Spain have dazzled on their thrilling run to the Euro 2024 final but just one of their 13 goals in Germany has come from striker and captain Alvaro Morata, who remains a lightning rod for criticism. By contrast England struggled on the road to Berlin despite largely facing weaker opposition, yet still believe they can upset the odds on Sunday, especially if Morata’s drought continues. The Atletico Madrid forward’s profligate finishing has come under scrutiny in his homeland after netting just four times in 30 games for club and country, with his attitude also harshly judged.

While explosive wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams have thrived in Germany, Morata has under-performed despite a strong start against Croatia in Spain’s opening match.

The 31-year-old got the ball rolling for La Roja, finishing clinically to net his country’s first goal of the tournament.

Morata’s strike made him the standalone fourth top Spanish international goalscorer of all-time with 36 goals, but he has not scored in five games since.

His high work-rate is undoubted and his smart movement a boon for his team-mates, but his lack of goals is a concern for Spain.

If Spain are crowned champions at Berlin’s Olympiastadion for a record fourth time, then Morata can proclaim he played his part in a system that has been by a distance the most dangerous in the tournament.

But his lack of goals will be the first port of call for the Spanish critics if England win.

Morata said earlier this week Euro 2024 will probably be his last tournament with the national team because he feels he has been unfairly attacked.

“In Spain there is no respect for anyone or anything,” complained Morata in an interview with El Mundo before the semi-final victory over France.

Some in the Spanish media blasted Morata for his comments, with El Confidencial running an article titled “Morata, a captain who embarrasses Spain and not only because of his poor form at the Euros” calling him a “crybaby”.

Morata’s wife Alice Campello lashed back on social media in his defence, while coach Luis de la Fuente backed him saying for Spaniards he was an atypical leader.

“In Spain we find it difficult to recognise good things we have, Morata is a clear example, he has the numbers of a superstar,” said De la Fuente.

“He would be a legend in another country, but in ours it’s difficult… I’m 100 percent behind him.”  

Morata has played for a host of top clubs, including Real Madrid, Chelsea and Juventus, but never found a place he could call home for any length of time and may move on from Atletico this summer.

The forward said living in London was “stressful” and stayed in the Premier League for just two seasons before returning to his homeland on loan.

Morata admitted he was on the brink of tears at the end of each Spain match at the Euros.

“It’s pure emotion, it’s like (I’m) a fan in the stands,” Morata told UEFA.

“When they sub me off, it’s as if I were any of the players’ parents watching from the stands… 

“That’s my personality, there’s no shame in crying about positive things -– and I hope I have lots more to cry about on Sunday.”

Even if some of La Roja’s own fans jeered him during friendlies in March and Spanish media have been critical, his team-mates are delighted to have him leading the way.

“Alvaro deserves the best, for the person he is, as a team-mate, as a player, and for being captain of this national team,” said Dani Olmo on Friday.

The playmaker shares the lead in the Euros scoring charts with three goals but pointed out Morata could still finish as top scorer.

“Alvaro has one, if he scores a hat-trick he’ll take it,” said Olmo optimistically.

Often viewed as unlucky, misfortune nearly struck for Morata after Spain’s win over France on Tuesday.

During the celebrations one of the team’s security guards slipped and crashed into the striker, who appeared to be hurt.

“Yellow card and that’s all,” joked Morata the next day, ready to face England, hoping to silence his critics with the first major international trophy of his career.

After spending over a decade bogged down in disappointment, Spain waltzed their way back to football’s peak by reaching Sunday’s Euro 2024 final in Berlin. Winning two European Championships in 2008 and 2012, either side of their 2010 World Cup triumph, La Roja were set to dominate football for years to come. However, they fell from grace at astonishing speed. The players destined to replace their golden generation fell desperately short. Spain’s 2014 World Cup defence ended in early humiliation, battered 5-1 by the Netherlands, crashing out in the group stage.

The two-time defending champions were eliminated by Italy in the Euro 2016 last-16, with newspaper Marca labelling it “The End” for Vicente del Bosque’s La Roja.

Spain fell at the same stage in the 2018 World Cup against Russia on penalties, completing over 1,000 passes but failing to hurt the limited hosts.

A better showing at Euro 2020 took a young side to the semi-finals but the 2022 World Cup last-16 defeat by Morocco was another painful exit.

However, the Spanish football federation believed the team was close to where they needed to be.

They replaced coach Luis Enrique with Luis de la Fuente, who had coached national youth sides for years with success.

Despite early jitters, including a 2-0 defeat by Scotland last year, Spain stuck with their little-known coach and are now reaping the rewards.

De la Fuente earned their first silverware in 11 years by lifting the Nations League last summer, pledging it was only the beginning.

And so it proved, with La Roja the standout Euros team, dominating the toughest group featuring defending champions Italy, before beating hosts Germany and France.

What they have achieved seems remarkable given their line-up boasts few recognisable stars beyond Manchester City midfielder Rodri.

Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, 16, will dazzle the football world for years to come and could earn that billing, but he is only just starting his career.

On the opposite flank Nico Williams has also burst into the limelight and may get a big move this summer from Athletic Bilbao.

Elsewhere the team features many ‘misfits’, including Marc Cucurella who has struggled at Chelsea, Saudi Arabia-based Aymeric Laporte, and others who are not standouts for their clubs.

However, their lack of superstars poses no problems. “I have 26 great players and I’m just lucky that they are Spanish,” said De la Fuente.

Unlike final opponents England, whose coach Gareth Southgate is sometimes reluctant to replace struggling icons, or France building around a sub-par Kylian Mbappe, Spain accept everyone is on an equal footing.

“The big difference to all the (other) countries is that we are a team and there is no one leader above the rest,” explained Barcelona’s Pedri before the tournament.

De la Fuente, more pragmatic than his predecessor, is profiting from his willingness to try different approaches.

Spain still enjoy possession but also release the explosive Yamal and Williams, fire in crosses and let them take risks to beat their markers.

While other coaches might have opted for one winger and a possession-friendly midfielder on the other flank, the 63-year-old goes full throttle with both.

Luis Enrique’s Spain tried to pass teams to death but at times in Euro 2024 La Roja have had less than 50 percent possession.

De la Fuente knows his players better than most of his counterparts did at the tournament, having coached the vast majority of them over the past few years.

He won the U19 Euros with Spain in 2013 and the U21 Euros in 2019, plus silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Seven of the starting line-up that day have played at Euro 2024.

“I know the players very well, what we had available to us and we needed time to do what we are seeing now,” said the coach this week.

“I am not surprised by it. Cooking this up… is a long process but we knew the decisions and the path we had to take.”

That continuity has proven vital in the international game where coaches do not typically have long to work with their players and has taken Spain to the verge of glory once more.

Spain vs France Semifinal, UEFA Euro 2024 LIVE Updates© AFP

Spain made a dream start to Euro 2024 as Alvaro Morata scored in a statement 3-0 victory over Croatia in Berlin on Saturday, with Lamine Yamal becoming the youngest player in the competition’s history. The three-time European champions have often been accused of being toothless in attack during recent major tournaments, but produced an eye-catching display at the Olympiastadion to cut apart a disappointing Croatia. Morata broke the deadlock in the 29th minute with his seventh Euros goal, moving joint-third on the all-time list alongside Alan Shearer and Antoine Griezmann.

Fabian Ruiz added a second shortly afterwards with a wonderful individual strike.

Yamal made his mark with the assist for Dani Carvajal to effectively kill the game as a contest on the stroke of half-time, while Croatia striker Bruno Petkovic missed a late penalty.

This repeat of last year’s Nations League final, won by Spain on penalties after a 0-0 draw, suggests La Roja are capable of contending for a record-breaking fourth European Championship title.

World Cup semi-finalists Croatia, though, have it all to do if they are to reach the knockout phase for a fifth consecutive major tournament, with games against Albania and holders Italy to come in a difficult Group B.

Luka Modric, so often their inspiration, was substituted midway through the second half by coach Zlatko Dalic.

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente named an exciting starting XI, including wingers Nico Williams and Yamal.

The Barcelona starlet, 16 years and 338 days old, beat the previous record for youngest player at a Euros held by Polish international Kacper Kozlowski, who played at Euro 2020 at 17 years and 246 days old.

– Croatia’s subdued start –

Croatia enjoyed the vast majority of support from the stands, with their fans holding up one huge banner during their national anthem, reading “When we get going, heaven and earth will burn”.

But Croatia started slowly, as Spain dominated possession in trademark fashion.

Spain also showed their increasing versatility under De la Fuente with their first goal, as one excellent through ball from inside his own half by Ruiz sent Morata clean through and the captain made no mistake with a cool finish past a stranded Dominik Livakovic.

Ruiz put Spain in total control just three minutes later, jinking past two Croatia defenders inside the box before shooting through the legs of Josip Sutalo and into the bottom corner.

Croatia almost pulled one back immediately as the game started to echo the end-to-end nature of the two teams’ thrilling last-16 clash at Euro 2020, won 5-3 by Spain after extra time.

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon got down quickly to keep out Marcelo Brozovic’s shot and Lovro Majer could only find the side-netting from the rebound.

Croatia continued to create chances, as Josko Gvardiol‘s cross-cum-shot narrowly avoided both Ante Budimir in the centre and the far post.

But full-back Carvajal, who scored the opening goal in Real Madrid’s Champions League final triumph over Borussia Dortmund earlier this month, put the game to bed in first-half added time.

Yamal collected the ball after a corner was cleared and curled a delicious cross into the middle for Carvajal to stretch and stab home on the volley.

Croatia tried to press forward early in the second period but left spaces for Spain to exploit and Yamal was denied another record for youngest Euros scorer when Livakovic produced a fine save to turn away his low effort.

Marc Cucurella, a controversial selection by De la Fuente at left-back, made a goal-saving block to prevent Josip Stanisic giving Croatia hope.

Substitute Petkovic thought he had pulled one back late on when he tapped in after his penalty was saved by Simon.

But the goal was ruled out by VAR for encroachment by Ivan Perisic as Spain added a clean sheet to an almost perfect outing.