Spain beat Germany live updates (2024)

Mikel Merino scored deep into extra-time as Spain snatched a dramatic 2-1 victory in Stuttgart to dump host nation Germany out of their own European Championship.

After a scoreless opening half, substitute Dani Olmo broke the deadlock with a fine finish from just inside the area. But Germany dug deep and forced extra-time through an 89th-minute strike from Florian Wirtz.

Germany looked the more likely to score a winner but, with just seconds remaining, Merino headed home Olmo’s exquisite cross to break the host nation’s hearts.

Spain will next play either Portugal or France — but they will have to do so without the suspended Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand, while there are injury concerns over both Pedri and Fabian Ruiz.

The time had to come at some point.

Kroos was keen to ensure that Germany’s summer tournament was solely about the team and not his farewell tour, but the way that he has played in the past 12 months — for club Real Madrid and country — made fans and team-mates question why he would even consider retiring.

The 34-year-old's final game in professional football was mixed.

No German player made more than his 83 passes as he continued to be the fulcrum from which his national team operate. He drifted across the pitch to dictate the build-up, dropping into his usual left half-space but also evaded pressure by dropping between his two centre-backs and starting another attacking wave for Germany.

It is a shock to think that, unless he changes his mind, we will never see Kroos kick a ball professionally again. Ultimately, this was a cruel end for Kroos and his country on home soil but there is nothing left for us all to do but show gratitude to a player who has had such a glittering career.

Danke fur alles, Toni.

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Midway through the second half of extra time, it looked to almost everyone watching that the decisive moment had come.

Germany centre-forward Niclas Fullkrug knocked the ball back to Wirtz, who fired in a shot from 25 yards. When the ball hit Spain left-back Marc Cucurella, the Germans closest to him immediately appealed, with some appearing to stop playing, so sure were they that it was handball and a potential match-winning penalty.

When play stopped, it did look like a spot kick was coming, but the officials quickly waved play on. Germany were mystified, while TV cameras caught Cucurella breaking into a relieved-looking grin as he turned away and got back into the game.

Most replays made it look like a clear penalty — in La Liga, in the Premier League, and all around the world. As it had not been given, there was an immediate debate about the laws of the game. But another replay appeared to clear up the confusion.

Earlier in the move, Fullkrug was standing in an offside position, before he controlled a hoisted ball and laid it back to Wirtz. It was very close, just inches the wrong side of the Spain defence, but it kept the score at 1-1.

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Desperation can do strange things to footballers.

Sometimes it can be a cynical foul, sometimes it can be an acrobatic overhead kick in the dying seconds. The decision-making doesn’t often conform to the patterns we see for 99 per cent of the game.

Rarely would you see a goalkeeper take a throw-in midway in their own half, but, in the 88th minute today, Neuer hurled the ball forward — it was arguably a foul throw, if we’re being pernickety — to get his side back up the field as a 1-0 defeat loomed.

It was odd to see, but proved an inspired decision. It was that attacking sequence that led to Germany’s equaliser as Mittelstadt’s eventual cross was nodded down by Kimmich for Wirtz to finish excellently inside a packed penalty area.

Wirtz will get the plaudits for the goal, but it was a sequence of play that began with a throw by their goalkeeper — and from the touchline, not his own penalty area.

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The Spain duo of Le Normand and Dani Carvajal should be celebrating qualification for a European Championship semi-final. They should be preparing to play the biggest national-team game of their life.

Instead, they will both miss Tuesday’s semi-final through suspension. Under UEFA rules, a second booking across five games at this tournament is deemed sufficient to warrant a ban. Carvajal ensured his absence in any case with a second yellow right at the end of the match for a late foul on Musiala.

The same fate would have awaited the German trio of Rudiger, Maximilian Mittelstadt and Robert Andrich had Germany qualified for the semi-final.

Any yellow cards picked up in the earlier rounds are expunged once the quarter-finals are over. It’s a system designed in part to prevent players missing the ultimate showpiece occasion: the final. But given how easily a booking can be acquired in modern football, a suspension for two cautions seems somewhat draconian.

Perhaps it would be more appropriate to wipe bookings after the group stage. In any case, the punishment for the Spain players seems unduly harsh — although perhaps not for Carvajal. Alvaro Morata was initially reported by UEFA to have been shown a yellow card during the celebrations of Merino’s goal — which would have ruled him out of the semi-final as well — but this was later removed.

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Germany will be stung, but not too disheartened by this result. As soon as a path was plotted through this draw, it was clear that all roads led to a meeting with Spain; to what many considered a superior and better-developed side.

It was still cruel. One last moment of euphoria via Wirtz’s equaliser, then the gut-punch of that Spanish winner.

And their defeat belongs in proper context. This was a graceful exit for Germany, not one — as in the tournaments of 2018, 2021 and 2022 — which demands introspection and root-and-branch reviews. Give it a few days and the positives will have been extracted, with thoughts turning to the 2026 World Cup.

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Having beaten the hosts in dramatic fashion, some will now consider Spain the favourites to win Euro 2024.

They’d already played the most coherent attacking football in the tournament, putting three goals past Croatia and scoring four against Georgia. Today in Stuttgart, they showed a different side to their game, withstanding the home side’s physical approach and waves of German pressure after their equaliser, and then claiming a late, late winner.

Their football was not quite as fluid as in previous matches, with Germany hitting on a way to reduce Rodri’s influence in midfield. Nevertheless, Spain found a way to win, crafting a beautiful opening goal for Olmo and then finding that chance for Merino in extra time.

Spain had never previously beaten a host nation in a knockout tie at either a World Cup or European Championship. For this youthful team to do so, at their country’s 10th attempt, feels like a vital step in their development.

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Big news regarding Spain captain Alvaro Morata that broke a little earlier this evening.

Despite claims at the time that he had been shown a yellow card during the celebrations for the winning goal, UEFA have confirmed that he was not cautioned. And, as a result, he will be available for the semi-final against either France or Portugal.

A huge boost for Spain who will already be without Robin Le Normand and Dani Carvajal, as well as possibly Pedri and Fabian Ruiz.

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Spain fans and players alike will be keeping a keen eye on this second quarter-final between France and Portugal. But, at half-time, there isn't much to report as the two teams are locked at 0-0.

If you're not already, make sure to go follow our live coverage of the second half here.

The winner of that tie will face Spain in Tuesday's semi-final in Munich.

Olmo has been a key player for Spain off the bench on a number of occasions.

He has now been involved in five goals as a substitute at the European Championship: two goals and three assists.

That tally has drawn him level with compatriot Cesc Fabregas — also two goals and three goals — who, before today, was the single record holder in that regard.

It is rare that a game goes by where 16-year-old Lamine Yamal doesn't break a record of some kind.

Today, he brought his tally of Euro 2024 assists to three and, in the process, became the first teenager to provide three assists at a single edition of the European Championship.

The introduction of Wirtz in place of Sane at half-time was a gamechanger for Germany as the Bayer Leverkusen youngster caused plenty of problems for Spain before popping up with the equalising goal in the 89th minute.

The goal made him Germany's youngest ever goalscorer in a European Championship knockout match at the age of 21 years and 63 days.

And he came so close to another goal in extra time...

Today marked the ninth time Spain had gone to extra time at the European Championship and Merino's winning goal meant they have progressed seven out of nine times.

Only Italy (10) have been to extra time more in European Championship history.

And that Merino goal was Spain's third in the second half of extra time at a major tournament — the other two:

• Andres Iniesta vs Netherlands (2010 World Cup final) – 116th minute
• Amancio vs Hungary (Euro 1964) – 115th minute

It wasn't the fairytale ending to Kroos' career that he — and the German public — would've wanted.

But it did end very true to form.

He completed more passes (76) and touched the ball more (102 touches) than any other player on the pitch today.

I'm sure he wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

It doesn't get much later than that. And the history books tell us that only twice have players scored later winning European Championship goals than Merino today – timed at 118:52.

Artem Dovbyk scored the latest ever for Ukraine against Sweden at Euro 2020 — timed at 120:36).

And sandwiched between that goal and today's is Michel Platini's winner against Portugal at Euro 1984 — timed at 118:53. One second later than Merino's!

Victory in that fashion must be celebrated, but tournament football doesn't allow much of that.

De la Fuente will already be thinking about the semi-final, especially as he has major decisions to make.

He knows he will be without Robin Le Normand and Dani Carvajal as they are suspended. Alvaro Morata was also said to have been booked during the celebrations of the winning goal — which would mean he too is suspended — but that is a claim he is currently refuting!

And, in terms of injuries, both Pedri and Fabian Ruiz left the pitch in significant discomfort. With just four days until the semi-final, there is every likelihood Spain could be without two of their star midfielders as well.

A quick word for Anthony Taylor who had to make a number of big decisions in that game and, for my money, didn't get much wrong.

He should've probably shown first-half yellow cards to Rodri and Kroos but, other than that, it was a strong showing from the English referee who will hope his tournament doesn't end at the quarter-final stage.

Here are all of the 16 (!) yellow cards he showed during the 120 minutes — and beyond:

• Germany: Rudiger, Raum, Andrich, Kroos, Mittelstadt, Schlotterbeck (not on pitch), Wirtz, Undav (not on pitch)
• Spain: Le Normand, Torres, Simon, Carvajal x2, Rodri, Morata (not on pitch), Fabian Ruiz (not on pitch)

A busy night for the man in the middle!

Those who haven't been following Mikel Merino's career since he left Newcastle United in the summer of 2018 might have been surprised to see the midfielder pop up in the penalty area like that, but that's exactly the kind of late run he's developed a reputation for at Real Sociedad in La Liga. He brings a solid defensive output and smooth link-up play to the midfield, but he's also been increasingly efficient in the final third, scoring eight times in all competitions last campaign.

He's also proven himself very capable in the air – only Cadiz centre-forward Chris Ramos won more aerial duels than him in 2023-24 – while he scored a similarly emphatic header in the dying moments against Mallorca back in February.

Spain will face the winner of Portugal vs France in the semi-final on Tuesday, and that game has literally just kicked off.

You can follow our live coverage of that one here.

It was because of a very early injury to Pedri that Olmo got the chance to enter the fray so early and the Player of the Match was asked about his team-mate after the match.

"We are all a team, the team is the most important thing," he told La 1. "We all hope it’s just a bang for Pedri, as he’s an important player.

"This story is for him, for everyone, and now for the semis."