Five talking points ahead of the Euro 2024 final | OneFootball

Five talking points ahead of the Euro 2024 final as England and Spain battle to be crowned European champions in Berlin.

England on cusp of crowning moment?

Euro 2024, and perhaps Gareth Southgate’s legacy, all comes down to this. England take on Spain this weekend with a first major trophy in 58 years on the line in Berlin. After near misses at the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020, England and Southgate have another shot at immortality.

It’s been laborious until now, with a mix of good fortune, but then lady luck has not always shone on England at major tournaments before.

David Beckham and Wayne Rooney’s red cards. Rooney’s broken foot. Sol Campbell’s disallowed goals. Frank Lampard’s ghost goal. Oh and penalties. Plenty of penalties. Maybe, just maybe, fortune is favouring an England team who have required last-gasp goals and shootout success to reach the decider. After 90 minutes at The Olympiastadion this weekend, we’ll know.

It’s the hope that kills you.

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Stage set for Player of the Tournament contenders

Curiously, for a side set for the final, England have been short of star performers this summer. For most naming their Team of the Tournament, it would not be overly surprising if none of Gareth Southgate’s side featured as things stand. Spain, meanwhile, have a collection of contenders with Fabian Ruiz, Rodri, Dani Olmo and the impossibly gifted Lamine Yamal the standouts.

Each have credible claims to be the Player of the Tournament and will hope to emulate compatriots Xavi Hernandez (2008) and Andres Iniesta (2012) in winning the award in a triumphant Spanish campaign.

Fabio Capello, Rafael Benitez, David Moyes and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are among UEFA’s technical observers who will decide the defining footballer of Euro 2024.

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Who will take control in a clash of slow starters?

England’s rocky ride to the final has been well-documented with the Three Lions having trailed in all three knockout round games.

Gareth Southgate’s side have shown their powers of recovery to earn comeback wins against Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands, with Jude Bellingham’s audacious equaliser against Slovakia and Ollie Watkins’ winner against the Dutch memorable moments of the campaign.

Spain have been flawless with six wins from six, but La Roja have twice trailed in the knockout rounds. Georgia briefly threatened an upset in the Round of 16, while France opened the scoring in their semi-final after just seven minutes.

The challenge for England will be getting hold of the ball and retaining it. Spain are steeped in a tradition of carousel possession, while the Three Lions have habitually surrendered superiority of the ball to the elite nations in big games. Cool heads and composure are required if England are to stop Spain from finding their rhythm.

Read – Five of the most memorable England wins over Spain

Kane chases top-scorer history

Harry Kane’s performances have been scrutinised this summer but there’s no suggestion Gareth Southgate will leave out his leader this weekend. For all the criticism of Kane, he remains the joint-leading scorer at this summer’s tournament with three goals.

Kane’s penalty against the Netherlands took him to nine knockout-stage goals in major tournaments, eclipsing names such as Gerd Muller, Miroslav Klose and Kylian Mbappe to set a new record for a European player.

Alongside becoming the first England captain to lift the European Championship, the 30-year-old will also be eyeing individual history. Kane can become just the third player to finish as top scorer at a World Cup and European Championship, after Dražan Jerković and Gerd Muller, and the first for 52 years.

Read – Five of the best European Championship finals ever

Shaw to start as Southgate seeks balance?

Gareth Southgate took a gamble on the fitness of Luke Shaw this summer, naming the Manchester United defender as the only recognised left-back in the squad despite Shaw entering the tournament injured.

Southgate perhaps did not envisage Shaw’s first appearance of Euro 2024 would not come until the quarter-finals, but back-to-back substitute appearances have placed the 29-year-old in contention for the final.

Southgate has called Shaw ‘one of the best left-backs in the world’ and the natural left-sided balance the full-back brings has been evident. Kieran Trippier’s omission would be harsh given his contribution up until this stage but Shaw’s selection undoubtedly brings equilibrium to England.

However, having not started a fixture since Manchester United’s Premier League win at Luton on February 18th – and up against Lamine Yamal – it would represent a gamble.

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