Spain has once again etched its name into the annals of football history after winning the 2024 European Championship. In a tournament where they faced formidable opponents, La Roja stood out not just as the best team, but as a reminder of how modern football should be played.

Their journey to glory was a combination of tactical brilliance, individual prowess, a complete belief in one prodigiously talented teenager and an unwavering commitment to the Spanish brand of football.

The Blessings

At the heart of Spain’s success were standout performers, ranging in age from 16 to 38, who brought a dynamic blend of youth and experience to the pitch. Fabian Ruiz rolled back the years at Napoli and didn’t put a foot wrong all tournament.

The midfield maestro orchestrated play with his precise passing, and his natural ability to control the tempo of the game allowed Spain to dominate possession at will. Lamine Yamal performed with a maturity way beyond his years.

His dribbling, pace, and decision-making left seasoned full backs chasing shadows like peak Johnny Cage. Nico Williams, another young prodigy, was phenomenal as well. His versatility and relentless work rate were crucial in both attack and defence, epitomising the modern winger’s role.

The defensive partnership of Aymeric Laporte, Unai Simon and the relatively unknown Robin Le Normand provided solidity at the back, and what more needs to be said about Rodri’s brilliance? Then there was the peculiar case of Dani Olmo, who prior to Pedri’s injury against Germany had no space in the first team.

In spectacular fashion, Olmo’s knack for finding attacking opportunities shone through. Pedri’s substitution ultimately made room for the Leipzig forward whose decisive contributions in the final third broke down stubborn defences. Dani Olmo would go on to become the unorthodox linchpin in Spain’s attack.

The Person

Luis de la Fuente, the man behind the magic, deserves immense credit. A relatively unknown name in mainstream football circles, he’s been a key figure for nurturing the Spanish youth teams since 2013. He also coached the 2020 Spanish Olympic team that reached the final in Yokohama and won the 2023 Nations League.

From Portugalete in the lower leagues to the portentous Spanish coach job, Luis worked his way to the top. Stints with Alavés, Aurrerá de Vitoria and Sevilla’s youth academy were clearly not up to snuff. It will be working with uncut gems in Spanish youth teams that would provide the needed breakthrough.

After winning the European Championships at both the Under-19 and Under-21 level, his decision to build the national team around a youthful core, cherry-picking players who had played under him in past youth setups, further raised eyebrows.

For a man with a track record of mentoring young players, that bold decision proved to be the right call. 4 players de la Fuente coached to victory at the Under 21 championships were selected for the Euros, each of them providing valuable contributions to the cause.

Succession

Taking over the reins after Enrique’s abrupt departure, without much fanfare, de la Fuente’s vision for the team was clear; to play a brand of football that was quintessentially Spanish. He mirrored the exciting playing approach of that iconic Euro 2008 Spanish team, one that had the Iniesta and David Silva tucked either side of Torres with David Villa acting as the supporting forward. Xavi’s golden touch and Senna providing steel. The fullbacks, Capdevila and Ramos bombing up the field.

Eager to start off with a bang, de la Fuente shuffled nearly 50 players in his first 10 matches, as he fine-tuned his game plan. Pulling a page from Aragones’ book, de la Fuente finally placed his faith in a possession-based style — with end product, not just keeping possession for possession sake.

The emphasis was on short, incisive passing, high pressing, fluid wing movement, pace in attack and the use of a traditional centre-forward. For this tournament, his trusted wingers, Yamal and Williams were given license to canoodle the ball with their creative feet in a manner that created attacking openings; a decision that paid dividends.

The key was to balance youthful exuberance with the experience of veterans like Dani Carvajal, skipper Alvaro Morata and a 38 year old Navas. That Jesus was able to earn another gold medal 3 tournaments later, is nothing short of a miracle. In any case, De la Fuente’s ability to adapt his strategies to exploit opponents’ weaknesses without deviating from Spain’s core philosophy was a masterclass in managerial prowess.

As the tournament progressed, De la Fuente’s tactical nous was evident in the way he made subtle in-game adjustments, and his decisive use of his contingency plan. Oyarzabal was employed as a False 9 whenever Morata faltered, Merino became a worthy deputy to Rodri and Nacho was happy to come off the bench to bolster the Spanish backline.

The Essence

Spain’s path to the final was quite spectacular with a series of cut-throat performances against some of Europe’s elite teams. Despite being in the group of death with the likes of Italy and Croatia and well-written off, Spain won each of their 7 games, scoring 15 goals in the process.

From perfectly placed headers that defied the laws of gravity to hitting screamers top bins to immaculate balls passed into the net, their goals scored were a beautiful melange. They saved their best performance for Kvaratskhelia’s Georgia, beating them 4–1 in the Round of 16.

Spain’s resilience was tested as they faced host nation and tournament favourites, Germany. The match was dubbed the final before the final; the headliner being the much anticipated face-off between Yamal and Jamal. No host nation had ever crashed out of the Euros at the quarter final stage. Julian Nagelsmann perfectly aware of this, rallied his team on, barking orders from the dugout like a superintendent.

Spain took the lead early in the second-half but a late Florian Wirtz equaliser gave Germany a lifeline. Germany had many more chances to seal the deal but Havertz’s profligacy prevented it. Kai spurned three big chances, including a free header, exhibiting the worst attacking display from a German in the air, since Hermann Goring. The gut punch was that the header and winning goal eventually came, but it was not from the Germans.

Spain then had to come back from behind to finish off an uninsipiring French team in the semi-final. “It was great to open the scoring but the Spanish team mastered the game better”, Didier Deschamps complained.

La Roja finally squared off with England in the final, a team brimming with confidence after their exploits against Holland. The first half saw an admirable defensive display by the Three Lions, adopting a low defensive block and closing spaces down. Rodri made way for Zubimendi going into the second half and didn’t miss a beat.

They immediately took control of the game in central areas and soon after, Williams put Spain one nil up. England held their own but even after Cole Palmer’s equaliser, you just had the feeling that inevitable Spanish winning goal was imminent.

The second half was an exhibition of Spanish football at its finest — a blend of disciplined defending, controlled possession, and clinical finishing. With 4 minutes to go, Marc Cucurella delivered an excellent ball into the box for Oyarzabal to stab home the winner and crown Spain deserving champions of the tournament.

The Lessons

Spain’s victory at Euro 2024 was more than just a triumph on the field. It wasn’t a smash-and-grab or an over-reliance on counterattacking play. It was a reaffirmation of their footballing philosophy and highlights the importance of developing talent within a system.

The seamless integration of youngsters like Yamal, Gavi, Pedri, Ferran Torres, Fermin Lopez and Williams into the senior setup was a testament to Spain’s robust youth development programs. For context, Yamal was directly involved in five goals. His four assists is a joint record, at a single edition of the Euros since 1980.

In a tournament where coaches like Spalleti, Martinez and Tedesco were busy chasing rainbows, Spain’s feat underscored the significance of raining down goals on the opposition. This victory brings back memories of Spain’s golden era when the Iberian nation broke their major tournament drought, winning the World Cup and two European Championships in a space of 6 years.

As the Spanish national team flies across the Pyrenees and journey back home, they are sure to enjoy a hero’s welcome. From the streets of Malaga to Madrid, to the inns of Barcelona and Bilbao, celebrations with calamares, chorizoz, patatas bravas and alcohol will last for at least a fortnight. Aside being a good heartwarming story, Spain’s Euro 2024 win is a poignant reminder of why we love football. A beautiful game where skill, strategy, and spirit converge and the will to win at times tastes sweeter than the win itself.

This Euro 2024 Spanish side will be remembered not just for winning, but for the style in which they did it. They stayed true to their footballing philosophy — digging into their own DNA to produce beautiful, attacking play that captivated the neutrals. The Spanish FA spent a decade looking for the right man to replicate previous successes and deliver the goods. As it turned out, the solution was right under their noses.

When you hang around a barbershop long enough, sooner or later you’ll get a haircut.

With this impressive feat, Luis de la Fuente cements his legacy as a self-assured man who never strayed off his path and joins the triarchy of Jose Villalonga, Luis Aragones and Vicente Del Bosque on Spanish football’s Mount Rushmore.