MATCH REPORT | Spain suffer honourable defeat after penalty shootout heartache (2-2) (5-3)

Despite the effort. Despite the pride. Despite the determination. Despite trying again and again. Luck, this time, was not on Spain’s side.

In front of a packed Munich Football Arena with more than 75,000 souls, the Spanish national team stepped onto the pitch with a clear intention: to fight for another continental title. An ambition pursued through stylish possession of the ball, the hallmark of this team. From Dean to Nico. From Nico to Pedri. From Pedri to Oyarzabal. The passing moves were constructed patiently and with quality.

Domination gradually shifted in Spain’s favour, and Zubimendi, the dynamo in midfield, would reflect that initial superiority in the 22nd minute: alert in the area, the Donostian took advantage of a moment of hesitation to score his second goal in the national team’s colours. A special, neatly taken goal that brought joy to the 15,000 Spaniards present in the Munich stadium.

But with Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva or Nuno Mendes, among others, it was never going to be easy. And it was the left-back, determined and accurate with his strike, who levelled the match two minutes later.

They say that finals bring out the great figures, players destined for special moments. Oyarzabal, scorer of the winning goal in the Euros, is one of them, Cristiano Ronaldo, too. The former scored put Spain back in front just before half-time and the latter got Portugal’s equaliser after the restart to make it 2-2. Clear evidence of a thrilling exchange of blows and the tightness of the match.

As the minutes passed, chances came at both ends, with Diogo Costa and Unai Simón standing out, both responsible for taking the match to extra time after fine saves from shots by Isco and Bruno Fernandes, the latter just moments before the end of regular time.

The champions would be decided by the smallest of details, a moment of magic. Pedro Porro would try with a surprise strike from the halfway line; Leão, for his part, constantly sought a gap in a formidable defence that gave him no way through. Inevitably, the penalty shootout would decide it—and this time, fortune would favour our opponents.

For the fifth Portuguese penalty, Rúben Neves struck a precise shot in to seal the match, one that could have gone either way. An huge effort without reward for a national team that can be proud of having given their all until the very last second.