Spain’s route to the Euro 2024 final

Spain booked their place in the final of Euro 2024 with Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over France in Munich.

Victory in Sunday’s final would give them their third European Championships title after victories in 2008 and 2012.

Here, the PA news agency review Spain’s route to the final.

Spain 3-0 Croatia, Group B

Spain got one over Luka Modric’s Croatia (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Spain started their Euros campaign in style against a Croatia side who have regularly reached the latter stages of international competitions in recent years, but the pressure did not faze Luis de la Fuente’s men as they cruised to a 3-0 victory. Skipper Alvaro Morata held his nerve one-on-one to get the opening goal, Fabian Ruiz doubled the advantage, before the experienced Dani Carvajal added a third in first-half added-time.

Spain 1-0 Italy, Group B

Riccardo Calafiori’s own-goal gave Spain the win over Italy (Nick Potts/PA)

Spain faced fellow Euro 2012 finalists Italy during their second game, and the pair were separated by an own goal on the night which gave the Spanish qualification to the last 16. Nico Williams’ cross forced a save out of Gianluigi Donnarumma and it rebounded off Riccardo Calafiori into the back of the Azzurri goal.

Spain 1-0 Albania, Group B

Ferran Torres’ goal marked the end of the road for Albania’s Euros campaign (Nick Potts/PA)

Spain made it a clean sweep in the group stages by beating Albania 1-0. Ferran Torres’ goal was the difference as a much-changed Spain side kept another clean sheet in the competition .

Spain 4-1 Georgia, last 16

Spain’s highest-scoring match this Euros came against Georgia in a 4-1 victory (Nick Potts/PA)

The last-16 saw Spain claw back from a goal down before they put on a show to blitz Georgia 4-1. Centre-back Robin Le Normand’s own goal put Spain on the back foot but a clinical finish from Rodri on the edge of the area brought them level in the 39th minute. Sixteen-year-old Lamine Yamal showed his ability on the big stage with a spectacular cross to find Fabian at the back stick before Williams smashed in the third. Dani Olmo, a surprise standout for Spain during the tournament, clinched the fourth.

Spain 2-1 Germany, quarter-final (AET)

Mikel Merino broke German Hearts in extra-time (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Spain met hosts Germany in Stuttgart’s MHPArena in a dramatic quarter-final. Olmo came on for the injured Pedri and continued his fine form with a first-time finish off Yamal’s pass before Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz gave Germany a lifeline with an 89th-minute equaliser. In the closing stages of extra time, substitute Mikel Merino leapt highest to nod Spain into the semi-finals.

Spain 2-1 France, semi-final

Sixteen-year-old Lamine Yamal helped Spain to victory (Bradley Collyer/PA)

France and Kylian Mbappe were Spain’s next test and their semi-final got off to a terrible start when the newly-signed Real Madrid man clipped a ball onto the head of former Paris St Germain teammate Randal Kolo Muani to give France the lead. Spain’s persistence shone through and they were inspired by the brilliance of teenager Yamal, who jinked inside on his left before driving a goal-of-the-tournament contender past Mike Maignan into the the top left-hand corner. The strike made Yamal the youngest scorer at a European Championship at the age of 16 years and 362 days. Olmo’s magnificent campaign went up a gear in the 25th minute when he used intricate skill to take the ball past Aurelien Tchouameni before firing past Maignan to book Spain’s place in the final.