Spain beat France to reach Euro 2024 final

Tournament favourite, Spain have booked their place in the final of Euro 2024 with a comeback win over France in the semi-finals.

France took the lead when Randal Kolo Muani headed in a brilliant cross from Kylian Mbappe after just nine minutes. But their defence was broken down 12 minutes later when Lamine Yamal curled in a fantastic long-rang strike to become the youngest goalscorer in the history of the European Championships.

Four minutes later, Dani Olmo brought down a rebound superbly before taking the ball away from Aurélien Tchouaméni and firing a shot towards the far post which an unlucky Jules Kounde turned into his own net.

France boss Didier Deschamps made three changes just after the hour mark, but his side failed to break down a solid Spanish defence. La Roja ultimately held on to win as they settled for a 2-1 scoreline, ensuring they have reached a final of a major tournament for the first time since Euro 2012. Here, Mirror Football rounds up the biggest talking points from the game.

Too little, too late from Mbappe
We have waited all tournament to see the best of Kylian Mbappe as he struggled through injury. As well as a back issue, the superstar broke his nose in France’s first game, forcing him to play with a protective mask up to now.

The France captain ditched it for this semi-final clash and immediately looked much brighter. Just nine minutes in, he found space before delivering an inch-perfect cross to Randal Kolo Muani who headed in the opener.

With Spain right-back Jesus Navas on a yellow-card after just 13 minutes, the stage looked set for Mbappe to finally arrive. That didn’t quite happen though, with Spain deploying a strategy of doubling up on the Real Madrid star, which kept him from making a sizeable impact.

After a few early chances, it looked plausible that France may be able to hold off Spain. But up stepped 16-year-old Lamine Yamal, who curled in a stunning equaliser after 21 minutes of the first-half.

After receiving the ball 30 yards out, Yamal set himself up before firing a shot that bounced off the post and into the net. It was a superb strike and made the Barcelona star the youngest goalscorer in the history of the European Championships.

Given he is just 16 years, 11 months, 26 days, it is a record that looks set to stand for some time to come. Yamal has been one of the brightest stars of this summer’s tournament and gave France left-back Theo Hernandez problems for much of the evening.

France entered this semi-final with the tournament’s best defensive record, with Robert Lewandowski’s penalty in the group stages the only goal they had conceded up to this point.

But in the space of four first-half minutes, their defensive walls crumbled. First, Yamal scored his stunning equaliser, before the unfortunate Jules Kounde turned Dani Olmo’s shot into his own net.

France’s progression at this tournament had been built on defensive solidity, but the Spanish caused Les Bleus huge problems at the back. With their initial tactical plans in tatters, the French became far more open.

Questions for Deschamps

France entered the tournament as one of the most-fancied squads, with an array of attacking talent. But boss Didier Deschamps has struggled to get his forward line to fire, instead focusing on defensive solidity.

It is a strategy that has served him well in his 12 years in charge, but given the wealth of talent at his disposal, some may feel France should have added a European Championship to the World Cup they won in 2018.

Questions will surely now come over Deschamps’ future, with France struggling to break down Spain after falling behind. After more than a decade at the helm, this could well have been his last game in charge after another missed opportunity.

Spain march on
Spain have undoubtedly been the best team at Euro 2024, easing through the group stage and the Last 16 before squeezing past hosts Germany in the quarter-finals. This win is easily their best so far as they fought back from a goal down.