Spain booked their spot in the Euro 2024 final after a gripping 2-1 semifinal win over France on Tuesday, setting up a thrilling title decider against either the Netherlands or England.
Lamine Yamal etched his name in the record books as the youngest goalscorer in European Championship history, scoring a breathtaking equalizer at just 16 years old. His stunning strike was swiftly followed by Dani Olmo’s sublime effort, which deflected off Jules Kounde and proved to be the decisive winner. The match got off to a frenetic start, with Spain squandering a gilt-edged opportunity and France capitalizing on a scramble in the box. However, La Furia Roja demonstrated their resilience, just as they had against Georgia in the group stages, with Yamal’s momentous goal in the 21st minute leveling the score. Yamal’s masterpiece was soon followed by Olmo’s third goal of the tournament, a magnificent display of skill and finesse that showcased his exceptional talent.
Spain adopted a more cautious approach, prioritizing solidity at the back and limiting France’s attacking opportunities. While their defense, marshaled by Marc Cucurella, wasn’t entirely impenetrable, they managed to contain the French threat, preventing them from scoring a second goal. Notably, Kylian Mbappé, one of the tournament’s most anticipated stars, failed to find the net from an open play throughout the competition, a surprising and disappointing outcome for the French talisman. By shutting down France’s attack, Spain successfully protected their lead and secured their place in the final, despite a few nervous moments at the back.
Kylian Mbappé, the superstar forward who led France to World Cup glory and recently completed a high-profile transfer to Real Madrid, offered a candid assessment of his team’s underwhelming performance at Euro 2024. Despite being hailed as a national hero and captain of the French squad, Mbappé failed to live up to expectations, struggling to make a significant impact as France’s campaign ended in a disappointing semifinal loss to Spain in Munich. The talented striker, who had previously etched his name in history with a hat-trick in the World Cup final, two years ago, was unable to replicate that form in Germany, leaving many to wonder what went wrong for the highly touted French team. The French Ace Kylian Mbappe further showed his disappointment by calling his euro outing a failure and setting his mind on life after the euro. “I’ll be going on holiday,” said Mbappe.
“I will rest which will do me good, and then I’ll come back very strong in a new town with a new boss.”
Spain’s La Roja faced an early setback when Kylian Mbappé’s pinpoint cross found Kolo Muani, who headed home the opening goal. However, the Spanish team swiftly turned the tables with a pair of rapid-fire goals before halftime. The historic equalizer came from 16-year-old Lamine Yamal, who etched his name in the record books as the youngest scorer in European Championship history with a breathtaking strike. Shortly thereafter, Dani Olmo’s powerful shot took a decisive deflection off Jules Kounde, securing the winning goal. With this thrilling comeback victory, Spain advances to the championship final on Sunday, where they will face the winner of the England-Netherlands semifinal showdown.
