To view Spain’s winning goal, scroll down.

If you continue to live a risky lifestyle, you will ultimately trip and break your necks. 

Throughout the entire competition, Gareth Southgate’s team had been walking a tightrope, losing all four of their knockout matches.

17It was heartbreak for England again in the finalCredit: Reuters17England became the first side to ever lose back-to-back Euros finalsCredit: Getty17The Three Lions were just minutes away from forcing the match to extra-timeCredit: GettyGareth Southgate now has a decision to make on his futureCredit: AFPAlvaro Morata lifted the trophy for SpainCredit: ReutersSpain won every game without the need for a penalty shootout in the tournamentCredit: RexNico Williams finished coolly to put Spain 1-0 upCredit: ReutersCole Palmer had an instant impact off the bench as he equalised with a brilliant strikeCredit: ReutersOnly for Mikel Oyarzabal to score the winnerCredit: GettyAnd although it looked like supersub Cole Palmer had an equaliser and may have saved them, in the 86th minute Mikel Oyarzabal struck the winning goal for Spain’s deserving champions. England had performed poorly for the majority of the Euros, and they were mainly outmatched in the championship match.This was not a spectacular failure, even though there was anguish at the conclusion. Spain has been a far superior football side during the last four weeks compared to England, who appeared to be a team at that point. And so it proved to be in the end: Palmer gave England a mere minute of play, while Spain went on and annihilated England.Football isn’t coming home because the Three Lions are the first team in history to lose consecutive European Championship final games. There’s little doubt that Southgate is departing shortly. He has brought England a great deal of attention over the past eight years, but after two finals, a semi-final, and a quarter-final, he will be remembered as an almost man. Nevertheless, an almost man who succeeded a great deal of nowhere-near men.Williams scored just a minute into the second-halfCredit: GettyPalmer’s goal gave fans belief of a turnaroundCredit: GettyOyarzabal netted the winner and was the heroCredit: Getty

If there was optimism in England prior to the start of the game, it was because of the amazing strangeness of this road movie to Berlin.

With a last-minute winner in the semi-final, five flawless shoot-out spot-kicks, and an equaliser in injury time, Southgate’s team appeared to have overcome some long-standing English shortcomings.

We had never experienced those kinds of things before Southgate arrived.

A sense of destiny had taken the place of fatalism, despite how much more spectacular the Spanish arrival had been.

The English, with their golden tickets to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory in their phones, had travelled in their tens of thousands, wide-eyed and hungrily.

A major final in the German city of all places, and for those who could recall the 1990s, the joy of a major final on foreign land.

It was not at all like the miserable evening at Wembley that occurred three years prior.

For his first start since February 18 at Luton, Luke Shaw—the only Englishman to score in a major international final in the previous fifty years—was back.

Adolf Hitler was defied by Jesse Owens in this dramatic arena far from Kenilworth Road.

Although Spain began with a matador’s stride, resembling a squad that had come off the heels of six straight victories—none of which came via penalties—the English were in excellent voice.

John Stones had to make a pinpoint tackle on the edge of the six-yard box to stop Nico Williams, who was a dangerous player on the left, from having a clear shot at goal.

Jude Bellingham was moved to the left like a replacement component as Southgate abandoned the back three that had been so effective for him. 

Only Shaw appeared confident in the unkempt, messy, nervous situation, while Kane, who hasn’t looked match-fit the entire tournament, was booked for an ill-advised lunge at Fabian Ruiz.

Foden, the vaunted sparkplug, was nonexistent, Declan Rice was having a revelation, Stones was playing hospital back-passes, and Kane was stumbling.

At last, with the half coming to an end, England became aware. 

Bellingham stole the ball, Rodri stopped a Kane effort, Walker charged forward and won a free kick, which Shaw sent to Foden at the back post, requiring Unai Simon to make the game’s opening save.     

After hurting himself while defending Kane, Rodri was taken off the pitch at halftime, but the happiness he may have felt was fleeting.

Although it was clearly obvious that Spain’s wingers posed the most threat, England failed to recognise the threat.

And they found themselves behind for the fourth time in as many games just 69 seconds into the second half. 

Just the night before the game, Lamine Yamal, who had just turned 17 the previous evening, sprinted inside from the right, stretching England, and laying off a diagonal cross to Williams, who beat Jordan Pickford with his first attempt on goal.  

In earlier games, England had reacted forcefully when they conceded first, and now they were on the verge of collapse. 

Soon after, Stones cut off Alvaro Morata’s line, Dani Olmo missed a shot, and Williams missed a close-range shot. 

England was not able to play well, therefore it was not shocking when the labouring Kane was substituted for semi-final hero Watkins.  

England saw a sudden surge in momentum, and Bellingham misfired after spinning on his heel and dropping two Spaniards to the ground. 

As Spain moved and passed, England scrambled in fear, and Pickford deflected a Yamal attempt with his stick. 

However, two minutes after Southgate substituted Palmer for Mainoo, England was tied. 

The Chelsea player supplied Saka, who broke free to the left and found Bellingham for a lovely lay-off that Palmer thunderously, low, and left-footed buried.   

Spain continued to probe and Yamal forced Pickford into a sprawling stop before the winner arrived. 

It was a passing move which had England shadow-chasing, ending with Marc Cucurella beating Walker to the ball and centring low for Oyarzabal to get in front of Guehi and poke past a wrong-footed Pickford. 

Rice’s header from a Palmer corner was saved, and Dani Olmo pushed Marc Guehi’s rebound off the line.

However, England’s sense of underdogry eventually faded.

By the time the World Cup rolls around, it will have been hurting for sixty years, and it isn’t getting any better. 

Chances were at a premium in a cagey first-halfCredit: APHarry Kane struggled and was subbed off after 60 minutes for semi-final hero Ollie WatkinsCredit: PABut Spain found a way to win the Euros for the first time since 2012Credit: Getty