BY SAB OSUJI

 

Spain on Sunday in Berlin, Germany, beat England 2-1 in the final of the 2024 European Championship, claiming her fourth title, thus, extending the Three Lions decades of wait for a piece of silverware, Exclusivenews.com.ng reports.

Nico Williams sent the La Roja in front, two minutes into the second period but Cole Palmer restored parity for the Southgate's side before Mikel Oyarzabal fetched the eventual match winner just three minutes before the final whistle.

As the fireworks erupted in Spain, in celebration of the 'special' victory in a tournament Spain won all her games, Adebayo Gbadebo, a Nigeria coach based in Thailand, said Spain's success didn't come to him as a surprise.

Gbadebo, a former Stationery Stores 'Flaming Flamingoes' of Lagos midfielder, told Exclusivenews.com.ng that Spain's Manager, Luis De La Fuente, is a firm believer in youth talents and has a rich history with youth football both at club and national team levels.

"Let me tell you one major secret of Spain's impressive run so far in the Euro2024 tournament in Germany", Gbadebo when Exclusivenews.com.ng called him up.

"The coach, Luis De La Fuente, is a strong believer in youth talents. He has worked at several clubs in Spain, including Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla youth teams. He's also worked at the youth level of the Spanish national team and I tell you, many of the players that represent Spain at the Euro2024 have played under him at some periods before now and as a result, understand each other very well as well as the Manager's philosophy.

"Such cohesion and understanding is always key to success in major competitions and this is what is going well for Spain".

It's said that the best of Spain’s talents have come through him, having earlier coached the nucleus of the team in junior ranks----Rodri, Unai Simon and Mikel Merino having featured in the eleven that lifted the U-19 Euros in 2015. Four years later, he guided a side featuring Fabian Ruiz, Dani Olmo and Mikel Oyarzabal to claim the Under-21 Euros.

Sunday's incredible win of  extraordinary significance takes Spain's Euro Championship success to four, following previous wins in 1964, 2008 and 2012.