Munich witnessed a captivating EURO 2024 semi-final as Spain rallied from behind to defeat France, securing their place in the final.
The highly anticipated match between Spain, boasting the tournament’s most potent attack, and France, renowned for their solid defense, lived up to its billing. It was no surprise that the in-form Spanish side initiated the attacking moves early in the game. Young prodigy Lamine Yamal, already etching his name in history as the youngest player to grace a EURO or FIFA World Cup semi-final, delivered a pinpoint cross to the far post. However, Fabián Ruiz couldn’t direct his header on target, missing an early opportunity to put Spain ahead.
France, undeterred, responded swiftly and clinically. Just four minutes later, Kylian Mbappé, showcasing his brilliance, maneuvered on the left flank of the penalty area. He then delivered an inch-perfect cross to Randal Kolo Muani, who powerfully headed home from close range, marking France’s fourth goal of the tournament. However, Spain’s resilience shone through as they not only equalized but surged ahead within a quarter of an hour.
Match Summary: Spain 2-1 France
Spain’s equalizer was a moment of magic. Picking up the ball just outside the French box, Lamine Yamal unleashed a stunning curler into the net, becoming the youngest ever scorer in EURO history. The momentum swung dramatically as Dani Olmo, fresh from his goal and assist against Germany in the quarter-final, replicated his impactful performance. Just four minutes after Yamal’s wonder strike, Olmo’s low drive took a deflection off defender Jules Koundé, wrong-footing goalkeeper Mike Maignan and giving Spain the lead.
Maignan was called into action again shortly after the restart, denying Nico Williams with a crucial intervention. France remained a threat, and Unai Simón had to be alert to parry away a sharp effort from Ousmane Dembélé from a tight angle, keeping Spain’s lead intact.
Lamine Yamal's incredible shot hit the post before nestling into the goal
Image: Lamine Yamal’s stunning curler against France in the Euro 2024 semi-final, showcasing his exceptional talent.
The EURO 2016 finalists struggled to create further clear-cut opportunities. Théo Hernandez squandered a chance with 15 minutes remaining, sending his shot over the bar after a loose ball fell to him in the box. Mbappé came close with a powerful strike that grazed the crossbar, but France couldn’t find the breakthrough. Spain displayed composure and defensive solidity to hold onto their lead and advance to their fifth EURO final.
Randal Kolo Muani heads France into an early lead against Spain in Munich
Image: Randal Kolo Muani’s headed goal gives France an early advantage in the Euro 2024 semi-final against Spain.
Vivo Player of the Match: Lamine Yamal (Spain)
Lamine Yamal’s exceptional performance earned him the Player of the Match accolade. His stunning goal not only brought Spain back into the game but also highlighted his crucial role at such a young age. Yamal’s tireless defensive work and constant threat on the ball, particularly his partnership with Jesús Navas on the right flank, impressed the UEFA technical observer panel.
Post-Match Reactions
Didier Deschamps, France Coach: “We managed to score first, which was positive. However, Spain controlled the game better than us. We weren’t at our best and didn’t play as directly as I wanted. We pushed until the end, but we needed to be more clinical. That’s what we lacked. Despite everything, we reached the semi-finals and found a way to score through Kolo [Muani]. It would have been better if we had been more efficient.”
Antoine Griezmann, France Midfielder: “We all dreamed of playing in the final, so there’s disappointment and anger. We started well, dominating for 20 minutes. But their equalizer and second goal broke our momentum, and we couldn’t recover. The better team won tonight. We were dominated in all areas. For Lamine Yamal’s goal, we knew he would shoot with his left foot, yet we couldn’t block it. The equalizer hurt us, and their second goal killed us off.”
Kylian Mbappé, France Captain: “We opened the scoring but conceded two quick goals and couldn’t come back. That’s football. Our ambition was to be European champions, so our tournament is a failure. We faced a good Spanish team. We weren’t good enough, that’s the reality.”
Luis De la Fuente, Spain Coach: “We are very happy to be in the final. We’ve had the journey needed to reach the final. We know Sunday will be another match, and we must give our best. We worked hard to reach this technical and physical level against France. We managed to come back, dominate the match, and counter them. We played a complete game.”
Nacho, Spain Defender, speaking to EURO2024.com: “We knew France had genius players, but we also knew we were as good as them. When we were losing and searching for a solution, the youngest player in our team stepped up and scored a fantastic goal!”
Lamine Yamal, Vivo Player of the Match: “I’m delighted we’re in the final, but we haven’t done the most important thing yet, which is to win. We had some tough moments on the pitch. None of us expected to concede so early.”
Yamal on his goal: “I was aiming exactly for the top corner where my shot went in, and I felt pure joy. I’m trying not to think too much about what’s happening. I just want to enjoy myself and help the team. I came here to win every match so I can celebrate my birthday [July 13th] here in Germany with all my teammates!”
Yamal on the final: “When you reach the final, you have to play against the best. We will wait to see who we face.”
Jules Koundé unable to prevent Dani Olmo's deflected shot from going in
Image: Dani Olmo’s decisive goal against France, deflecting off Jules Koundé to seal Spain’s victory in the Euro 2024 semi-final.
Key Stats
- Spain has triumphed in five of their six EURO semi-finals, with their only loss at this stage being against Italy on penalties at EURO 2020.
- Yamal (16 years and 362 days) is not only the youngest EURO goalscorer but also surpassed Pelé’s record (17 years and 244 days) as the youngest player to play in a World Cup or EURO semi-final.
- Spain becomes the first team to win six consecutive EURO final tournament matches without needing penalties.
- La Roja has only lost two of their last 13 EURO knockout matches.
- Excluding penalty shootouts, France had only lost two of their previous 17 EURO matches.
- Les Bleus had only conceded one goal in their prior seven matches before this semi-final defeat.
Lineups
Spain: Unai Simón; Jesús Navas (Vivian 58′), Nacho, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Fabián Ruiz; Yamal (Ferran Torres 90’+3), Olmo (Merino 76′), Williams (Zubimendi 90’+3); Morata (Oyarzabal 76′)
France: Maignan; Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, T. Hernández; Kanté (Griezmann 62′), Tchouameni, Rabiot (Camavinga 62′); Dembélé (Giroud 79′), Kolo Muani (Barcola 62′); Mbappé
What’s Next?
Spain’s victory sets up a highly anticipated EURO 2024 final in Berlin on Sunday at 9 PM CET, where they will face either the Netherlands or England. Football fans worldwide eagerly await to see if Spain can clinch the coveted title.
