A final too close to call: Expectant England meet silky Spain in tense Euro 2024 showdown
Messi’s Argentina play resolute Colombia in what should be an equally tight Copa America final
BOSSES, you can surely expect some of your employees – those who follow football, in particular – to be bleary-eyed and perhaps a little tardy when they trudge into the office on Monday morning (Jul 15).
Let’s cut them some slack if we can, for it’s not often that two of the world’s biggest matches – the finals of the European Championship and the Copa America – are played on the same day.
First up is the Euro 2024 final in Berlin, as Spain and England meet at the Olympiastadion (Monday 3 am kickoff, Singapore time) in what should be an action-packed encounter. Just a couple of hours after that game is over, attention will shift to the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami where Argentina and Colombia battle it out in the Copa America final (8 am kickoff)
BT Weekend takes a closer look at what’s at stake in these two heavyweight showdowns:
Spain vs England
Is this the year, after nearly six decades of agony and heartbreak, that England fans finally celebrate winning a major trophy?
The Three Lions have sputtered their way throughout most of the competition, producing only flashes of brilliance such as Jude Bellingham’s acrobatic goal against Slovakia in the Round of 16 and Ollie Watkins’ injury-time winner against the Netherlands in the semi-final.
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Still, that has been enough to take Gareth Southgate’s men to the championship final, and they will have to be at their absolute best if they are to defeat an in-form Spain and win a trophy for the first time since 1966.
At one point, Southgate was believed to be fighting to keep his job but he has now led his talented team to at least the quarter-finals in the last four major tournaments – the only side from Europe to manage such a feat.
England lost on penalties to Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium in London, but Southgate now has a precious opportunity to put that painful loss behind him by masterminding a win over Spain to take the Henri Delaunay trophy in Berlin.
Easier said than done, of course. Spain are the only team to have won all six of their Euro 2024 matches without the need for a penalty shootout.
Coach Luis de la Fuente’s men have dazzled their way to the final, defeating the defending champions Italy, an experienced Croatia, a resilient Albania, debutants Georgia, the host nation Germany and pre-tournament favourites France to make it this far.
Spain are gunning for a record fourth European title and they are the standout team by far having played attractive, attacking football since the opening day.
Lamine Yamal, who turns 17 on Saturday, became the youngest goalscorer in Euros history when he curled in the ball from long range against France. Together with another bright young prospect, Nico Williams, who celebrated his 21st birthday on Friday, they represent the future of this exciting Spanish side.
Argentina vs Colombia
This could well be the last time Lionel Messi plays in a Copa America final, and while the 37-year-old hasn’t been firing on all cylinders at this year’s event, he has all the tools needed to unlock a stubborn Colombian defence.
Messi scored his first goal of the tournament against Canada in the semi-final on Wednesday. That strike edged him past Iran’s Ali Daei to become the second-highest international goalscorer in football history with 109 goals, though he is still some distance behind the leader, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, who has 130.
Argentina have many weapons at their disposal, including the tournament’s top scorer Lautaro Martinez, as they push on for a third straight major title to add to their World Cup 2022 and Copa America 2021 crowns.
And should the final go to penalties, Argentina will be brimming with confidence for they have one of the world’s best goalkeepers in Emiliano Martinez, who has never lost a shootout while in goal for his country. Of 24 penalties that Martinez has faced, he has saved nine with another three being off-target.
As for Colombia, they were made to suffer against Uruguay in the semi-final. Reduced to 10 men in the first half, the Colombians managed to hold on for a nervy win that took their unbeaten streak to 28 games – a new national record.
That broke the previous run of 27 matches set between 1992 and 1994 by the team that included the likes of Carlos Valderrama and Freddy Rincon.
“As we said we would, we went game by game. We did not surpass (the 1990s team) They left a base. So it is not leaving that behind, it is adding to it, so that Colombian football grows,” said coach Nestor Lorenzo.
“But this is a group that wants to be a protagonist, that wants to win something, that is hungry and that is growing.”
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