Paul Merson predicts Spain vs England Euro 2024 final
I predicted an England v France final at the start of the tournament and nearly got it right! Full credit to Spain for playing the way they have and storming into the Euro 2024 final - who would have thought? To win after being 1-0 down against a team like France is unreal, they've been a breath of fresh air over the past few weeks.
Lamine Yamal being just 16 is absolutely ridiculous, 16-year-olds are supposed to be in school! I just can't put into words how good his goal was against France but I liked Dani Olmo's goal more. The touch to set himself up and the finish were both out of the top drawer, I'm glad it didn't go down as an own goal as Olmo deserves to be credited for his moment of brilliance. I think he's been absolutely brilliant in the knockouts and he wasn't even playing at the start of the tournament. Amazing footballer - you look around and think he would start for most good teams across the continent.
As for the England game, they stumbled over the line in the dying moments of the game but Gareth Southgate and his team keep finding a way! Removing Harry Kane for Ollie Watkins was the right move, what a goal he scored as well! If Messi had scored that goal, we'd all be going mad about it this morning - it was a worldie of the highest order. He takes a touch and hits it so early, no goalkeeper in the world is saving that.
There's been a lot of talk about the penalty decision in the first half, but in my opinion, that's a stonewall penalty. A challenge like that is deemed as a foul anywhere else across the pitch, so why should it be any different inside the penalty box? Denzel Dumfries didn't argue as well, which just goes to show that he probably thought he was guilty. Kane fizzled out as the game went on but I thought he did really well to score from the spot. After missing against France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a high pressure penalty becomes all the more harder as the goal looks smaller!
England were outstanding in the first half and absolutely destroyed Holland, but fair play to Ronald Koeman as his side looked a lot better after the interval. In fact, before Watkins' winner, I thought Holland looked more likely to score the winner than England as they grew into the game in the second half.
Spain won't do what Holland did against England - they will play their own game and look to take the game to the opposition as they've done so at Euro 2024 so far. England have been solid with three at the back, but with Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams on the flanks, Spain have the perfect set-up to play against a team that lines up with a back three. It's going to be a game of chess - which one of these two sides will blink first? I can't really explain this, but I think England will just nick it or Spain will blow England out of the water.
I strongly believe the game will be decided by the midfield battle. Jude Bellingham is a big-game player but he didn't get going at all against Holland and I thought he was lucky not to be substituted. That said, he always finds another gear when his team needs him and showed his class as he won a crucial foul near the touchline to see off the game.
If the England side that played the first half against Holland shows up, then I fancy them to get the job done. Spain will not change the way they play, so it all depends on which England side shows up on the day. Luke Shaw got some more minutes under his belt and I expect him to start this game. I just hope England go with four at the back as the likes of Kyle Walker and Shaw can be tasked with handling Williams and Yamal, while the two central defenders can try to neutralize Alvaro Morata's threat.
Prediction: Spain 1-2 England