Veteran full-back Kieran Trippier has contradicted his manager Gareth Southgate, refusing to accept tiredness as an excuse for England’s defeat to Spain in the 2024 European Championship (EURO 2024) final. Trippier claimed the Three Lions were up for the challenge, and they left their all on the pitch against Luis de la Fuente’s champions.
England Lost 2-1 To Spain In EURO 2024 Final
One of the tournament favorites England fell to a 2-1 defeat to Spain in the EURO 2024 final on Sunday, July 14. After a cagey first half, Nico Williams fired La Roja in front with a fine finish in the 47th minute. They could have doubled or even tripled their advantage in the following few minutes but scuffed their chances. After being under pressure for the majority of the game, Gareth Southgate’s side restored parity, thanks to Cole Palmer’s excellent outside-the-box finish in the 73rd minute.
Instead of pushing on for the winner, England dropped back, allowing Spain a passage into the game. De La Fuente’s side unapologetically capitalized, with Mikel Oyarzabal popping up with the winning goal in the 86th minute to seal the win.
Kieran Trippier Insists England Were Fully Fit For EURO Final
After the game, Southgate suggested a lack of energy contributed to England’s fate in the EURO 2024 final. Trippier, however, refuses to accept it. Speaking to the press, he claimed England were one of the fittest teams in EURO 2024 and said players gave it their all against Spain.
Trippier stated (via The Daily Mail):
“The team that we’ve got is fit. If you see the running stats, I think we’re probably the highest in the whole tournament. So that’s not an excuse.
“They [Spain] get the second goal and it’s always difficult when you’re chasing the game against a team like Spain. Football is all about fine margins. It’s one of those where the lads gave everything.”
Trippier started six games for England in EURO 2024, but Southgate deployed freshly fit Luke Shaw at left-back for the final against Spain. The Manchester United star was below his best in the game and had a difficult time keeping up with the effervescent Lamine Yamal.
Shaw was at fault for Williams’ goal early in the second half. He was out of position when Yamal received the ball from Dani Carvajal, which made it easy for the 17-year-old to find Williams toward the far post.
