14/07/2024
England Player Ratings vs Spain: Heartbreak for the Three Lions Again!
Harry Kane's Euro 2024 Final Struggles as Cole Palmer's Goal Falls Short
The wait for a trophy continues for Gareth Southgate's team, who were soundly defeated by Spain in Berlin.
For the second consecutive final, England fell short. They fought hard against Spain but were narrowly defeated 2-1 in Sunday's Euro 2024 final.
Nico Williams opened the scoring for Spain early in the second half, and while substitute Cole Palmer provided hope with an equalizer, Mikel Oyarzabal's late goal after some poor defending dashed England's dreams of extra time.
Goalkeeper & Defence
Jordan Pickford (7/10): Made crucial saves from Lamine Yamal to keep England in the game. Managed several crosses effectively.
Kyle Walker (6/10): Controlled Nico Williams well, contributed offensively, but was too slow to prevent the crucial goal.
John Stones (8/10): Dominant in defence, thwarted Morata, and made key tackles. Booked for a cynical foul and cleared a shot off the line.
Marc Guehi (6/10): Strong and commanding, often defused Spain’s attacks.
Midfield
Bukayo Saka (7/10): Played intelligently, holding up the ball effectively before Palmer's goal.
Declan Rice (5/10): Struggled to control the game with frequent giveaways.
Kobbie Mainoo (4/10): Underwhelming performance, lost control of the midfield.
Luke Shaw (6/10): Alert and combative in the first half but was out of position for Williams' goal.
Attack
Jude Bellingham (6/10): Inconsistent but always involved. Assisted Palmer for his goal.
Harry Kane (3/10): Largely ineffective, with only a blocked shot and a booking as notable moments.
Phil Foden (6/10): Energetic but lacked his usual creativity. His best chance was a shot following a free-kick.
Subs & Manager
Ollie Watkins (5/10): Had little impact after replacing Kane and missed a good opportunity.
Cole Palmer (8/10): Impressive off the bench, scoring the equalizer.
Ivan Toney (N/A): Played briefly towards the end.
Gareth Southgate (5/10): Made late substitutions that briefly changed the game's momentum, but couldn’t prevent the defeat following Oyarzabal’s goal.