"Euphoria! We are so happy. We deserved this," said Williams, the player of the match. "This is for our fans and our parents, who have supported us throughout." Unlike his brother Inaki, who is a Ghana international, Nico chose to play for Spain and will now be regarded as a national hero there.

Spain is back as a major player in senior soccer after winning both the Women's World Cup and the men's UEFA Nations League in 2023.

Since 2001, Spanish men's teams have won 23 consecutive major finals in club and international soccer.

"I said before the tournament, nobody can hang with us," Williams said. "We are a great team." As for England, the men's team has now lost back-to-back Euro finals — it was defeated in a penalty shootout by Italy in the final in 2021 — and this was another agonizing loss for a team that will have gone six decades without a major title by the next World Cup. England's women have been more successful, though, winning the European Championship in 2021.