Kieran Trippier, John Stones Ivan Toney, Declan Rice, Phil Foden are disappointed during the UEFA EURO 2024 Final match between Spain and England at the Olympiastadion on July 14, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. ANP

England made history at Euro 2024, but not the kind it hoped for

By Sai Mohan | Last updated Jul 15, 2024 9:20 AM ET

England's quest for a maiden Euro title ended in heartbreak Sunday when Mikel Oyarzabal netted a sensational 86th-minute goal to give Spain a 2-1 victory.

A win would have marked a historic night for the Three Lions, giving them their first European Championship and only major tournament victory since the 1966 World Cup.

England made history regardless, becoming the first nation in Euro history to lose consecutive finals following its loss to Italy at Euro 2020. As a byproduct of the result, Gareth Southgate became the first manager in Euro history to end up on the losing side in two finals, per Opta Analyst.

2 - England have become the first nation in UEFA European Championship history to lose consecutive finals. Bridesmaids. pic.twitter.com/VkYq0Gj7CZ
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 14, 2024

The only country that came close to the undesirable feat was Germany in 1996 when Oliver Bierhoff's 95th-minute golden goal saved the day against Czechia. The Germans were four years removed from a loss to Denmark in the 1992 Euro final and dangerously close to back-to-back defeats.

Most Euro games without a title

England's loss Sunday also extended another Euro streak that illustrates its inability to complete the mission. The country has now played 45 matches at the event without winning the title, 19 more than any other nation to have never gone the distance. Belgium, at 26 games, is second on the list.

The drought must feel all the more excruciating for England fans due to their country's inability to close the deal in big moments. Even England captain Harry Kane couldn't contain his emotions after the loss as he sulked with his teammates on the sidelines of the Olympiastadion.

"Losing in a final is as tough as it gets. It's as painful as it could be in a football match," Kane said, just a few years removed from the heartbreak of Wembley against Italy.

All England can do is trudge on and try again at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. And then again at Euro 2028. The drought has to end eventually, right? It'll mean all the more if and when it does.

Sai Mohan

A veteran sportswriter based in Portugal, Sai covers the NBA for Yardbarker and a few local news outlets. He had the honor of covering sporting events across four different continents as a newspaper reporter. Some of his all-time favorite athletes include Mike Tyson, Larry Bird, Luís Figo, Ayrton Senna and Steffi Graf.

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