If a major part of the definition of a good tournament is that the best team ends up lifting the trophy, then Euro 2024 moved a long way to passing the ‘good tournament’ test. By beating England 2-1, via late goals from both teams but no need for extra time, Spain stamped the same authority on the last match of the 51 that has kept large parts of the world captivated – or at least curious – as they had on their previous six.
Spain won all seven of their matches in Germany, a rarity in a competition that includes three group games and another three knockouts on the way to the final. They beat the previous holders Italy, pre-event favourites France, hosts Germany and an England who had seemed blessed by good luck even if their football was often drab. Gareth Southgate’s gifted but underperforming players at least honoured a habit of suspense in the Olimpiastadion with the kind of belated equaliser that characterised their lurch to Berlin, Cole Palmer coming off the bench and, within three minutes, answering Nico Williams’ smooth finish after fine work from the wonderfully precocious Lamine Yamal, shortly after half time.
But this time, England ran into opponents uninhibited by a late setback. A Spain substitute, Mikel Oyarzabal, delivered the winning goal with three minutes of the 90 remaining, which left enough time for the reliably influential Dani Olmo to clear a goal-bound England header off the line. With that, England’s hopes of ending a 58-year drought of major trophies died.
Olmo’s story typifies some of the best aspects of this Spain squad, not least their strength in depth. He started the tournament outside head coach Luis de la Fuente’s preferred starting side. He ended up among the tournament’s joint leading scorers. This having come off the bench more often than he had lined up at kick-off. He owed his promotion to the first XI to the injury picked up by Pedri in the quarter-final against Germany.
Nor would Fabian Ruiz, excellent in Spain’s midfield throughout, likely have established his key role had Barcelona’s Gavi, recuperating from cruciate ligament surgery, been available. The stand-ins all starred, no more so than when, halfway through Sunday’s final, the absolute governor of Spain’s midfield, Manchester City’s Rodri, had to be withdrawn with a muscle problem.
A Spain without Rodri looked like another blessing for England. It was not. Rodri’s half-time replacement, Martin Zubimendi, who has two competitive international starts on his resume, immediately set about knitting together a period of uninterrupted Spanish possession, of patient pass-and-move, that would lead to Williams’ opening goal. No Rodri? No problem. No Pedri or Gavi? Spain can manage.
Pedri and Gavi both play for Barcelona. Rodri is a Champions League and serial Premier League winner and could be glimpsed, as Zubimendi was being briefed, with his tracksuit top on, at the touchline, issuing his own advice to teammates on how to chase down Spain’s fourth European Championship title, their third of the tournament’s last five editions.
This being Rodri, there was no ostentation to his barking out of orders, his briefly supplementing the coaching staff. He is one of the least showy of football’s modern stars, discreet in his public appearances, reluctant to advertise himself for commercial spin-offs.
And there’s a modesty to the back-ups who manned the midfield in his absence. Olmo, 26, is from Catalonia, so grew up in Barcelona’s catchment area. But he made his professional debut for Dinamo Zagreb, and now plays for RB Leipzig. The only time in his senior career he’s been able to call himself a club champion is in the relatively unheralded Croatian league. Fabian, 28, only started winning league titles when he joined Paris Saint-Germain two years back, after stints at Real Betis and Napoli.
Zubimendi, 25, is at Real Sociedad, the club he grew up with. Club colleagues include Oyarzabal, Robin le Normand, the Spain centre-back, and Mikel Merino, match-winner for Spain against Germany. Quite a four weeks it has been for la Real, as Real Sociedad are known.
Quite a tournament, too, for the Basque region of Spain, home to la Real and to Athletic Bilbao, suppliers to the national team of the electric Williams and Unai Simon, whose aggressive, front-foot goalkeeping is a basis for probably the most efficient pressing game of any side at Euro 2024 – the event that concludes a European season in which Basque football already had plenty to boast about. Its native coaches, for a start, like Xabi Alonso, who led Bayer Leverkusen to a German domestic double, Mikel Arteta and Unai Emery who raised standards so high at Arsenal and Aston Villa respectively.
That Basque school of influence reached beyond the European season. Aymeric Laporte, a touchstone for Spain both as defender and passer from the back, came through the youth system at Athletic Bilbao before joining City and, last summer, Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. He had spent nine months hearing his place in the Spain team, his readiness for major international competition, questioned because he had moved to the ambitious Saudi Pro League.
On Sunday night, with his gold medal achieved, he settled some scores. “There was a lot of bad information and a lot of opinionating,” Laporte said. “I was very prepared for this tournament. The rest is history.”
Spain have made plenty of history. No one more thrillingly than Yamal, who only turned 17 the day before the final, scored a breathtaking goal in the semi, and assisted Williams’ strike against England. A year ago, he had never started a senior game for Barcelona, and was still being pursued for a future international career by Morocco, where his father comes from.
He and Williams, whose Ghana-born parents arrived in Spain seeking asylum in the 1990s – having travelled by land from west Africa and climbed over the border fence than separates Melilla from Morocco – find themselves celebrated as figureheads for a generation of Spaniards of Middle East and African heritage.
Williams finds himself coveted, too, all the more for his brilliant wing play at the Euros. Barcelona are the superclub who have least disguised their interest in triggering a buyout clause estimated at under €60 million in his Athletic contract.
As for Yamal, he will never have a year again like 2024. Yet he could still be playing elite football in 2044. By then he’ll be the same age as Lionel Messi – who on Sunday picked up another Copa America title with Argentina – is now.
From here on, the scrutiny on Yamal will suddenly be fiercer, the man-marking tighter, the distractions plenty. He’s about to start a new La Liga season with Barca where he’ll suddenly be the major star. It’s a season for which rivals Real Madrid will be arming themselves with a new megastar, the grown-up former prodigy Kylian Mbappe. Up next: 'Lamine versus Kylian', clasico after clasico. That should keep Spanish football centre stage.
Spain v England player ratings
More on Quran memorisation:
Results
Stage three:
1. Stefan Bissegger (SUI) EF Education-EasyPost, in 9-43
2. Filippo Ganna (ITA) Ineos Grenadiers, at 7s
3. Tom Dumoulin (NED) Jumbo-Visma, at 14s
4. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE-Team Emirates, at 18s
5. Joao Almeida (POR) UAE-Team Emirates, at 22s
6. Mikkel Bjerg (DEN) UAE-Team Emirates, at 24s
General Classification:
1. Stefan Bissegger (SUI) EF Education-EasyPost, in 9-13-02
2. Filippo Ganna (ITA) Ineos Grenadiers, at 7s
3. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin Fenix, at 12s
4. Tom Dumoulin (NED) Jumbo-Visma, at 14s
5. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE-Team Emirates, at 18s
6. Joao Almeida (POR) UAE-Team Emirates, at 22s
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Oppenheimer
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Rawat Al Reef, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Noof KB, Richard Mullen, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Seven Skies, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qaiss Aboud
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Jabalini, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: UAE Arabian Derby – Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Dergham Athbah, Richard Mullen, Mohamed Daggash
7.30pm: Emirates Championship – Group 1 (PA) Dh1,000,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
8pm: Abu Dhabi Championship – Group 3 (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Irish Freedom, Antonio Fresu, Satish Seemar
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Read more about the coronavirus
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Profile of Udrive
Date started: March 2016
Founder: Hasib Khan
Based: Dubai
Employees: 40
Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
