KEIR RADNEDGE in BERLIN —- Something had to give. So Spain won the European Championship for a record fourth time with a 2-1 win over an England team who were again so near and yet so far from carrying off a first major trophy since the World Cup in 1966.

The balance tilted Spain’s way in the Olympic Stadium when Nico Williams caught England by surprise just over a minute into the second half. Wasteful finishing permitted England substitute Cole Palmer an equaliser in the 73rd minute before Spain’s own super-sub, Mikel Oyarzabal, won it shortly before the final whistle.

Spain, as England kicked off, had shared the three-times title record with hosts Germany but were always favourites to succeed deposed champions Italy after delivering the most fluent football of the finals to win all their seven matches with a decisive overall goals tally of 15-4.

Coach Luis de la Fuente, their understated 63-year-old coach, thus saw his Nations League title-holders extend a remarkable Spanish sequence at national team and clubs level of 27 successive unbeaten finals.

England had improved immeasurably in the knockout stage after an unimpressive group showing in as they sought amends for Wembley 2021 when they lost the final on penalties to Italy. But it proved all too little too late.

Captain Harry Kane shared the top-scoring prize with his three goals yet England had not scored more than two goals in any one game and that could hardly be considered title-winning form.

Southgate future

A subsidiary issue, shelved temporarily amid the Three Lions’ run to Berlin, concerns the future of 53-year-old manager Gareth Southgate. His contract runs until December and the FA is believed to want him to stay on. He may feel he no longer needs the hassle and abuse but, either way, has promised a decision sooner rather than later.

The denouement climaxed a month of action which had entertained 2.6m fans in 10 venues across Germany as well as some 2.65bn TV viewers worldwide, even if much of the football itself had not been particularly memorable, classy or imaginative.

National team football has been exceeded in style and class by the elite club game but tournaments such as this generate their own momentum and personality. After all, it had produced this final between two of the acknowledged traditional giants of the world game.

Berlin’s third major international final – after 2006 World Cup and 2015 Champions League – had been entrusted by UEFA to the tidy 35-year-old Frenchman Francois Letexier.

Possession game

Once he had launched proceedings Spain quickly settled into their possession football, forced several corners and kept England penned in their own half for much of the first half which brought yellow cards for Kane and Dani Olmo but only one serious goal effort.

This fell to Phil Foden after a right-wing free kick from Declan Rice just before the interval and drew a low, near-post save from keeper Unai Simon.

Spain came out for the second half without Rodri who had been hurt blocking a shot by Kane. Not that the loss of the man later named Player of the Tournament did them any harm.

Within just over a minute of the restart the precocious Lamine Yamal escaped Luke Shaw and delivered a perfect cross into into the stride of Williams for the other winger to score. That was Yamal’s fourth assist of the finals. Not bad for the starlet aged 17 years one day and who would be hailed Young Player of the Tournament.

Wasted chances

Span now had rocky England at their mercy. Olmo and Williams were both narrowly off target and then Fabian Ruiz fired a low drive just wide of keeper Jordan Pickford’s right-hand post.

They would regret those missed chances as England pulled themselves together.

First Jude Bellingham swivelled and shot just wide then Southgate pulled his substitutions trick again. Ollie Watkins replacing Kane then Palmer, having just replaced Kobbie Mainoo, shot an equaliser low past the diving Simon in the 72nd minute from a Bellingham assist.

Spain, however, had a substitution trick of their own to play. Four minutes remained when Mikel Oyarzabal, an earlier replacement for Alvaro Morata, climaxed a high-speed counter-attack by converting Marc Cucurella’s cross.

England charged in pursuit of another equaliser and came within inches after a left-wing corner. Rice had a header saved by Simon, Marc Guehi’s follow-up was cleared off the line by Olmo and Rice headed the next ricochet over the bar. But it was just not to be England’s night.

Instead it was, very much, Spain’s. They deserved the win not only for their work on the night but for their entire Euro campaign.

The teams:

Spain: Unai Simon – Dani Carvajal, Le Normand (Nacho 83), Laporte, Cucurella – Rodri (Zubimendi 46), Fabian Ruiz – Yamal (Merino 89), Dani Olmo, Willams – Morata (Oyarzabal 68). Coach: De la Fuente. Yellow card: Dani Olmo.

England: Pickford – Walker, Stones, Guehi, Shaw – Saka, Mainoo (Palmer 70), Rice – Foden (Toney 89), Bellingham – Kane (Watkins 61). Manager: Southgate. Yellow card: Kane, Stones, Watkins.

Referee: Letexier (Fr). VAR: Brisard.

###########