[soccerstats lang=1 type=4 ranking=1001 group=group-a]
Spain Shines Bright in Euro 2024 Opener
The road to Euro 2024 glory in Germany kicked off in style for Spain, as the three-time champions made a big statement with an impressive 3-0 victory over Croatia in the German capital of Berlin. Luis Enrique’s side was simply too much for the Croatians to handle on this night.
Spain wasted no time in seizing control, bursting out of the gates with an energetic and attacking approach that Croatia could not contain. The opening goal came on 29 minutes through the clinical finishing of Alvaro Morata. The striker’s movement carved out space at the near post and he made no mistake with a smart steering of Dani Olmo’s driven cross into the corner of the net.
If that opener was a blow to Croatian confidence, the next two Spanish strikes just minutes later knocked them down for the count. On 32 minutes, Ruiz shuffles in between three or four Croatian defenders, and then finds just enough space to sneak in a shot towards the right post from the top of the box.
As the Croatian players tried to gather themselves, Spain showed no mercy in putting the game fully to bed before halftime. A lung-busting run down the right from 16-year-old Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal saw him pull the ball back for the arriving Dani Carvajal to lash home a third with a first-time finishing strike in the 42nd minute.
Just like that, in the span of 13 minutes, a highly-anticipated Group B opener had become a walking re-run for Zlatko Dalic’s Croatia. They had simply been overwhelmed by Spain’s intensity, movement, and clinical edge.
To their credit, Croatia did manage to settle after the halftime reset, finding a bit more defensive resolve and cutting off Spain’s inroads in the final third. But the harsh truth was that the game had already been decided long before that.
Croatia’s lone true chance came in the 80th minute after Ivan Perisic was dragged down in the box, earning a penalty kick. Up stepped Bruno Petkovic to take the kick, but his firm strike was beaten away by the strong left hand of Spain’s Unai Simon. The rebound fell straight back to Petkovic, who slammed it home, but the celebrations were cut short with the goal immediately disallowed as Perisic had encroached into the box before the kick.
So there would be no consolation for Croatia on this night as Spain’s youngsters capped their fine evening’s work with a clean sheet. While the 3-0 scoreline fairly reflected the match, it was the manner of Spain’s dominance that truly stood out.
From experienced figures like Morata, Olmo and Simon to rising stars like Rodri, Yamal and Pedri, Spain looked a cohesive, vibrant unit brimming with quality all over the pitch. Their movement, decision-making and execution in the final third was of the highest order.
For the new breed of Spanish talents, it was the ideal launchpad to introduce themselves on the biggest stage. Yamal made history, becoming the youngest player ever at a European Championship at 16 years and 338 days old. The Barcelona academy product showed flashes of his prodigious skill and poise far beyond his years in setting up the third goal.
Rodri and Pedri were two other teens who made a big impression pulling the strings in midfield. The pair oozed class and confidence, spraying the ball around confidently while showcasing the technique and awareness that has seen them earmarked as future greats of the Spanish game.
While it’s still early days, Spain looks to have another fun, talented crop emerging to uphold the stylistic identity that has made them global trendsetters over the past two decades. If Saturday’s performance was any indication, Spanish soccer is in very good hands for the years to come.
Of course, Croatia will be massively disappointed with an opening result that already leaves them facing an uphill climb in a tricky Group B alongside Italy and upstart Albania. At 37 years old, this may well have been the last European Championship cycle for legendary captain Luka Modric. He and Croatia will have to bounce back quickly with improved showings if they want to prolong their run.
As for Spain, Luis Enrique’s charges have laid down an early marker for the rest of the competition. They’ll look to ride this momentum into further statement wins over Albania and Italy in the coming days. If they can keep up this level, Spain could be gearing up for another fun summer as a true Euro 2024 contender has potentially announced itself to the field.
In any case, Germany 2024 got off to a brilliant start in Berlin with Spain’s young stars shining ever so bright on the big stage. The future looks very bright for this new era of La Roja.
