In a dramatic showdown, England triumphed over Spain in the final minutes to clinch the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, marking their first win in nearly four decades.
The hero of the match, England goalkeeper James Trafford, saved a last-minute penalty and the subsequent close-range shot, shortly before being mobbed by his jubilant teammates.
The decisive goal came during the dying moments of the first half. A Cole Palmer free kick deflected off teammate Curtis Jones, wrong-footing the helpless Spanish goalkeeper, Arnau Tenas, and finding its way into the bottom corner of the net.
Although Spain reached the final with an impressive record of 13 goals throughout the tournament, they were unable to find a way through the rock solid England defence which has kept six successive clean sheets for the first time in the history of the tournament.
This historic victory now positions Lee Carsley’s enigmatic squad as the third English team to ever win the competition, with previous triumphs back in 1982 and 1984.
The Young Lions have garnered acclaim for their explosive style of play, showcasing a plethora of attacking talent throughout the under-21 Euros.
England displayed a positive start to the final, with Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon creating the first significant opportunity, only to have his shot deflected wide by Spanish keeper Tenas.
Spain soon picked up the pace however, as Alex Baena curled an effort past Trafford’s post and scuffed another wide after intercepting a loose pass from Gibbs-White.
Chelsea defender Levi Colwill came close to scoring with a powerful header against the crossbar from an excellent delivery by Palmer. However, it was Palmer himself who ultimately gave England the lead, as his free-kick deflected off Liverpool’s Jones and found the back of the net.
Tensions escalated towards the end of the first half when Palmer’s celebration triggered a heated altercation between both benches. This resulted in England coach Ashley Cole and Spanish fitness coach Carlos Rivera being sent off and forced to watch from the stands.
The second half proved to be an intense affair, with Spain exerting immense pressure on England’s defence. Their efforts seemed fruitful when Ruiz headed in a cross from Baena, but celebrations were cut short as the offside flag was raised.
The match truly reached its climax when Colwill, highly regarded by England’s staff following his training with the senior team, was deemed to have committed a foul in the box against Ruiz. Trafford made a superb save to deny the subsequent penalty and immediate follow-up, securing the victory for England and sparking scenes of jubilation.
Despite the triumph, the heated exchanges persisted, resulting in nine yellow cards and four red cards being issued by the final whistle. Both Gibbs-White and Antonio Blanco were sent off in the closing moments of the game.
Now that England has claimed the trophy, discussions have begun about which of these young stars will break into the senior squad and have the opportunity to compete in the senior European Championships next summer.