Spain’s overpowering midfield proved decisive in the Euro 2024 final against England, as they regained control despite Cole Palmer’s equalizing effort. Goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal compounded Gareth Southgate’s team’s previous setbacks against Croatia in the 2018 World Cup and Italy in the 2020 Euros final:
In 2018, it was Luka Modric. In 2021, it was Marco Verratti. In 2024, England breathed a sigh of relief when Rodri failed to return for the second half, thinking they had caught a break.
The injury suffered by the Spain midfielder initially lifted the hopes of England’s fans. However, those hopes were swiftly dashed when Nico Williams scored just 69 seconds into the second half, extinguishing any newfound confidence Gà Vàng TV.
Rodri’s substitution proved crucial as Gareth Southgate’s England once again struggled to assert midfield dominance in pivotal moments, a recurring issue in major tournaments such as the World Cup and Euros.
Despite facing a Spain without Rodri, England still couldn’t establish control. Spain’s possession peaked at 80% midway through the first half, ending at 65%. Captain Harry Kane’s post-match comment underscored the significance of the outcome.
“We couldn’t maintain the pressure, and our ball retention wasn’t up to par,” Kane remarked when questioned about England’s inability to capitalize on Cole Palmer’s superb equalizer.
It’s a recurring narrative of the Southgate era.
In Moscow, Modric and his midfield partners Marcelo Brozovic and Ivan Rakitic completed 242 passes in 120 minutes, whereas Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Jordan Henderson, and his late substitute Eric Dier managed only 153 passes. Henderson’s passing accuracy suffered significantly, with nearly a third of his passes going astray during that World Cup semi-final. Despite England’s early lead, they were gradually overwhelmed.
At Wembley, England once more seized an early advantage but struggled to maintain control. Marco Verratti completed 118 passes in his 95 minutes on the pitch, while Jorginho was just short of reaching a hundred. Italy amassed a total of 820 passes during regular and extra time, in stark contrast to England’s 426. Italy’s accuracy in passing was also significantly higher, with 726 successful passes compared to England’s 319.
And now in Berlin, England once again saw their accurate passing total more than doubled by their superior opponents. Spain achieved an impressive passing accuracy of 89.7% out of 545 attempted passes, with 489 finding their mark. In contrast, England managed a passing accuracy of 77.9%, completing 229 passes out of 294 attempted.
Southgate’s tenure has been marked by an impressive defensive record in the tournaments he has managed, complemented by a wealth of attacking talent, notably evident in Germany.
However, it’s in the critical areas of the pitch where England have consistently been exposed during crucial matches.
The question remains: what’s the solution?
During the Euros, Southgate stumbled when he attempted to justify a subpar performance by citing the absence of a “natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips.” Just as Henderson’s absence, many England supporters viewed Phillips’ exclusion from the squad favorably trang cá cược bóng đá uy tín.
While high-energy midfield play has its strengths, what England truly needed to progress was a playmaker of the caliber of Modric, Verratti, or Rodri, who was named player of the tournament in Euro 2024.
However, Southgate’s unwavering loyalty to these two players—up until March, Henderson remained firmly integrated into the squad—highlighted the dearth of clear alternatives to partner alongside Declan Rice.
Southgate’s challenges in addressing that area of the pitch were evident throughout the group stages. A 12-month project involving Trent Alexander-Arnold as a potential solution was abandoned relatively quickly, though not as swiftly as the impromptu introduction of Conor Gallagher.
Kobbie Mainoo, at just 19 years old, deserves praise for seamlessly transitioning to international football, mirroring his swift rise to the Manchester United first team. There was optimism before the final that his standout performance in the FA Cup against Rodri could foreshadow a defining moment for his national team. However, facing Spain in this match seemed to be a challenge beyond his current capabilities.
The inclusion of 20-year-old Adam Wharton on the bench highlighted the situation well. Just six months ago, he was playing in the Championship for Blackburn Rovers.
Despite the talent cultivated in England’s age groups over the past decade, there remains a noticeable absence of top-tier technical players currently in their prime for the central midfield positions.
Mainoo and Wharton have the potential to emerge as such players, alongside talents like Rice and Jude Bellingham.
However, the lack of such a player during the Southgate era has been a crucial factor in their inability, despite their advancements, to achieve success in critical moments.
Neville admitted: “We neglected to play.”
Gary Neville, speaking to Sky Sports News, remarked: “England have managed possession well at times against weaker opponents. However, when facing top teams towards the end of tournaments, you often find yourself chasing the ball, which we’ve all experienced in various tournaments over the years.”
“I believe our shortcomings will persist until we can excel in ball control and find technical solutions to play out from the back effectively under pressure.”
“We came close to crossing the line this time. Winning through counter-attack is possible—we were set up for it—but with players like Kobbie Mainoo, Palmer, Saka, Kane, and Bellingham on the field, I’m confident we have the ability to maintain possession and improve technically.”
“Every player interviewed acknowledged our need to improve ball retention. It could be the title of England’s story over the last 30 or 40 years, and one for the future.”
“We’re heading to America for the World Cup in two years, and many of the states we’ll play in will be hot. Without possession, it becomes exhausting over the course of a tournament, especially with all the travel involved.”
“With the technical talent we possess, there’s no excuse not to maintain better possession. While we held the ball in stages of this tournament, I’m not comparing that to matches against some opponents. I’m referring to the top teams, in crucial moments—keeping possession is crucial.”
“Last night, it was crucial for us to maintain possession because we were exhausted on the field. The players were unable to move and needed to retain possession, but we struggled to do so. Fabian Ruiz played exceptionally, and Martín Zubimendi, who replaced Rodri, was also outstanding. They know how to control the game.”
“At Manchester United, we managed to win some games through counter-attacks, but over the course of a season, we had to dominate matches with possession. England often find themselves without the ball in too many crucial matches against top opponents.”
“Last night, we simply failed to perform. England looked nervous and tense in the first half-hour. It’s a European final, and many of those players have experienced such games before. Authority is crucial in big matches.”
“Sir Alex used to tell us at half-time, in less than polite terms, when we played like that, that we’d forgotten how to play. It was true. You have to take control, get on the ball, and support each other. These players understand that well—they play for clubs that emphasize these principles.”
“We’ve found ourselves in this situation countless times. The Spanish team appeared effortlessly composed on the ball, while we seemed noticeably unsettled. The ball seemed to bounce off us; it was almost as if we were caught off guard, treating it like a hot potato. Overcoming this challenge is something we must address.”
“The players need to take ownership of their performances and recognize areas for improvement. However, they are a dedicated group who genuinely enjoy representing England, and nobody is more disappointed this morning than they are.”
However, their performance could have been stronger. While they focused intently on thwarting Spain, they also needed to assert more control over the game and demonstrate their ability to pose a threat to Spain’s defense.
