EURO 2024 final: Spain vs England facts

Spain are seeking a record fourth UEFA European Championship title as they take on an England side looking for their first in the final of UEFA EURO 2024 at the Olympiastadion Berlin.

La Roja are already the joint-most successful side in the competition's history with three titles, level with Germany, and are aiming to make it three triumphs in the last five tournaments. England, meanwhile, have reached consecutive finals and are hoping to claim the trophy for the first time having lost on penalties to Italy at Wembley at EURO 2020.

Both teams came from behind to win 2-1 in their semi-finals. Spain saw off France in Munich on 9 July thanks to strikes from 16-year-old Lamine Yamal – making him the youngest scorer in EURO history – and Dani Olmo; 24 hours later, a 91st-minute strike from substitute Ollie Watkins earned England victory against Netherlands in Dortmund, Harry Kane having levelled from the penalty spot in the first half.

That was England's third successive dramatic knockout tie, an added-time strike from Jude Bellingham preventing elimination at the hands of Slovakia in the round of 16 before Kane headed an extra-time winner in a 2-1 victory. Switzerland were then defeated on penalties after Bukayo Saka had made it 1-1 with ten minutes remaining of normal time.

Spain eased past Georgia 4-1 in the last 16 – although they had to come from behind – before Mikel Merino's 119th-minute header earned a 2-1 extra-time victory against hosts Germany in the quarter-finals.

Both teams had topped their groups, Spain the only side to win all three games as they claimed first place in Group B thanks to victories against Croatia (3-0), Italy and Albania (both 1-0). England were first in Group C despite winning only one game, against Serbia on Matchday 1 (1-0); they subsequently drew with Denmark (1-1) and Slovenia (0-0).

This is the first European Championship final at the Olympiastadion, the venue for Italy's shoot-out win against France in the 2006 FIFA World Cup final and Barcelona's 2015 UEFA Champions League final defeat of Juventus.

Final pedigree

Spain

Spain's record in European Championship finals is W3 L1:
1964 W 2-1 v Soviet Union (Madrid)
1984 L 0-2 v France (Paris)
2008 W 1-0 v Germany (Vienna)
2012 W 4-0 v Italy (Kyiv)

Spain are the only team to retain the Henri Delaunay trophy with their triumphs at EURO 2008 and 2012.

The 4-0 defeat of Italy in 2012 is the biggest margin of victory in a EURO final.

This is Spain's fifth final appearance, taking them ahead of Italy and the Soviet Union (both four) and behind only Germany (six).

Real Madrid trio Dani Carvajal, Nacho and Joselu could all join the list of players who have won the European Championship and the Champions League in the same summer.

England

England lost their only previous European Championship final:
2020 L 1-1 v Italy (aet, 2-3 pens) (London)

The Three Lions are aiming to become the 11th team to win the European Championship.

England are only the fourth country to reach successive European Championship finals, after Germany (1972, 1976, 1980 as West Germany; 1992, 1996 as Germany), the Soviet Union (1960, 1964) and Spain (2008, 2012). Of those, West Germany in 1980 and Germany in 1996 both lifted the trophy having lost the decider four years earlier.

No side has ever lost successive EURO finals; only Yugoslavia (1960, 1968) have finished as runners-up twice without lifting the trophy.

England are the first team to reach the final of a EURO final tournament having been behind in the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals.

Gareth Southgate is only the third coach to reach two EURO finals after Germany's Helmut Schön (1972, 1976) and Berti Vogts (1992, 1996).

A total of 24 players have appeared in two European Championship finals – a list that Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Luke Shaw, Declan Rice, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka could all join in 2024.

Bellingham also has the same opportunity as his Real Madrid team-mates to add his name to the players who have won the European Championship and the Champions League in the same year.

Previous meetings

Matches 27
Spain wins 10
England wins 13
Draws 4
Spain goals 32
England goals 45

The teams last met in the 2018/19 UEFA Nations League, each recording an away victory. Marcus Rashford gave Southgate's England an 11th-minute lead at Wembley on 8 September 2018 but Saúl Ñíguez levelled within two minutes and Rodrigo scored what proved to be the winner in the 32nd minute for a Spain side coached by Luis Enrique.

England turned the tables at the Benito Villamarin in Seville on 15 October 2018, racing into a three-goal lead in the first half thanks to Raheem Sterling (16, 38) and Rashford (30) – although they were left hanging on after Paco Alcácer (58) and Sergio Ramos (90+8) replied in the second half.

That was the sides' first competitive meeting since EURO '96, when England prevailed 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw at Wembley – their only EURO shoot-out success before this tournament.

Between their fixtures in 1996 and 2018, the countries met in seven friendlies, Spain recording four wins to England's two with the last such fixture, at Wembley on 15 November 2016, ending 2-2. Southgate's England had led 2-0 thanks to goals from Adam Lallana (9pen) and Jamie Vardy (48) but were pegged back late on by Iago Aspas (89) and Isco (90+6) for Julen Lopetegui's Spain with Álvaro Morata and Carvajal providing the assists.

The teams' only other previous EURO final tournament fixture came on Matchday 3 in 1980, England winning 2-1 in Naples thanks to Tony Woodcock's second-half goal – although neither side progressed from the group stage.

England got the better of Spain in the 1968 European Championship quarter-finals to reach the final tournament for the first time. Bobby Charlton's 84th-minute goal gave the-then world champions a 1-0 home win at Wembley on 3 April 1968; Martin Peters (54) and Norman Hunter (81) sealed a 2-1 success at the Santiago Bernabéu on 8 May after Spain's Amancio had levelled the tie two minutes after half-time.

The teams have also been drawn together at two World Cups. Spain won 1-0 in Rio de Janeiro in the 1950 group stage – England's last game in that tournament – but, as hosts, were held to a goalless draw at the Bernabéu in the second group stage of the 1982 finals, a result that meant both teams bowed out.

England won nine of their first 13 games against Spain, losing three, but have only four victories in the last 14 matches compared to seven for La Roja.

EURO facts

Spain

Spain are the first team to win six games at a single edition of the European Championship.

Lamine Yamal's goal against France made him, aged 16 years 362 days, the youngest player to score in a European Championship. He is also the youngest player to feature in the semi-final of a EURO or a World Cup, eclipsing the mark of Pelé at the 1958 World Cup, aged 17 years 244 days.

Jesús Navas, aged 38 years 231 days, became the oldest outfield player to appear in a EURO or World Cup semi-final after starting against France.

Dani Olmo's strike against Les Bleus made him the first Spain player to score in three successive EURO matches.

Only Germany, with 14, have participated in more EURO finals than Spain, who have made it through qualification for the nation's 12th appearance at the tournament. They are making their eighth EURO appearance in a row and 11th in the last 12 editions, missing out only in 1992 in that sequence.

A side coached by Enrique finished second behind Sweden in Group E at EURO 2020, winning one game and drawing the other two, before edging through knockout ties against Croatia (5-3 aet) and Switzerland (1-1 aet, 3-1 pens) only to lose to Italy in the last four.

With Luis de la Fuente having replaced Enrique as coach, Spain qualified for EURO 2024 as Group A winners, their only blemish a 2-0 loss in Scotland in their second game. La Roja won their other seven matches to finish four points above the Scots at the top of the table, booking their passage to the finals with a 1-0 win in Norway on 15 October 2023.

The semi-final win against France made it eight successive victories for Spain. A 1-0 friendly loss against Colombia on 22 March is their sole defeat in their last 18 matches (W15 D2).

La Roja are unbeaten in 12 EURO finals matches (W8 D4), since a 2-0 loss against Italy in the last 16 of EURO 2016.

Spain have now qualified from the group stage eight times in 11 EURO campaigns – including each of the last five.

De la Fuente's side beat Croatia 3-0 at the Olympiastadion Berlin on Matchday 1. That was only Spain's second game at the venue, the other a 1-1 friendly draw against Germany in April 1942.

England

Kane's semi-final goal was his sixth in the EURO knockout rounds – a new competition record.

Kane is also now level with Alan Shearer on seven goals as England's top scorer in EURO tournaments.

Excluding penalty shoot-outs, Southgate has not lost any of his 13 EURO matches as coach (W8 D5) – the longest run without defeat for a coach in EURO history.

This is the first time England have won the semi-final of a major tournament outside of England.

Eight of England's last 12 EURO knockout games – including four in a row before the defeat of Netherlands – have gone to extra time.

The Three Lions are making their 11th appearance at the final tournament and a ninth in the last ten editions of the competition, missing out only in 2008.

EURO 2020 proved to be England's most successful campaign as they finished first in Group D ahead of Croatia, Czechia and Scotland before knockout wins against Germany (2-0), Ukraine (4-0) and Denmark (2-1 aet) took them into the final for the first time.

Shaw's second-minute goal gave them the lead against Italy at Wembley, but after the Azzurri levelled Southgate's side ultimately lost 3-2 on penalties.

In charge since 2016, Southgate oversaw an unbeaten qualifying campaign for EURO 2024, his side winning six of their eight games, scoring 22 goals and conceding only four, to finish six points clear at the top of Group C. England reached a fourth successive EURO with two matches to spare thanks to a 3-1 home win against Italy on 17 October.

The win against Netherlands is one of four in England's last 11 matches (D5 L2).

England have now qualified from the group stage on their last five European Championship appearances, having failed to progress to the knockout rounds in three of the previous four.

England are unbeaten in their last 13 EURO matches, since a 2-1 loss to Iceland in the 2016 round of 16 (W8 D5).

That defeat by Iceland is England's only reverse in 24 EURO finals matches (W13 D10), with the penalty shoot-outs against Italy (2012, 2020), Portugal (2004) and Switzerland (2024) counted as draws.

Five of England's seven EURO 2024 goals have been scored by Kane (three) and Bellingham (two).

Kane made his 79th competitive appearance for England in the round of 16 against Slovakia – a new national record. He had been level with Peter Shilton on 78.

England are unbeaten in their five previous games at the Olympiastadion Berlin (W4 D1), although the sole draw in that sequence, 0-0 against West Germany in the 1972 European Championship quarter-final second leg, confirmed a 3-1 aggregate defeat. Their last visit, on 26 March 2016, ended in a 3-2 friendly win in a match in which they had been 2-0 down, Kane scoring their first goal.

Links and trivia

Play in England:
David Raya (Blackburn 2012–19, Southport 2014/15 loan, Brentford 2019–23, Arsenal 2023–)
Rodri (Manchester City 2019–)
Marc Cucurella (Brighton 2021/22, Chelsea 2022–)

Have played in England:
Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City 2018–23)
Jesús Navas (Manchester City 2013–17)
Ayoze Pérez (Newcastle 2014–19, Leicester 2019–23)
Mikel Merino (Newcastle 2017/18)
Joselu (Stoke City 2015/16, Newcastle 2017–19)
Álvaro Morata (Chelsea 2017–19)
Ferran Torres (Manchester City 2020–21)

Bellingham has just finished his first season in Spain with Real Madrid, winning La Liga and the Champions League.

Bellingham's Real Madrid team-mates included Nacho, Joselu – who have both subsequently departed – and Carvajal.

Also play together:
Rodri & John Stones, Kyle Walker, Phil Foden (Manchester City 2019–)
Marc Cucurella & Conor Gallagher (Chelsea 2022–)
Marc Cucurella & Cole Palmer (Chelsea 2023–)
David Raya & Aaron Ramsdale, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka (Arsenal 2023–)

Have also played together:
David Raya & Ollie Watkins (Brentford 2019/20)
Aymeric Laporte & John Stones, Kyle Walker, Phil Foden (Manchester City 2018–23)
Aymeric Laporte, Rodri & Cole Palmer (Manchester City 2019–23)
Marc Cucurella & Lewis Dunk (Brighton 2021/22)
Jesús Navas & John Stones (Manchester City 2016/17)
Ayoze Pérez & Ivan Toney (Newcastle 2015/16)
Álvaro Morata & Marc Guéhi (Chelsea 2018/19)
Ferran Torres & John Stones, Kyle Walker, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, (Manchester City 2020–21)

A Foden goal helped Manchester City to a 3-3 draw at Real Madrid, for whom Carvajal started with Joselu a second-half substitute, in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on 9 April. Stones also started for the English side.

Carvajal and Nacho both started Madrid's 1-1 second-leg draw in Manchester on 17 April, Stones, Walker and Foden starting for City. The latter scored in the subsequent penalty shoot-out, won 4-3 by Madrid, with Bellingham and Nacho converting for the Spanish side.

Carvajal has twice got the better of Trent Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool in Champions League finals, Real Madrid winning 3-1 in Kyiv in 2018 – when the injured Carvajal was replaced by Nacho in the first half – and 1-0 in Saint-Denis in 2022, when Nacho was an unused substitute.

Navas started Sevilla's 1-1 draw in the 2023 UEFA Super Cup final against Manchester City, the English side winning 5-4 on penalties. Walker, Foden and Palmer started for City with Stones an unused substitute.

Navas was also in the Sevilla side beaten 2-1 at home by Arsenal in the Champions League group stage on 24 October 2023. Rice and Saka started for the visitors with Ramsdale an unused substitute.

Laporte scored past Pickford in Manchester City's 2-0 Premier League win against Everton on 6 February 2019.

Pérez got two goals against Pickford's Everton as Newcastle ran out 3-2 winners in the Premier League on 9 March 2019.

On 21 November 2021 Rodri scored in a 3-0 Premier League win for Manchester City against Pickford's Everton.

Morata has also scored a Premier League goal past Pickford, as Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 on 27 August 2017.

Bellingham's Real Madrid debut included a goal scored past Unai Simón, in a 2-0 La Liga win at Athletic Club on 12 August 2023. Nico Williams and Daniel Vivian were also in the home line-up.

Penalty shoot-outs

Spain's record in their 13 competitive penalty shoot-outs is W7 L6:
5-4 v Denmark, 1984 European Championship semi-final
4-5 v Belgium, 1986 World Cup quarter-final
2-4 v England, EURO '96 quarter-final
3-2 v Republic of Ireland, 2002 World Cup round of 16
3-5 v South Korea, 2002 World Cup quarter-final
4-2 v Italy, EURO 2008 quarter-final
4-2 v Portugal, EURO 2012 semi-final
7-6 v Italy, 2013 Confederations Cup semi-final
3-4 v Russia, 2018 World Cup round of 16
3-1 v Switzerland, EURO 2020 quarter-final
2-4 v Italy, EURO 2020 semi-final
0-3 v Morocco, 2022 World Cup round of 16
5-4 v Croatia, 2023 Nations League final

England's record in 11 competitive penalty shoot-outs is now W4 L7, the quarter-final win against Switzerland making it three wins in the last four:
3-4 v West Germany, 1990 World Cup semi-final
4-2 v Spain, EURO '96 quarter-final
5-6 v Germany, EURO '96 semi-final
3-4 v Argentina, 1998 World Cup round of 16
5-6 v Portugal, EURO 2004 quarter-final
1-3 v Portugal, 2006 World Cup quarter-final
2-4 v Italy, EURO 2012 quarter-final
4-3 v Colombia, 2018 World Cup round of 16
6-5 v Switzerland, 2019 Nations League third-place play-off
2-3 v Italy, EURO 2020 final
5-3 v Switzerland, EURO 2024 quarter-final