Spain European champions: Nico Williams and Oyarzabal score the victory in Basque

The sense of a destiny that had to be fulfilled, and was fulfilled. It is what remains of the night in Berlin, in which Spain won the fourth continental title in its history, the third in the last five editions (and when they failed, the Iberians always lost to the Azzurri, in 2016 and 2021). Ineluctable, the Iberian triumph, son of seven victories in as many matches on German soil. It is almost unfortunate, to see the disappointment on their faces, that it is still England who have to surrender in the last act, after the penalty shoot-out defeat three years ago at Wembley against Mancini's Italy. But Southgate and his boys were unable to overturn a destiny written in and by the stars, especially the emerging ones (see Nico Williams and Yamal), and on the legendary turf of the Olympiastadion.

Nothingness. Not a cosmic void, but a continental one, one might say. That's what happens in the first half. And it is already a victory for Southgate's Three Lions, who flood the engine of the Red Furies. Yamal, who until yesterday had been flying with the lightness of his 16 years of age, suddenly seemed to feel the full weight of the 17 years he had just turned 17: the English coach put on his trail the trusty Shaw, the man who three years ago pierced Gigio Donnarumma after just two minutes. Weighed down by the injury that has conditioned him for the whole year, putting his call-up at risk, the Manchester United full-back however takes pace and pace from the talented Blaugrana, anaesthetising him. The same thing on the other flank is done by Walker with Nico Williams. And so Spain also struggled to find space, while up front the English did little (with Keane and Bellingham also concentrating on the containment phase), but at least they created a chance for Foden at the end of the match, whose diagonal left-footed shot went docilely through Unai Simon's hands.

De La Fuente then descends into the cellar to fish out the right wine for the occasion. And the Spanish coach does not lack courage, if it is true that in the locker room there is still the mammasantissima Rodri (in truth, he is also injured), who in midfield leaves room for Real Sociedad's brain Zubimendi. A clear and explicit message to the ranks: ball speed is needed. And as soon as the game resumed, four touches and Spain took the lead through the Carvajal-Yamal-Nico Williams axis, with the Blaugrana cutting in towards the centre and then opening the scoring for the Athletic Bilbao outside forward, who thundered past Pickford with his left. Despite captain Kane's exhortations, the Whites felt the blow and first Morata and then Williams again came close to doubling the score. After an hour Southgate anticipated the move that had already decided the semi-final against the Netherlands: out came Kane, in came Watkins, more agile and ready to attack the spaces. Bellingham fired a left-footer wide, but it was Pickford's gloves again, saving on Yamal, that kept England clinging to their European dream.

When he comes in, good things usually happen for England. His name is Cole Palmer, class of 2002, Chelsea's outside forward. Even Southgate noticed it, who brought him in from the bench in the 70th minute in place of Mainoo. Three minutes passed and the Anglo-Saxon reply to Nico Williams signed the equalizer, with a fine left-footer from outside the box after Saka's scramble and Bellingham's finish: one to one and the destination of the trophy named after Henry Delaunay (whom Gorgio Chiellini brought onto the pitch to represent champion Italy at Wembley) still to be decided, while Pickford said no again to Yamal.

Two minutes before Palmer's entrance, De La Fuente had in turn made another change, replacing Morata with Real Sociedad's pocket bomber, Oyarzabal. A true penalty area hawk, he confirmed his fame in the 85th minute, when on an assist from Cucurella, inspired by himself, he mocked Guehi and anticipated Pickford, this time beaten again: 2-1 to the Spaniards, and England saw the ghosts of Wembley again. The final assault saw Rice and Guehi's dunks repelled first by Unai Simon and then, on the goal-line, by Dani Olmo. Signs of destiny written on the lawn of the Olympiastadion, amid English tears and the unstoppable joy of the Red Furies.