Croatia’s wait for victory, the coronation that has been so close so often, continues and will probably never come for this generation now, the best they have ever had. Spain’s own golden era, meanwhile, is unlikely be matched but they did at last raise a trophy to the sky – 11 years on.
Runners up at the World Cup in 2018, third in 2022, Zlatko Dalic’s side fell in the final of the Nations League, penalties their downfall this time. Four shootouts they had won, in the last 16 and the quarter-finals of each of those World Cups, but late on Sunday night Bruno Petkovic saw his spot kick saved by Unai Simón and Dani Carvajal scored to take this trophy back to Madrid.
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