EM-Finale - History written: Spain's EM-Heroes before "new era"
Lamine Yamal danced with a red-yellow cowboy hat on the table and filmed, while in the Dressing Room, the new European Champions' oversized glasses were filled with beer. The Spanish footballers' championship party after the 2:1 (0:0) in the EM Final against England began immediately after the final whistle - and was supposed to last deep into the night till Tuesday.
"A dream has come true", said Yamal, whose video, which reached millions of people, also captured the bare behinds of his teammates. On Saturday, the Spanish prodigy celebrated his 17th birthday. On Sunday, the FC Barcelona professional, who will train with Hansi Flick in the future, prepared the captain's goal - and on Monday, he was one of the faces of a furious team, whose future was predicted to be great in the winning rush.
"Hopefully it will continue like this with our national team – also at the World Championship", said the 22-year-old Nico Williams, after he had collected the trophy for the best player of the Final. "There has never been a European Champion with more goals, never a winner with seven consecutive victories", it read in the newspaper "Sport". In the "Mundo Deportivo", dreams of a "new era" in football were already being dreamed of.
"I am proud, I am happy", said National Coach Luis de la Fuente late in the Final night. "No one gave us anything." The 63-year-old repeatedly emphasized what a "privilege" it was to work with these players. With a generation that "has a great future ahead of it and can write history".
Worthy successors of the great winners
At the previous tournaments, the Spaniards had often struggled to step into the giant footsteps of the European and World Champions of 2008, 2010 and 2012. Players like Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres had shaped an era. "They always speak in Spain about the previous generation", said Rodri, who outperformed Germany at the World Cup and is still far from the end of his career at 28. "But now we have written history."
Rodri, Yamal, Williams, Marc Cucurella (25), Fabian Ruiz (28), RB Leipzig's Dani Olmo (26), the injured Barca star Pedri (21) - the skeleton of the Spanish European Champions could still play together for years. In addition come talents like the 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi, who was nominated for the U23 instead of the EM for the Olympics; or the 19-year-old Gavi, who missed the tournament due to a knee injury. "This is a unique team, we are all pulling in the same direction", said Williams.
Instead of being dominated by the blocks of the big clubs from Madrid and Barcelona as in previous generations, this Furia Roja appears more diverse. The training of new talents no longer only works in the well-known academies. The mood in Spain is comparable to that in Germany, where Julian Nagelsmann's national team was briefly the mood maker in difficult social-political times.
"This team deserves to bring the people onto the streets", it still read on the Internet page of the ever-euphoric Madrid sports newspaper "Marca" on Sunday. In the "AS", it was praised that the team had managed to "enchant the world with their football and their talents".
De la Fuente made an effort to put things into perspective far beyond football and sounded like the proudest father. "It's football, but here it's also about values, sports nourishes values", said the 63-year-old. "This generation sets an example, they are young players who have the will and the mentality to work hard." It's not just the final result that counts, "but the entire process. These players are an example for society because they embody these values."
"Not only pampered boys"
The national trainer didn't know to what extent football could influence society, he said. But people saw not just "simple pampered boys, but those who give everything", said de la Fuente. "It would be nice if people understood that, and we could show the young people what they can achieve in life."
The Spanish Football Association and the Spanish League have had numerous problems off the pitch in recent years. The former president Luis Rubiales, who kissed the World Cup winner Jennifer Hermoso unsolicited and unwillingly during the award ceremony last year, is the opposite of a role model. In the aftermath of the scandal, de la Fuente also came under pressure because he did not distance himself quickly enough. In addition, there are constant racist insults in the stadiums - against Williams in the spring.
"I think footballers have an influence on society," said the professional from Athletic Bilbao, who speaks out noticeably loudly about problems. "I think it's a historic shift that's happening right now." Williams' father and his pregnant sister-in-law Maria had fled from Ghana to Europe years ago, the family lived in poverty for a long time.
On Sunday evening, Williams was also congratulated by the Spanish King Felipe VI, who had traveled with his daughter to the final. During the tournament, the king had written and called several times, reported de la Fuente, who had spoken to Felipe VI in the dressing room before the final. Details he did not mention.
- After the celebration, the Champions' changing room was filled with laughter and cheer, echoing the triumph of the European Final against England.
- The future of Spanish football was a topic of discussion during the post-match celebration, with Nico Williams expressing his hope for continued success at the World Championship.
- In Berlin, the Sports World celebrated Spain's victory over England in the EM Final, with Lars Stindl and Nico Williams representing Germany and Spain respectively.
- Luis de la Fuente, the Spanish national coach, highlighted the privilege of working with such a talented and promising generation, predicting a great future for Spanish football.
- The win against England marked a new era in soccer for Spain, a successor to the great victories of Xavi, Iniesta, and Torres' era.
- Hansi Flick, the future coach of FC Barcelona's young talent Nico Williams, expressed his excitement at the prospect of working with Spain's upcoming soccer stars.
- Germany's Minister of Sport, Niels Annen, congratulated Spain on their win in the EM Final, emphasizing the importance of sports values in bridging national divides.
- In the bustling streets of Barcelona, fans celebrated Spain's victory, bringing back memories of the team's previous wins and setting their sights on future triumphs.
- The Football Association of Europe (UEFA) recognized Spain's impressive victory in the EM Final, predicting a bright future for Spanish and European soccer.
- Amidst the euphoria in Europe after Spain's EM Final victory, Berlin's historic Brandenburg Gate stood as a symbol of unity and shared passion for the beautiful game, embracing the spirit of sports.
