The reporter reported that the score was 35 to 4, the score was 4 to 1, and 17 shots on goal in the first half of the European Cup set a record for shots in the first half of the knockout round of the European Cup...... Although there was a brief passivity caused by Lenormand's own goal in the 18th minute, the Spanish team's crushing advantage made the game unsuspenseful. The biggest reversal of the Euros was born. Spain, who won the knockout round of a major tournament for the first time in regular time after successfully defending their Euro 2012 title, will face hosts Germany, who are also considered favourites to win the tournament, in the quarter-finals.
In a record-breaking comeback victory, Spain's young wings still shine. Yamal (16 years, 353 days) became the youngest player to make an appearance in the history of the knockout stage of the European Championship, surpassing Euro 2020 side Jude Bellingham (18 years and 4 days). Yamal had seven shots on goal and created six scoring chances, the only player to have more than five shots and goal chances created in a single game since Zinedine Zidane at Euro 2004. At the same time, since statistics began in 1980, Under-21s are tied for first place in the knockout stages of the European Championship for the joint-first number of chances created, on a par with Cesc Fabregas in 2008. The top three players in this statistic are all Spanish players, and the third is Pedri at Euro 2021.
Yamal assisted Ruiz to overtake the score, but unfortunately still did not usher in the first goal of the European Championship. And just two minutes after Yamal got rid of shots in the box and missed his first goal, another talented winger, Nico Williams, scored an unreasonable goal. In the 75th minute of the second half, after a long-distance run, he easily forced a defender to score his first goal in the European Championship to seal the victory for Spain.
The Ghanaian winger, who will turn 22 on July 12, is among the youngest players to score a single game in the history of the European Championship. Spanish players also have three exclusive spots, following Cesc Fabregas in 2008 and Ferran Torres in 2021. In addition, Nico Williams is the first player in 24 years since Echeberia at Euro 2000 for Athletic Bilbao to score for Spain at the Euros.
Spain have eight players from the Basque Country, the largest regional group in the team, but only goalkeeper Unai Simon, central defenders Lenormand, Laporte and Navarre-born Nico Williams are the main players, although the younger Yamal is more media and fan attention, Nico Williams is also one of the indispensable wings of the Spanish team.
Speaking after the game, Spain coach De La Fuen praised Nico Williams by name: "I think Ruiz and Williams are both among the best in the world in their respective positions, they are both world-class. We have so many talented talents, coupled with a follow-up and wonderful team, that we have to go far in the Euros. Yamal was still impressive, but at least Nico Williams was the star of the knockout game, and his solo goal after running past him with the ball was one of the best goals of the tournament. Compared to Yamal, who is not yet physically mature, Nico Williams has stronger confrontation ability, first-class speed and impact, as well as scoring ability, and is better in terms of versatility.
Nico Williams, who has been trained in the Basque youth system since childhood, has inherited the Basque football tradition of pursuing speed and physical advantage, and is adept at breaking through the defence quickly with the ball, opening up the left channel for the Spanish team, and providing diversified solutions for the attack that comes directly against the goal. It can not only cross to find a winger, but also invert a triangle pass to the inserted midfielder to form a back-row attack, and can also dribble and cut into the ribs. Moreover, he is a key part of Spain's quick counter-attacking tactics, and Nico Williams is more direct and effective than Yamal, who inherits more La Masia's tradition, and is reminiscent of the efficient counter-attack at the peak of Spanish football.
Nico Williams and Yamal are indispensable in the Spanish team, reminding fans of the 2008 Brazilian naturalized defender Senna. At that time, Aragonés recruited Senna against the crowd to fill the shortcomings of the Spanish team's defensive back, and won the European Championship for Spain again after 44 years.
Although Nico Williams has also experienced racial discrimination in Spain, more Spanish fans are still "crazy" for him and African-American talents like Yamal. The task of reviving Spanish football has naturally fallen on the shoulders of the two rising stars. Now the biggest concern is Nico Williams' parent club Athletic Bilbao, because the Ghanaian youngster's liquidated damages are only 50 million euros, and he will be poached by the big five league giants at any time after the European Cup.