Marking a momentous end to a dry spell spanning nearly 40 years, England’s Young Lions has emerged as champions of the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
They sealed the monumental win by defeating Spain with a slim 1-0 score in Saturday night’s dramatic final.
The only goal of the match came almost at the end of the first half, credited to Liverpool’s emerging star, Curtis Jones.
A deflection that occurred off Jones, during a free-kick from Manchester City’s Cole Palmer, proved decisive, sending the Spanish goalkeeper, Arnau Tenas, in the wrong direction and landing the ball in the net.
There was a ripple of anticipation when Spain’s Abel Ruiz seemingly scored after halftime.
However, the goal was immediately ruled out due to offside.
The night saw another Manchester City player, goalkeeper James Trafford, rise to prominence. He made a final minute penalty save, ensuring England’s first tournament win since 1984.