Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: England, Spain, Cole Palmer
Chris Byfield
A contingent of Spanish players have not forgotten one England star's behaviour in a previous match against them, it has been claimed.
The Three Lions take part in their second successive European Championship final on Sunday, where they take on Luis De La Feunte’s Spain.
England relied on last-minute dramatics to clinch their place in the Berlin showpiece event, as Ollie Watkins netted a 90th-minute goal in the semi-final against the Netherlands to claim a 2-1 victory.
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Meanwhile, Spain have won all six of their games in the competition so far, beating the likes of Croatia, Italy, Germany and France along the way.
And ahead of Sunday’s final, there will be no love loss lost between a contingent of Spanish players and England’s Cole Palmer.
Back in the Under-21 European Championship final in 2023, Palmer netted England’s opening goal with a deflected free-kick and celebrated in front of Spain’s bench, sparking a mass melee between the two teams.
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Villarreal’s Alex Baena, who will be among the Spain squad for the final, was particularly incensed by Palmer's behaviour.
Baena squared up to Palmer on the pitch, accompanied by the support of the entire Spanish bench including senior figures like goalkeeping coach Miguel Angel Espana.
Spanish publication AS has claimed Spain’s players are out for revenge after Palmer’s “arrogant attitude” in the Under-21 final, which drove the “Spanish team crazy”.
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Ahead of the game, Palmer said England can "finish the job" and change their lives forever.
"Everyone's buzzing," the midfielder told the England YouTube channel. "Last night on the bus, tunes were on, [in the] changing room, everyone was just enjoying it.
"But obviously it's a short turnaround and it's a massive, massive game to change our lives, our family's lives, and to make everyone proud. That's what we're trying to do.
"I think if you've got to this final then you have to hopefully finish the job. It's all good getting to the final, and you've got to enjoy it because you don't get many moments to enjoy. But, no, everyone just wants to win so bad."