also had the upper hand at previous Euros, defeating the Spanish in the 1980 finals and famously on penalties at Wembley 16 years later.
- BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE IN SPAIN V ENGLAND
- FABIAN RUIZ ANYTIME GOALSCORER
- HARRY KANE ANYTIME GOALSCORER
Attacking Depth Makes Goals Likely
Spain return to the scene of their 3-0 group-stage win over Croatia - where this incredible journey to the final began in the middle of June.
La Roja set an exceptional standard in that victory that has hardly dipped since and only the mid-tournament injury to Pedri prevents Luis de la Fuente from selecting the same line-up that crushed the Croats that day.
His replacement, Dani Olmo has filled in superbly and will be, alongside wide players Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, the attacking threats England will pay the closest attention to.
Spain are given a double defensive boost for Sunday’s final with Robin Le Normand and Dani Carvajal both returning from suspension and they are likely to take the places of Nacho and Jesus Navas in the back four.
De la Fuente could be tempted to bring Mikel Merino into the side to combat England’s aerial power on set pieces, but the likelihood is that he will stick with the same midfield and attacking mix.
Gareth Southgate will ponder the inclusion of Luke Shaw from the start as he seeks to improve the balance of his side.
But the Three Lions head coach has remained loyal to key players that had underperformed until the semi-final, so eyebrows will be raised if he makes any changes at all.
Spain’s attacking threat promises to pose England plenty of problems with Yamal’s ability to go both ways a big problem for whichever left-back plays.
La Roja have created more big chances than any other team with Yamal responsible for a tournament-leading six of them while Fabian Ruiz and Dani Olmo have been credited with three apiece.
For context, no England player has created more than one big chance in the tournament with the entire squad’s tally of six failing to eclipse Yamal alone.
But the Three Lions’ resilience is undeniable and they seem to have a happy knack of pulling something special out when it is needed.
Southgate’s bench options - particularly Cole Palmer, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney - could prove to be the Three Lions’ saviours again.
Backing both teams to score looks advisable at the odds available given the wealth of attacking talent on both teams and defensive issues that have dogged them to lesser extents too.
Both teams have scored in all three of each team’s knockout matches and with electrifying substitutes ready to enter the fray when the starters inevitably tire, it looks worthwhile opposing either team keeping a clean sheet.
BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE IN SPAIN V ENGLAND
Midfield Maestro Offers Goalscoring Value
Ruiz has been a master at finding space around or inside the penalty area during this tournament and could add to his two-goal tally in the final.
He missed an excellent headed chance early on in the semi-final, which would have been a carbon copy of his goal against Georgia, and seems to have built up a great understanding with Yamal.
Ruiz has scored in three of his last six appearances for Spain and looks excellent value to grab another goal on Sunday.
FABIAN RUIZ ANYTIME GOALSCORER
Spain vs England
Kane Is One To Be Relied Upon
England’s most reliable option for a goal remains Harry Kane, who finally began to shake off his tournament torpor on Wednesday.
The nation’s record goalscorer won the penalty which he converted against the Netherlands to make it 15 goals in 28 major tournament appearances.
At that rate, which is not decreasing, he will provide great value to punters at anything greater than evens let alone his anytime goalscorer odds in excess of 2/1 this Sunday.
HARRY KANE ANYTIME GOALSCORER
