How England's Euro 2024 final with Spain will be won and lost

Here are some key areas where the final could be won or lost…

CAN ENGLAND STOP THE SPANISH WINGERS?

Spanish wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams (Image: PA)

Football has moved on from the days when flying wingers ripped down the wing, causing havoc for opposition full-backs. Right? Wrong. Or at least when it comes to Spain.

The Spanish side is like a throwback to days gone by, with 22-year-old Nico Williams tearing down the left-hand side while 16-year-old Lamine Yamal does exactly the same on the right flank.

While Dani Olmo and Fabian Ruiz have both had excellent tournaments, Spain’s main threat comes from the wide areas, especially when they break forward in the kind of lightning-quick counter-attacks that caused France so many problems in the semi-finals.

England’s defence has held up pretty well so far, but it will be tested tomorrow as never before. Assuming Gareth Southgate sticks with the five-man formation he has used in the last two games, Kyle Walker and Bukayo Saka will have to take care of Williams, while Kieran Trippier will be handed the task of shackling Yamal, with some help from Marc Guehi inside him.

Williams and Yamal have performed superbly so far, but neither has played in a game remotely as big as Sunday’s. Will that elevate their standards to an even higher level? Or might they freeze, enabling England’s much more experienced backline to contain them?

WILL ENGLAND BE AFFORDED ROOM IN WHICH TO PLAY?

England midfielder Phil Foden (Image: PA)

England’s best performance of the tournament so far by a distance came in the first half of their semi-final against the Netherlands. It is no coincidence that the 45 minutes in question was also the first time all tournament that had come at them rather than being primarily focused on defence.

While England’s play prior to their semi-final had largely been laboured and predictable, it certainly didn’t help that they were coming up against teams happy to drop their back four onto the edge of their 18-yard box, with another bank of four stationed less than ten yards further up the field. England’s players have spent a lot of their time passing sideways and backwards this tournament, but given the number of opponents in front of them, they have not had much choice.

In the first half against the Netherlands, they had midfield space in which to play. As a result, Phil Foden, in particular, looked transformed, with Jude Bellingham and Kobbie Mainoo also benefiting from being able to break forward into gaps. Things changed a bit in the second half, with the introduction of Wout Weghorst leading to the Dutch stiffening up their midfield.

Spain will look to attack on Sunday. That will ask questions of the English defence, but it could also create space in midfield and afford England the opportunity to counter-attack, something they have not really had all tournament. That might just transform the way Southgate’s side play.

CAN ENGLAND UNSETTLE RODRI?

Spain's central midfielder Rodri (Image: PA)

For all that Yamal has commanded the headlines since his semi-final heroics, Rodri remains Spain’s key performer. The Manchester City midfielder is integral to both sides of the Spanish game, plugging gaps and breaking up opposition attacks in front of the back four while also keeping the ball moving and threading through balls to the players in front of him.

England have to try to disrupt his rhythm, although as countless Premier League midfielders have discovered when lining up against City, that is easier said than done.

England will want to get Bellingham and Foden on the ball as much as possible, but when they are not in possession, the attacking-midfield duo are going to have to put in a shift, hassling, harrying and closing down both Rodri and Fabian Ruiz.

Allow the Spanish midfielders to dictate the pace and tempo of the game, and England will almost certainly be in trouble. Force them to play in a rhythm they are not so comfortable with, and their effectiveness should be diminished.

WILL ENGLAND’S SUBSTITUTES BE KEY AGAIN?

Gareth Southgate and Ollie Watkins (Image: PA)

The depth of England’s squad has been a major factor in their run to the final. Southgate might be criticised for being reluctant to make changes, but when he has turned to substitutes at these Euros, they have almost always made a major impact.

Ivan Toney set up Harry Kane’s winner in the last-16 defeat of Slovakia and nervelessly converted his penalty in the shootout win over Switzerland. Trent Alexander-Arnold was foot -perfect from the spot in the same game. Cole Palmer has been a positive influence whenever he has come onto the field, and then of course there is Ollie Watkins, England’s super-sub against the Dutch.

Spain brought on Mikel Merino to head home the winner in their quarter-final with Germany, but compare the strength of the two benches, and England undoubtedly come out on top.

If Southgate’s side can stay in the game for the opening hour, then the England boss knows he can turn to his bench for potential matchwinners. The longer the game goes, and especially if it heads into extra-time, the better England’s chances will become.

SHOULD WE GET READY FOR PENALTIES?

Ivan Toney scores in the shootout against Switzerland (Image: PA)

Could your nerves take it? The last Euros final was settled by penalties, with England suffering a heartbreaking defeat to Italy at Wembley. If there was to be a repeat on Sunday, though, Southgate’s side would start as favourites.

What was once a major weakness has become a considerable strength. Southgate and his staff have devoted a lot of time and attention to transforming the way England’s players approach penalties, both in terms of the mental challenges and the technical minutiae of a shootout.

England’s squad is packed with players who regularly take penalties for their clubs – Spain cannot say the same. In Jordan Pickford, England also boast a goalkeeper who has saved at least one spot-kick in all four of his penalty shootouts on the international stage.

In the past, England fans would have been terrified by the prospect of a final being settled on penalties. Now, they’d probably embrace that scenario with open arms.