by It was a bit late and a bit lucky, but in the end the European champions scored the goal that completed their homecoming. Kasper Schmeichel had fought back for 79 minutes, but then Martín Zubimendi, whom Liverpool had failed to convince and whose coach calls the second-best midfielder in the world after the man he replaced, fired a volley past the Danish goalkeeper and into the net . Just when it looked like they wouldn’t score a goal for the Henri Delaunay Trophy, 29,870 people descended on Murcia, Spain’s party ended quite well after all.
It had fired twenty-four shots, including a diversion. It also took a lengthy VAR review to confirm this, with Denmark interim coach Lars Knudsen saying that the Joselu duel, in which the ball fell to Zubimendi, “didn’t look like a shoulder-to-head to me” . And yet Selection deserved the win that put them at the top of the group. Schmeichel had made five saves by then, two of them one-on-one with Álvaro Morata, but ultimately bore some of the responsibility for the defeat.
But Spain came to celebrate the champions on an evening, the first game on Spanish soil since winning the 2024 European Championship, even if not everyone made it. Of the starting eleven in Berlin, only Aymeric Laporte, Fabián Ruiz, Lamine Yamal and Morata started here. Unai Simón, Rodri, Robin Le Normand and Dani Olmo as well as Ferran Torres were left out of the squad due to injury; Dani Carvajal and Nico Williams were then eliminated.
Rodri and Carvajal suffered the worst fate, suffering torn knee ligaments. And amid an ever-lengthening schedule, injury has become an obsession, almost a psychosis, that dominated the build-up to this game. The concern is particularly great for 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, who took a few hits here. “What do you expect from them? Kiss him?” said Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente afterwards. “I would love it if it was all about flower power, but football is football.”
For some, all that mattered was that the players survived unscathed. But not for Spain’s players and not for those who lined the streets and stands here. Certainly not for Zubimendi, who replaced Rodri. “Rodri is the best in the world, irreplaceable, but Martín is the second best,” De la Fuente had said. “He radiates security from every pore; He doesn’t get nervous when tightrope walking without a safety net.” An excellent performance was rewarded with the winner.
Of the captain’s group, only Morata remained. This week he revealed that he had suffered from depression and anxiety and required medication and psychiatric treatment; Three months before the European Championships, he thought he wouldn’t be in Germany at all. Instead, he lifted the trophy after years of feeling misunderstood, and here he was lifting it again, presenting it to the fans who greeted him with the kind of warmth he had previously missed. “We have sought for Álvaro to give him affection and love and I am proud of that,” said De la Fuente. He was only missing a goal, the coach added, and that was because he was blocked by Schmeichel.
Denmark had not come to pay homage to him. As group winners, they wanted to do their part and get their points. They also had their first chance in front of 1,500 traveling fans: David Raya saved from Kasper Dolberg.
Spain were in the lead early on, but real chances were few and far between – Álex Grimaldo’s shot was easily saved, Zubimendi volleyed wide and Morata squeezed past the far post before Lamine Yamal’s curler was stopped – and the Intensity faded. Denmark began to find a way through. “We did some good things in the first half,” Knudsen said. Raya had to be quick after a sharp combination between Christian Eriksen and Albert Grønbæk, and in another exchange between Eriksen and Dolberg, the latter’s cross almost flew into the goal. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg’s shot was then deflected by Laporte and almost went under the crossbar.
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When Morata’s shot went well over the goal just before half-time, it sparked generous applause where once it might have drawn groans, and it was the first time in fifteen minutes that Spain had advanced. Next Lamine Yamal, clean through, hit over. The second period then began with Ruiz hitting the side netting. Spain dominated, but lacked a bit of impact. Until Ruiz brought Morata into the game with a beautiful pass. Schmeichel repeatedly stood in the way when Laporte played captain.
Denmark seemed happy with that, but Knudsen insisted: “It’s not voluntary, you have to respect that you’re dealing with a very good team.” Spain hadn’t done this yet, the pace quickened again, especially through the introduction of Álex Baena and Mikel Merino. Lamine’s quick feet created an opening, the teenager firing a shot that Schmeichel parried just as the first Mexican wave began its journey across the ground. Time flew by, but they were determined to enjoy it anyway. And when the ball fell to Zubimendi, they were able to really let loose. “I would like to thank Murcia; It was wonderful,” said De la Fuente.
