BERLIN — Spain midfielder Rodri was named the best player of Euro 2024 after helping La Roja beat England 2-1 to win the competition for a fourth time in Berlin.
Rodri had to be replaced at halftime of the final after picking up a knee injury but was rewarded for his excellent performances as Spain also overcame hosts Germany and France to reach the final.
The Manchester City man’s only goal of the tournament came in scoring the equaliser in a 4-1 win over Georgia in the last 16, AFP reported.
However, he was hailed by coach Luis de la Fuente as a “perfect computer” for his metronomic passing and reading of the game that proved vital to carrying a young side through a devilishly difficult draw to glory.
Rodri has now lost just once in his last 80 games in all competitions for club and country and can add the Euros to a glittering list of silverware in that time.
The 28-year-old has won two Premier League titles, the Champions League, one FA Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup with City, as well as the Nations League with Spain.
Lamine Yamal, who became the youngest ever Euros goalscorer at 16 in the semifinal triumph over France with a brilliant long-range effort and was named young player of the tournament.Yamal turned 17 a day before the final.
“It has been a marvellous day in which a team has been deservedly crowned champions of Europe,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente told broadcaster TVE.
They previously won in 1964, 2008 and 2012, the last two titles coming either side of their triumph at the 2010 World Cup during the golden era of Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso and Andres Iniesta.
Whether this generation, led by the brilliant Yamal who was playing here a day after his 17th birthday, manage to repeat the achievements of that magnificent side remains to be seen, but theirs was a fitting victory.
Spain has been comfortably the best team over the last month in Germany and was not intimidated by the atmosphere at the Olympiastadion, where the majority of the crowd were given over to England’s cause.
England had hoped to finally claim a first men’s international title since their fabled victory at the 1966 World Cup, but fell just short in their first ever final on foreign soil.
“To lose the final is incredibly tough,” said their manager, Gareth Southgate.
“Congratulations to Spain, they were the best team in the tournament and the best team tonight.”
After the agony of their defeat on penalties to Italy three years ago, they are the first side ever to lose back-to-back Euros finals.
England captain Harry Kane, meanwhile, is left at the age of 30 still looking for the first trophy of a career so rich in goals, this defeat coming after a season in which he also won nothing with Bayern Munich.
It was always likely that Spain would control this game, and England spent most of the first half chasing the ball.