Spain are the kings of European soccer for a record fourth time. For England, it's another agonising near-miss in the team's decades-long tale of underachievement.
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Completing a tournament the team dominated from start to finish, Spain beat England 2-1 in the European Championship final on Sunday with Mikel Oyarzabal the unlikely match-winner in the 86th minute.
Oyarzabal, a backup striker who came on as a substitute for captain Alvaro Morata, slid in to poke home a left-wing cross by Marc Cucurella, just when the game at Berlin's Olympiastadion seemed destined for extra time.
England, the birthplace of soccer, are still without a major title in the men's game since winning the 1966 World Cup and their players watched on forlornly as Morata raised aloft the silver trophy to backdrop of confetti and fireworks inside the stadium built for the 1936 Olympics.
Add 2024 to the titles won by Spain in 1964, 2008 and 2012.
"I did my job and what I had to and was lucky enough to score the goal for the win," said Oyarzabal, who came on as a substitute for captain Alvaro Morata.
It is back-to-back Euro finals losses for one of the world's most underperforming national teams, this one coming in front of Prince William and Spain's King Felipe.
Yamal, Marc Cucurella and Dani Olmo were among the first to jump over the advertising hoardings to reach the Spanish fans in the stadium's east end of the stadium.
It was fitting that Yamal and Williams combined for the crucial first goal as they are the poster boys of this exciting, multicultural team that mirrors the new reality in Spain.
"This is for our fans and our parents, who have supported us throughout," said player of the match Williams.
"I said before the tournament, nobody can hang with us.
"We are thrilled and hope this can keep going and we can go for the (2026) World Cup."
Yamal's mother is from Equatorial Guinea and his father from Morocco, while fellow winger Williams has Ghanaian parents who made the long journey to Europe looking for a better life. To make it to Spain, they had to ride on the back of a crowded truck and walk barefoot through the Sahara desert.
Unlike his brother Inaki, who is a Ghana international, Nico chose to play for Spain and will now be regarded as a national hero there.
As, indeed, will Oyarzabal and the rest of the Spain team, who have won all seven of their matches at this tournament -- an unprecedented feat -- and beaten heavyweights Germany, France and England, back-to-back in the knockout stage.
It was the fourth straight game that the English came from behind since the group stage, but their resilience wasn't rewarded this time.
"It has been a difficult ride, we have done extremely well to get here, but ultimately we are going to be judged on this game," England captain Harry Kane said.
"We wanted to do it so badly for ourselves and the fans, everyone who has believed in us."
Spain are back as a major player in senior soccer after winning both the Women's World Cup and the men's UEFA Nations League in 2023.
Since 2001, Spanish men's teams have won 23 consecutive major finals in club and international soccer.
Australian Associated Press
