Football often divides opinion - but everyone was united to hail Spain's Euro 2024 success as fully deserved. La Roja won all seven games without needing penalties, a record at a European Championship. A 2-1 win over England in the final made them European champions for an unprecedented fourth time. And they did it the hard way, beating every other European nation who have ever won a World Cup - Italy, Germany, France and England, plus beaten 2018 finalists Croatia - on the way to glory in Berlin. In Rodri they had the player of the tournament. In teenage sensation Lamine Yamal they had the young player of the tournament. Dani Olmo shared the Golden Boot. Yamal had the most assists. It is easy to forget they did not come into the tournament as one of the absolute favourites, with England and France the two tipped for glory. Even England boss Gareth Southgate admitted Spain were deserved champions. "Congratulations to Spain. They deserved a win not only tonight, but across the whole tournament," he told OceanNewsUK.
