Alex Keble looks at the England and Spain players who have starred at UEFA EURO 2024 and the key battles of every Premier League game between the two finalists, who meet in Berlin on Sunday.
Of the 103 Premier League players who traveled to Germany for UEFA EURO 2024, only 27 remain.
Spain, widely regarded as the tournament’s best performers and favorites to lift their first trophy since EURO 2012, have three Premier League stars in their ranks.
The other 24 are playing for Gareth Southgate’s England, who reached their second successive European Championship final with victory over Holland.
If the England men’s team win their first silverware since 1966, it will undoubtedly be the Premier League players who have defined this tournament, particularly given that Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have had quieter tournaments than expected.
Spain is more represented than LaLiga, as always, and yet Rodri and Marc Cucurella were crucial elements of Luis de la Fuente’s side.
Here’s a look at the Premier League finalists who starred at EURO 2024 – and what the key battles will be on Sunday.
Bucayo Saka
That penalty in the process against rivals Switzerland in the quarter-final and the cheeky smile that followed was a cathartic moment worth remembering for England fans.
However, Saka has done much more than that. In the absence of a functioning left wing – a result of the right-footed Kieran Trippier playing on that side – Saka was at the heart of most of England’s attacks, receiving more forward passes, with 74, than anyone else at EURO 2024.
He was certainly up to the challenge.
Xhaka’s dribbling down the right consistently drives England forward, as reflected in the stats: among all players at EURO 2024, he played the second most passes into the penalty area, with 12, completed the fourth most progressive transfers, with 28, and finished the fifth most withdrawals, with 14.
Kobbie Mainoo
It took Southgate a while to realize that Maino is England’s missing link. Luckily he got there before it was too late.
Since starting against Slovakia at 16, Mainoo has been arguably England’s best player, subtly mixing things together with his dynamic passing, press resistance and elegant risk-taking in this crowded central area.
It’s remarkable that someone so willing to play low-percentage passes that open the game is averaging a 91.9 percent completion rate.
Mainoo’s defensive work was equally impressive. He came in to win the ball high up the pitch countless times against Holland, and indeed his average of 1.82 tackles per 90 minutes is better than any other England player.
Rhodri
Unsurprisingly, the Manchester City fulcrum has been equally influential at the heart of Spain’s midfield.
Rodri continues to dictate the pace of games, creating a solid base that allows wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams to flourish even further.
His 40 forward passes ranks sixth at EURO 2024, while his pass completion rate of 93.3 per cent is third among midfielders, which is even more impressive when you consider that only 10 players have played more passes than 406 of.
You might expect him to rank a bit higher than that, but Spain’s evolution towards more direct attacking football has meant a slightly different role for Rodri. That it still excels says a lot.
Rice Declan
He was sent off by Xavi Simons before Holland’s early goal in the semi-final, but apart from that mistake, Rice has been quietly important for England.
The statistics reveal how much work he does. Rice is second among all players at EURO 2024 for combined tackles and interceptions, with 24, his 453 total passes ranks fourth, second for touches, with 554 and third for ball transfers, with 340.
In other words, Rice has been an all-action presence in England’s midfield, even if – with team performances often questionable – his contribution has often slipped under the radar.
Marc Cucurella
The Chelsea defender’s renaissance has been quite remarkable.
Cucurella has excelled in the latter half of the 2023/24 Premier League season as an inverted left-back under Mauricio Pochettino, Cucurella has found form in a more traditional role for Spain.
He interacts brilliantly with Williams on Spain’s left, diving upfield when Williams hugs the touchline and vice versa to create one-twos that constantly break opposition defenses open.
Spain’s three consecutive clean sheets in the group stages also seemed to indicate that Cucurella is not the defensive liability he has sometimes seen Chelsea to be.
Marc Guehi
When Harry Maguire was declared ineligible for EURO 2024, a mild panic spread across a nation that suddenly valued his aerial prowess, his leadership and his menace.
It feels like a long time now. Guehi fitted in perfectly, displaying the tactical intelligence and defensive heroics that Crystal Palace supporters are familiar with.
Guehi has been heavily involved on and off the ball. Only four players at Euro 2024 have attempted or completed more passes than Guehi, with 423 and 397 respectively, and no England star averages more touches per 90 minutes than his 85.5.
His 4.72 clearances per 90 minutes also ranks second among England players and he is seventh in the entire competition for blocked shots, with eight.
Guehi has not simply replaced Maguire. It was a remarkable upgrade.
Jordan Pickford
There are no statistics to support the idea that Pickford had a good tournament.
He doesn’t make many saves per game (2.54, the fourth fewest among goalkeepers who have started more than one match). Six goalkeepers have conceded fewer goals per game than his 0.6.
But Pickford’s role goes beyond raw numbers or tactical analysis. It is his explosive and confrontational personality that makes him such an important player for Southgate.
He makes the big saves when it matters, but more importantly, he exudes a confidence that is sure to rub off on his teammates.
His most notable impact came in the penalty shootout against Switzerland when he saved Manuel Akanji’s spot-kick and did his best to delay and clear the rest of the Swiss goalkeepers.
Although what sums up Pickford even more was the wink and thumbs up he gave Xherdan Shaqiri when he hit the post trying to score from a corner.
Almost aggressively self-assured, Pickford has developed into England’s mentality monster.
Base Battle 1: Saka v Cucurella
The battle on England’s right wing may just decide the final.
As we’ve already covered, the threat of Saka down the right has been England’s main weapon at EURO 2024 and he will entertain his chances against Cucurella despite the Chelsea left-back’s strong tournament so far.
Cucurella can be beaten one-on-one, as Blues fans know all too well: his tackle success rate in the Premier League last season was 53.1% lower than any other defender in Chelsea’s squad.
And Saka already knows how to beat him. In a 2-2 draw with Chelsea in October, Saka completed three tackles against Koukourela as part of a dominant performance for the Englishman in this side.
The next time the two sides met in April, Saka completed a tackle and was tackled by Koukourela – but it cannot be said that the battle was even. Arsenal won 5-0 and Saka – as in the 2-2 – got an assist.
But Cucurella v Saka is equally critical in the opposite direction.
So far, Saka’s potential defensive frailties as an out-of-position right wing-back have not been tested, which will of course change as Williams and Cukurella look to maneuver around the Arsenal winger.
That doesn’t mean Saka won’t make it. Southgate singled him out for praise for his “defensive responsibility” in the semi-final.
“He started defending as a full-back, then he had to go into midfield to defend, then he had to defend as a winger.”
This is his toughest test yet. How he performs, on both ends, could have a huge say in this matchup.
Base Battle 2: Rodri v Foden
Most expect Spain to dominate possession in this match, pressing England more than we have seen so far this tournament. Counterintuitively, this should encourage English fans.
Having to break a deep block is what makes England slow and static, while facing an attacking team like Spain will mean more gaps in transition for Bellingham and Phil Foden to create chances.
That will be England’s game plan: soak up pressure in a safe midfield, then spill when opportunities present themselves. The success of the system depends on how effectively England can stop Rodri from running the show.
Rodri and Phil Foden have won four consecutive PL titles together at Man City but will go head-to-head when Spain take on England
No one has been able to contain Rodri and Fabian Ruiz, the twin axis largely responsible for Spain’s record six wins from six matches, although Germany edged closer to the quarter-finals playing man-for-man in central midfield.
England’s new 3-4-2-1 formation puts Bellingham and Foden, the two No 10s, in exactly the right position to follow Rodri and Ruiz when Spain have possession.
If Foden can get past Rodri, disrupting his rhythm and preventing Spain’s easy passing from thirds, then England can gain ground.
Even better, if Foden can pull off an upset against Rodry – not impossible, given that against France, Rodry missed three passes in the first half and was tackled on his third in the second – England will enjoy a run in Spain defense.
