England will face off against Spain in the final of Euro 2024 on Monday morning.
If you’re only just tuning into the tournament now, here’s what you need to know and how you can follow the action.
What time is the Euros final in Australia?
3am AWST: Western Australia4.30am ACST: Northern Territory, South Australia5am AEST: Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria
Where can I watch the Euros final in Australia?
The tournament is being shown exclusively on Optus Sport in Australia — so it won’t be on free-to-air TV.
ABC Sport will live blog the match on the ABC News website.
Where will the Euro 2024 final be held?
The final will be held at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
Germany is hosting the tournament this year, the first time it has done so exclusively since West Germany did so in 1988.
Munich’s Allianz Arena hosted four matches in the COVID-impacted pan-continental competition in 2021.
Has England or Spain ever won the Euros?
Winning the Euros would be a big deal for both teams, in very different ways.
England has never won a European Championships.
They got close in 2021 by reaching the final, but ultimately went down to Italy in a penalty shootout, and have lost in the semifinals twice — as World Champions in 1968, when they finished third, and on home soil in 1996.
Meanwhile, a win for Spain would make it the country with the most European Championship wins, which it is currently tied with Germany/West Germany on three titles.
Spain has won the title in:
Spain came third at the 2021 tournament, losing to Italy in the semifinal.
Who is the favourite to win?
Spain has been the favourite to win the tournament since it knocked hosts Germany out in the quarterfinals.
England has struggled through many of their games and fan chatter online has likened the team’s performance to ‘failing upwards’.
Here’s how ABC sport reporter Simon Smale summarised how fans were feeling earlier this week:
“England has faced a deluge of criticism throughout the Euro 2024 tournament, having bored its way through to the knockout stages with performances that have, at best, been described as disjointed.
“Manager Gareth Southgate has born the brunt of that frustration, with his negative and conservative play being seen as stifling England’s bevvy of attacking players.”
There’s been far more optimism for the Three Lions following their semifinal win over The Netherlands, however.
Who are the players everyone’s talking about?
ENGLAND: Jude Bellingham
Age: 21
Position: Midfielder
Club: Real Madrid
Why everyone’s talking about him: He’s one of England’s most talented players, and he’s got holes in his socks.
It’s not a fashion statement and it’s not because they’re old — some players cut them in to relieve pressure on their calves and improve circulation.
Despite starring for Real Madrid this season — and scoring a stunner for England against Slovakia — Bellingham has underwhelmed for England so far this tournament. Although he is not alone in that.
ENGLAND: Harry Kane
Age: 30
Position: Striker
Club: Bayern Munich
Why everyone’s talking about him: Kane scored the first of two goals for England in the semifinal with a penalty — his record-extending 66th goal in 97 England appearances.
He also captains the England team, but has looked off the pace so far this tournament after a long Bundesliga season.
ENGLAND: Ollie Watkins
Age: 28
Position: Forward
Club: Aston Villa
Why everyone’s talking about him: Watkins scored a marvellous goal against the Netherlands to secure England’s place in the final.
A decade ago, he was playing in non-league semi-professional football for Weston-super-Mare.
SPAIN: Marc Cucurella
Age: 25
Position: Left-back or left-wing
Club: Chelsea
Why everyone’s talking about him: This would be attention Cucurella doesn’t want.
The drama started during Spain’s quarterfinal match against Germany.
The host team appealed for a penalty in the second period of extra time after a goal-bound shot connected with Cucurella’s outstretched hand.
Some onlookers say the incident should have been declared a handball and cost Germany a possible win. but according to UEFA’s criteria for handball, the decision made by the officials was the correct one.
Spectators were heard booing Cucurella during the semifinal match against France whenever he possessed the ball.
SPAIN: Mikel Merino
Age: 28
Position: Midfielder
Club: Real Sociedad
Why everyone’s talking about him: Merino scored a goal with just 65 seconds of extra time left in the quarterfinal, which propelled Spain into the semis.
His father, Ángel Miguel Merino, scored a goal for his club Osasuna in a UEFA Cup match in the same stadium 33 years earlier in 1991 — and the younger Merino mirrored his father’s celebration by running around the corner flag.
“He has outdone me in everything,” the senior Merino told Spanish radio station COPE.
“But I had scored in Stuttgart and he hadn’t. That was all I had left and he has gone and left me behind again.”
Incredibly, the same commentator for Spanish radio commentated on both goals.
SPAIN: Lamine Yamal
Age: 17
Position: Right wing
Club: Barcelona
Why everyone’s talking about him: For starters, his age is a big deal.
Yamal made history as the youngest scorer at a men’s major tournament during Spain’s semifinal match with a “wonder goal” against France.
He’s so young, in fact, he’s still in the Spanish school system and has been completing homework between games.
Photos of football legend Lionel Messi holding a six-month-old Yamal also went viral last week.
His family doesn’t actually know Messi — they were paired up for the photo shoot as part of a charity drive.
But it’s an uncanny coincidence for the two footballers, who fans often draw parallels between.
How often are the Euros held?
The competition is held every four years and scheduled to fall on the even-numbered years between FIFA World Cup tournaments.
The only exception to this pattern was for the 2020 tournament, which was postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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