There will be plenty of intriguing tactical and individual contests between Spain and England in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin on Sunday.
Will England field three players? Should Spain bring back their key suspended players for the semi-finals? Will Alvaro Morata be fit? Should England field Luke Shaw?
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There will be many different scenarios running through the minds of Spain’s Luis de la Fuente and England’s Gareth Southgate in the lead up to the final at the Olympiastadion.
Both teams have reached the final in different ways, but they got there. Now it’s about picking the right team, the best formation and hoping for luck.
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Below we take a look at the predicted lineups for both Spain and England and how they might play the game.
Spain’s probable lineup (4-2-3-1)
— Simon —
—- Carvajal —- Le Normand —- Laporte —- Cucurella —-
—— Rodri —— Ruiz ——
—— Lamal —— Olmo —— Williams ——
——- Morata ——-
Obviously Morata suffered the injury after slipping on a security guard (due to getting too close to a pitch invader) during the post-match celebrations in Munich after the semi-final win against France. If he is fit he will start but Ferran Torres or Joselu are the options and both give them something different. Joselu will hold up the ball like Morata but Torres can make great runs from the back and stretch the England defence for the trio. If Morata is fit, Torres is a great option to come on in the second half. We should expect both Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand to come back in defence after serving their suspensions for the semi-final. Carvajal will play a key role in stopping Luke Shaw or Kieran Trippier while he will come forward to support Lamal and try to push England back. Le Normand has been doing well in this tournament but there is logic in keeping experienced centre back Nacho at his expense and that is probably the biggest decision Luis de la Fuente has made. The midfield duo of Rodri and Fabian Ruiz have been superb, and ahead of them Lamal, Olmo (replacing the injured Pedri) and Williams are the keys to Spain’s victory. If this trio is in full form – as they have been for most of this tournament – Spain will surely win with ease.
England’s probable lineup (3-4-2-1)
——- Pickford ——-
—- Walker —- Stones —- Guehi —-
—- saka —- mainu —- rice —- sho —-
—— Foden —— Bellingham ——
——- Ken ——-
It looks like Gareth Southgate might stick with three players at left back as this has given England’s team a new lease of life in the tournament. The whole team looks more comfortable in this system and it still maintains England’s defensive solidity but also allows their most creative players to get more attention on the ball in dangerous areas. The only real selection dilemma for Southgate is Luke Shaw or Kieran Trippier at left back. It will be both but Shaw should start after his return from injury and it will be a huge bonus if he lasts 60 minutes against Yamal. Shaw’s attacking instincts will help push the Spanish teenage sensation back and then Trippier can come in to provide more defensive solutions on the left or Saka can switch flanks and Trippier then moves to right wing-back. The rest of the team picks itself as Manu and Rice have the big task of snatching control of the midfield from Ruiz and Rodri and stopping Spain’s forwards getting the ball. Harry Kane has struggled for fitness and mobility, but he produced one of his best performances of the tournament against the Netherlands in the semi-finals and provided England with a great focal point. Even though Ollie Watkins was the hero, Southgate will start with his most experienced and strongest squad, confident that Watkins, Ivan Toney, Cole Palmer and others can make a big impact off the bench.
