Gareth Southgate opts to maintain his 3-4-2-1 formation that proved so effective against Switzerland in their quarterfinal victory. Luke Shaw takes over Kieran Trippier at left wingback.
Kobbie Mainoo and Rice will form an energetic two-man midfield axis similar to Rodri and Ruiz’s duo of Rodri/Ruiz and Foden/Jude Bellingham/Foden up front, adding speed.
In this article, we will discuss the main points of Spain National Football Team vs England National Football Team Lineups.
Spain Starting XI:
| No. | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unai Simón | Goalkeeper |
| 20 | Dani Carvajal | Defender |
| 24 | Robin Le Normand | Defender |
| 14 | Aymeric Laporte | Defender |
| 3 | Marc Cucurella | Defender |
| 16 | Rodri | Midfielder |
| 8 | Fabián Ruiz | Midfielder |
| 19 | Dani Olmo | Midfielder |
| 15 | Lamine Yamal | Forward |
| 7 | Álvaro Morata (C) | Forward |
| 12 | Nico Williams | Forward |
England Starting XI:
| No. | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jordan Pickford | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Kyle Walker | Defender |
| 5 | John Stones | Defender |
| 6 | Marc Guéhi | Defender |
| 7 | Bukayo Saka | Midfielder |
| 26 | Kobbie Mainoo | Midfielder |
| 4 | Declan Rice | Midfielder |
| 3 | Luke Shaw | Midfielder |
| 11 | Phil Foden | Forward |
| 10 | Jude Bellingham | Forward |
| 9 | Harry Kane (C) | Forward |
In this match, Spain secured a 2-1 victory over England. Nico Williams opened the scoring, Cole Palmer equalized for England, and Mikel Oyarzabal netted the decisive goal for Spain.
Dani Carvajal
Dani Carvajal won his 25th trophy with Real Madrid this season – his sixth European Cup. Additionally, he was an integral component in Real’s triumphant 2024 Champions League final win and an integral component of Spain’s rise to world-beating status.
Real Madrid full-back Marcelo will start at right back alongside Diego Ramos and Sergio Varane as central defenders in Berlin. Marcelo played an essential part in Spain’s 2-0 semifinal win over Dortmund; his experience will serve him well come Berlin’s final.
Thibaut Courtois will lead his side from behind the goal, with Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger and Ferland Mendy providing solid defence. Jude Bellingham will miss out due to injury; however Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde return as starters in midfield alongside Dani Ceballos who will captain their side.
Robin Le Normand
Le Normand was forced to miss his last match due to an injury, but is expected to return for the final game of the season as fully fit. If healthy, Le Normand should start every other match this year and should feature on the team sheet again.
Le Normand is an indispensable component of Spain’s defense, known for his physicality and ball-winning abilities which enable him to dominate on defense while also controlling opposing attacks with ease. Additionally, this defender can break up play with an upfield pass or two. Luis de la Fuente must choose among Le Normand among other defenders during future matches.
Marc Cucurella
Mikel Oyarzabal made history when he scored from Mike Cucurella’s left-wing delivery at the final, giving Spain victory and capping an outstanding tournament for Chelsea defender Mikel Oyarzabal. At 25, the 25-year-old had already been capped by La Roja at every youth level before making his senior debut, starting all group matches except one dead rubber final group match while impressing with underlapping runs down the left-hand side in combination with Nico Williams.
Cucurella has started every EPL game for Chelsea this season and will likely return to the starting lineup against former teammate Jack Stephens, who was sent off after tugging on Cucurella’s hair during Southampton’s loss against Tottenham.
Fabian Ruiz
Ruiz played an instrumental role in Spain’s impressive 3-0 opening win against Croatia at Euro 2024 qualifying stage, scoring and providing assists. Luis de la Fuente’s side will look to use Ruiz again against Italy on Thursday as they begin their Euro campaign campaign.
He averages an impressive 4.6 progressive passes per 90, the third-highest rate among his teammates Aymeric Laporte and Lamine Yamal, providing teammates with access to deep positions for attack. Furthermore, his defensive performance has been noteworthy as well, notching four interceptions and three clearances across two games.
He set up Alvaro Morata’s opening goal with an excellent through ball in the final game of the season for his club, guaranteeing himself selection for this tournament despite suffering a shoulder injury during that game. However, in order for that decision to stand firmly he must overcome it quickly in order to remain part of his squad.
Rodri
Rodri is an integral component of Luis de la Fuente’s possession-based tiki-taka strategy and will look to disrupt England’s passing game from the centre of the park. He will face off against players like Kobbie Mainoo and Rice, who may struggle with managing Spain’s creative players and controlling tempo.
As part of his duties, Kieran Trippier may need to drop deeper in order to cover for Nico Williams and 17-year-old Lamine Yamal’s pace, while Shaw may fill a left wing-back role or alternatively Gareth Southgate may opt for Bukayo Saka on the right flank.
Lamal
Lamal is one of Spain’s key players. He boasts an aggressive physical presence and is widely renowned for his goal-scoring prowess – particularly with his head. Due to his impressive club form he earned himself a spot on Luis de la Fuente’s national squad.
Lamine Yamal, just 16 years old, has made quite an impression at this tournament for Spain. Starting their opening two games and submerging during their final group game against Albania, Lamine Yamal has already set several records at this tournament.
Yamal will likely start in the final against England despite his young age; however, should he go the full 90 minutes, this would technically violate German law – they stipulate that under-18s cannot work past 8pm; athletes however may be exempted; this could potentially incur a fine from RFEF should this occur.
Olmo
Manchester City midfielder Nemanja Vidic has not experienced defeat for either club or country in over one year – serving as an anchor point around which their diverse creative forces can unleash their magic.
Rodri’s injury will be a setback for Switzerland, along with Gavi’s hamstring issue and Nico Williams’ hip issue; but other than these two major concerns there should be no major concerns in their camp.
Granit Xhaka will captain the side, with Manuel Akanji and Christian Witzig joining Manuel Akanji and Christian Witzig in defence. Timi Max Elsnik and Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig should pass late fitness tests and join Timi Xhaka. RB Leipzig duo Timi Max Elsnik and Benjamin Sesko may make appearances. Finally, Lewis Hall and Taylor Harwood-Bellis have been selected as debutantes – Interim manager Lee Carsley is still placing faith in young players for one last match before Thomas Tuchel takes over management of his final match-up before Thomas Tuchel takes control.
Yamal
Spain’s victory at Euro 2024 final was an extraordinary accomplishment that brought to an end their remarkable run that included three consecutive major tournament victories. Spain’s golden age was highlighted by their success playing “tiki-taka,” but success had come even prior.
Mikel Oryazabal’s late strike helped Spain secure their fourth European crown and end a 60-year wait for national glory.
Marc Casado is another newcomer who has caught De la Fuente’s eye with his performances for Espanyol and Barcelona, drawing De la Fuente’s attention with his performances for both sides. As Rodri and Zubimendi move further back in the midfield, providing greater depth for De la Fuente’s squad. Additionally, he boasts Champions League experience having scored for Real Madrid against Arsenal as well as being second most prolific goal scorer this season in La Liga.
Nico Williams
Spain rely heavily on their possession-based tiki-taka style of play to win matches. Their system focuses on controlling possession through patient build-up play before using precise passing in the final third to break down opponents and win matches.
Dani Carvajal returns from suspension and should start at right back against Kieran Trippier or Luke Shaw. Luis de la Fuente must make a decision between Robin Le Normand and Nacho for starting alongside Aymeric Laporte at center back.
Gareth Southgate boasts a deep squad, so should utilize Kobbie Mainoo, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Phil Foden in the second half. In addition, wingers Cole Palmer or Ivan Toney could come on to attack defenders and create chances. England semifinal hero Ollie Watkins could also be considered.
Alvaro Morata
Alvaro Morata may only have scored one goal against France during Spain’s Euro 2024 semifinal win, yet he should still be fit enough to lead his squad into Sunday’s final match despite some health concerns. But Alvaro Morata must overcome those obstacles to ensure his health holds out until then.
Morata was involved in an unsettling incident after the final whistle when he was struck by what appears to have been a security guard trying to chase away an intruder onto the pitch, who lost control of his footing and struck Morata with enough force that it sent him tumbling to the floor and left Spain forward holding his knee.
Luis de la Fuente will hope Morata recovers quickly from his head injury to be available for the final. Morata remains a key member of his attacking unit alongside Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams.