3 key battles England lost in crushing Euro 2024 final defeat

England's long wait to add another trophy to the men's cabinet continues after a crushing 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

The Three Lions were never at their best all summer and were second-best against a Spain side who thoroughly deserved to end the tournament with their hands on the trophy.

Here are three key battles that England failed to win in the final.

Nico Williams vs Kyle Walker

Nico Williams was a massive threat from the opening whistle.

Kyle Walker actually had a pretty good go at stopping the Athletic Club star and definitely made a real impact in the first half, but those efforts were undone right after the restart when Williams opened the scoring for Spain.

England just couldn't find a way to stop Williams, who stepped up his game on the biggest stage.

Robin Le Normand vs Harry Kane

Harry Kane's disappointing Euro 2024 may well end with a share of the Golden Boot, but there's no denying he fell well short of expectations here.

Hooked after 60 uneventful minutes, Kane offered nothing during his time on the pitch as Robin Le Normand proved far too strong. The Real Sociedad defender was dominant in the air and really enjoyed Kane's limited movement.

It's no coincidence that England looked most dangerous when Kane was replaced by Ollie Watkins, whose runs in behind actually caused problems for Spain's defence.

Dani Olmo vs Declan Rice

Dani Olmo roamed all around the pitch to try and make things happen, and Declan Rice really struggled to keep up with him.

With Fabian Ruiz and Alvaro Morata helping to pull England's central spine apart, Rice simply did not have enough limbs to keep an eye on Olmo, who linked up with those around him to devastating effect.

It was a tactical choice from Spain that ultimately decided this game. England and Rice could not figure out how to match the overload in midfield.

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