MUNICH: Spain’s jubilant celebrations in reaching the Euro 2024 final were understandable after taking the hardest road to get there and handling the hairpin bends with panache.

Luis de la Fuente’s side having emerged from what was dubbed the “group of death”, beat tournament sensations Georgia, hosts Germany and pre-Euros favourites France to make it to Berlin.

La Roja are aiming for a record fourth European title on Sunday at the Olympiastadion and successfully navigating their dangerous run gives them the belief they will triumph, regardless of whether they face England or the Netherlands.

“I feel proud of these players and of the path we’ve gone on to reach the final,” De la Fuente told reporters Tuesday after the team edged France 2-1 in an entertaining semi-final clash.

“There’s no achievement without effort and suffering in life is normal, because everything is tough. These are young players but they suffer to work and force themselves to improve more and more each day — I am happy to be here coaching them.”

Spain progressed from the group without conceding a goal, defeating Croatia 3-0, defending champions Italy 1-0 and rounded it off with virtually a reserve side edging Albania 1-0.

In the knock-out rounds De la Fuente’s team have not flinched and overcome every hurdle.

Debutants Georgia, backed by fervent travelling support, took the lead but Spain hit back to record a convincing 4-1 victory which the coach said “could have been 9-1”.

Overcoming hosts Germany in extra-time, after conceding an 89th minute equaliser, proved Spain possessed grit to go with their style.

They came from behind to beat France with two goals in a five-minute salvo which left their coach salivating.

After France started well and took the lead through Randal Kolo Muani, the 16-year-old Lamine Yamal produced a bolt from the blue to stun Les Bleus, becoming the youngest goalscorer in the tournament’s history.

Yamal’s brilliant long-range curler after 21 minutes rocked Didier Deschamps’ side and Dani Olmo fired home the decisive second four minutes later.

“We can play great football, as you saw today and through the tournament,” said De la Fuente. “We are a very versatile team, the players we have make that possible.”

Exciting wingers Yamal and Nico Williams hypnotised their opponents and while they have drawn the most plaudits, helping Spain shine and stand out as an exciting side playing flowing football compared to a lot of risk-averse, duller big teams, across the line-up they have enjoyed strong performances.

Both Paris Saint-Germain’s Fabian Ruiz and Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella have struggled to shine at club level but have excelled in Germany.

Defender Aymeric Laporte, despite now playing in Saudi Arabia at club level, has been rock solid at the back and was one of the best players against France, the country he was born in.

Spain have had few concerns during the tournament, no crises to manage, beyond their difficult fixture list as they ended up in the harder side of the draw. Playing the strongest teams may even have helped them.

“[Germany and France] are great teams and got the best out of us,” said De la Fuente. “England and Netherlands are two more great teams. We know that even if it is difficult, we are capable of winning.”

Despite their sparkling displays and convincing run of victories, the coach said his team can still reach new heights.

“I know these players and I take decisions knowing each of them, not on a whim,” added De la Fuente. “They are not surprising me, and I know they can give a lot more still and they can improve.”

End of an era for France?

For France, who boast an enviable record in major tournaments over the last decade under Didier Deschamps, the manner of their exit from a competition in which they never caught fire has left many feeling that their tournament had been a failure.

Securing a place in the final four saw coach Deschamps achieve a contract target and he is set to remain at the helm for two more years, but few in the French set-up will emerge with much credit from the tournament in Germany.

Their much-vaunted forward line left with reputations battered and attacking midfielder Antoine Griezmann with questions over his international future.

Even their defence, which had stood firm throughout the tournament, crumbled when needed the most as they allowed Spain to fight back.

Kylian Mbappe was perhaps the biggest disappointment, contributing only a penalty and an assist, but with mitigating circumstances. A broken nose in Frances’s opener against Austria threatened a premature end to his participation but after missing the next match he returned with a mask to protect his face.

He said it had inhibited him in subsequent games so when he emerged on Tuesday to play without it supporters would have been hoping a liberated Mbappe would produce an inspired performance of old.

It started well enough with an inch-perfect elevated pass for Kolo Muani’s goal but rapidly descended into a sequence of predictable cut-ins followed by off-target shots.

“The competition was a failure. I wanted to be European champion but we’re not,” he told reporters. “It’s football. We have to move on. We’re going home, it’s simple.”

France have gotten used to winning under Deschamps, but winning is all that has ever mattered to the coach, who is less fussed about playing with panache than about getting results.

“Ask my president. We have just lost a semi-final. I won’t answer that today,” Deschamps said in response to a question about his future after the Spain defeat.

Euro 2024 marks the end of the road for veteran striker Olivier Giroud, France’s all-time top scorer, but there is no suggestion that Griezmann, aged 33, plans to retire.

“We will come back. We have talent but you need a lot more than that,” Griezmann said on Tuesday, acknowledging France had not performed well enough in Germany.

No doubt France will be back again, among the favourites in two years’ time for the World Cup, and if the chastening experience in Germany spurs them to improve then it could be said something good came out of Euro 2024.

However, as they headed home on Wednesday there was little to savour.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2024