Watching the Euro over the past month, we have had the impression that all the teams have studied, assimilated and then imitated the ultra-conservative tactics of Greece, the unlikely European champion 20 years ago. The Blues are as boring as a rainy day in Düsseldorf. Orange playing the trap in Dortmund. All the national teams indulging in anti-game, extremely cautious, without panache or imagination.
All? No! A homeland of diehards players still resists the cynical pragmatism that is currently undermining international soccer. Spain, the tutelary figure of good game European, whose tiki-taka has regained its direction (towards the goal), single-handedly saved the honour of a dull and sluggish competition.
La Roja was, by far, the most attractive team of this German Europudding. Red, the colour of passion, as the other sang. Like this splendid goal of the young sensation of the tournament, Lamine Yamal, 17 years old this Saturday, against France. Uninhibited, adventurous, inventive.
Yet, on paper, it was not a Spain that made us dream. In the semi-final, the ingenious coach Luis de la Fuente lined up Jesús Navas, who is more than twice Yamal’s age and who, at almost 39, is the last survivor of the great Spain, double European and world champion from 2008-2012.
This Roja has few players of the calibre of Casillas, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Puyol, Ramos, Piqué, Xabi Alonso, David Silva, Fàbregas, Torres or Villa, at a time when the core of the national team was mainly made up of players from Real Madrid or FC Barcelona.
With the exception of Yamal, Rodri and Carvajal (and in the absence of Pedri, who is again injured), the key players in the national team belong to less prestigious clubs. Aymeric Laporte succumbed to the siren call of Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Dani Olmo wants to leave Leipzig in the Bundesliga to win trophies, the Basque Nico Williams remains for the moment faithful to Athletic Bilbao despite the calls of Barça.
These players are at the heart of Spain’s success in Germany. Just like Fabián Ruiz, who last season at Paris Saint-Germain was a shadow of the creative and daring midfielder we have seen in the national team in recent weeks. In contrast to most of the players, who seemed exhausted by too long a season at club level.
The Spanish may not have the pedigree of their English opponents, who they will face in the final in Berlin on Sunday, but on the strength of their record at this Euro, they are the favourites.
England will be delighted with this underdog status, after losing the final at Wembley on penalties to Italy three years ago. An England that is more often than not neurasthenic in Germany – except for a half-hour against the Netherlands – having developed a habit of winning when pushed to its limits.
Saved from the water by the prodigious Jude Bellingham, who gave us the goal of the tournament, a scissor kick in the very last second of the round of 16 against Slovakia; equalizing by Bukaya Sako in the 80th minutee minute of the quarter against Switzerland, won on penalties; then victorious again thanks to a goal from Ollie Watkins prepared by Cole Palmer in the 90th minutee minute of the semi-final against the Dutch.
PHOTO ADRIAN DENNIS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Ollie Watkins scored the winning goal for England in the semi-final against the Netherlands.
Coach Gareth Southgate had just sent the duo onto the pitch, replacing Harry Kane, Europe’s top scorer last season (tied with Kylian Mbappé) thanks to his 44 goals for Bayern Munich, and Phil Foden, the Premier League’s best player of the match and season.
The sceptics (including myself) were confounded. Southgate, hitherto reviled for his conservatism by the whole of England, instantly went from pariah to tactical genius worthy of a knighthood from the king. How quickly the tide turns in London.
In 2018, Southgate’s three-piece suit became emblematic of England’s unexpected success in reaching the World Cup semi-finals in Russia. Six years later, he was being called for before another major tournament semi-final. After his victory, he was being placed on the same pedestal as Alf Ramsay, the legendary coach of the Three Lions’ only world title, at Wembley in 1966.
England, as they say, is “due.”
It has players in its ranks who play in the richest and most competitive championship on the planet, and who have developed through contact with the best footballers in the world. Many of them are used to winning at club level.
Foden, Kyle Walker and John Stones won the League, Cup and Champions League treble with Manchester City last year. Gareth Southgate is so spoilt for choice that he has dispensed with team-mate Jack Grealish, who would be in the starting XI for any other team at this tournament (with the possible exception of France). Kobbie Mainoo, one of the revelations of this Euro along with Yamal and Dutchman Xavi Simons, was a major contributor to Manchester United’s recent FA Cup victory.
Jude Bellingham, named player of the season in the Spanish La Liga – which he won as well as the Champions League in his first season at Real Madrid – is set to win the Ballon d’Or for player of the year at the age of 20 if England are crowned European champions on Sunday.
Three years ago, Luke Shaw scored in the second minute of the final against the Italians and England immediately stopped playing. They preferred to try not to lose rather than try to win. In his second consecutive European final, Southgate, theEnglishman phlegmatic, will he adopt a new tactical scheme? So close to the goal, Luis de la Fuente, thetrainer In the name of a flamenco dancer, will he be cautious? Will pragmatism be right? Or will we witness the triumph of passion?