Spain beat France in thriller to set up Euro 2024 final against England or Netherlands

A Lamine Yamal-inspired Spain booked their place in the final of Euro 2024 after coming from behind to beat France 2-1 in a pulsating encounter at Munich’s Allianz Arena.F

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France got off to the perfect start as Randal Kolo Muani headed home a pinpoint Kylian Mbappe cross to open the scoring after only eight minutes in this evening’s heavyweight semi-final.

But Spain hit back and turned the game on its head with two goals in quick succession midway through the first half, with Lamine Yamal finding a historic equaliser before Dani Olmo put Luis de la Fuente’s side in front.

Mbappe and Theo Hernandez squandered huge opportunities to level the score in an absorbing second half but Spain held firm to secure their spot in Sunday’s showpiece.

Luis de la Fuente’s men will face the winner of tomorrow evening’s semi-final between England and the Netherlands

Lamine Yamal put the ball on a plate for Alvaro Morata as Spain created the first real opportunity of the game in the fifth minute but the unmarked Atletico Madrid striker ballooned his header over the crossbar from near point-blank range.

France looked to hit back immediately at the other end of the pitch before 38-year-old Jesus Navas – the oldest player to feature in a European Championship semi-final – got across superbly to shut out Kylian Mbappe.

The attack proved a stark warning for Spain, though, with Kolo Muani heading home an exquisite cross from Mbappe in the 21st minute to break the deadlock with what was France’s first goal from open play this summer.

An unmasked Mbappe, threatening to return to his frightening best, came close to doubling the French lead in the 19th minute but the forward’s strike was well blocked before it could reach Unai Simon in the Spain goal.

As France probed in search of a second, 16-year-old Yamal took centre-stage and proved why he is arguably Europe’s most exciting young talent with the goal of the tournament to level the score.

Latching onto William Saliba’s interception, the teenage Barcelona winger sent Adrien Rabiot both ways before unleashing a swerving 25-yard strike into the top corner.

A Lamine Yamal-inspired Spain booked their place in the final of Euro 2024 after coming from behind to beat France 2-1 in a pulsating encounter at Munich’s Allianz Arena.

France got off to the perfect start as Randal Kolo Muani headed home a pinpoint Kylian Mbappe cross to open the scoring after only eight minutes in this evening’s heavyweight semi-final.

But Spain hit back and turned the game on its head with two goals in quick succession midway through the first half, with Lamine Yamal finding a historic equaliser before Dani Olmo put Luis de la Fuente’s side in front.

Mbappe and Theo Hernandez squandered huge opportunities to level the score in an absorbing second half but Spain held firm to secure their spot in Sunday’s showpiece.

Kolo Muani
France opened the scoring through Kolo Muani in the eighth minute (Picture: Getty)
Lamine Yamal put the ball on a plate for Alvaro Morata as Spain created the first real opportunity of the game in the fifth minute but the unmarked Atletico Madrid striker ballooned his header over the crossbar from near point-blank range.

France looked to hit back immediately at the other end of the pitch before 38-year-old Jesus Navas – the oldest player to feature in a European Championship semi-final – got across superbly to shut out Kylian Mbappe.

The attack proved a stark warning for Spain, though, with Kolo Muani heading home an exquisite cross from Mbappe in the 21st minute to break the deadlock with what was France’s first goal from open play this summer.

An unmasked Mbappe, threatening to return to his frightening best, came close to doubling the French lead in the 19th minute but the forward’s strike was well blocked before it could reach Unai Simon in the Spain goal.

Lamine Yamal
Yamal scored an astonishing first-half equaliser in Munich (Picture: Getty)
As France probed in search of a second, 16-year-old Yamal took centre-stage and proved why he is arguably Europe’s most exciting young talent with the goal of the tournament to level the score.

Latching onto William Saliba’s interception, the teenage Barcelona winger sent Adrien Rabiot both ways before unleashing a swerving 25-yard strike into the top corner.

The astonishing effort saw Yamal becoming the youngest ever scorer at either a Euros or a World Cup, eclipsing the previous record set by a 17-year-old Pele back in 1958.

With Les Blues seemingly shellshocked, a reinvigorated Spain took the lead and turned the game on its head in the space of just four minutes as Dani Olmi – starting in place of the injured Pedri – found the back of Mike Maignan’s net via a Jules Kounde deflection.