By Barnabas Augustine
The stage is set for a monumental clash at Euro 2024 as Spain and England lock horns in the final today Sunday 14 July at 8pm Nigeria time. History beckons for both sides, with Spain eyeing a record-breaking fourth European Championship title and England desperate to finally end their 58-year wait for a major trophy.
Spain enters the final as the clear favourites, having dominated the tournament so far. Luis Enrique's men boast a perfect record of six wins from six matches and are widely considered the best team at Euro 2024. Their young prodigy, 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, has been a revelation, setting up three goals before adding a spectacular long-range strike to his tally in the semi-final victory over France.
England, on the other hand, arrives with a dose of experience after suffering heartbreak in the Euro 2020 final against Italy on penalties. Gareth Southgate's side has shown incredible resilience throughout the knockout stages, coming from behind in all three matches. While the manager continues to face criticism for his in-game tactics, there's no denying he's fostered a winning mentality within the squad, consistently guiding them deep into major tournaments.
Both teams have selection headaches ahead of the final. Spain captain Alvaro Morata is a doubt after injuring himself during the post-match celebrations of their semi-final win, while Luis de la Fuente faces a dilemma at centre-back. England's concerns lie at left-back, with Southgate weighing up the experience of Kieran Trippier against the natural left-footed option of Luke Shaw, who is just returning from injury.
This is the first meeting between these two nations in six years, adding to the anticipation of the final. With Spain chasing a historic achievement and England desperate to exorcise the ghosts of past failures, today's clash promises to be a thrilling encounter.