Merino reveals Spain felt 'do or die' pressure in Euro 2024 final despite tournament-long belief

Mikel Merino has admitted that Spain’s composure nearly cracked in the Euro 2024 final against England, describing a nervy Berlin showdown that the European champions won despite feeling the pressure for the first time in the tournament.

The Arsenal midfielder, who came off the bench as Spain sealed a 2-1 victory over Gareth Southgate’s side, says the squad’s free-flowing confidence that had carried them through the group stage and knockout rounds gave way to anxiety once the final arrived.

“To be honest, that was probably the game where the pressure got to us,” Merino told FourFourTwo. “During the rest of the tournament, we were just enjoying every minute of the camp — we built this amazing momentum. The final was when things changed and we began to think, ‘OK this is a massive fixture and the pressure is big.’ It was do or die.”

Nico Williams had given Spain the lead, but Cole Palmer’s equaliser midway through the second half shifted the mood inside the Spanish camp. “We played well and took control of the match, but we didn’t create the chances to kill them off,” Merino said. “Then the moment came where Cole Palmer scored his equaliser — that was tough to swallow.”

With the clock running down, doubt crept in. “Towards the end of the game, we were really feeling the stress. We were looking around at one another, asking ‘Are they coming back at us now? What if we lose?’ But football is about how you handle those moments — the small details.”

Mikel Oyarzabal’s late winner settled the tie, though Merino acknowledged just how fine the margins were. “Our winning goal was maybe just one centimetre from being offside, but Oyarzabal got his touch at the right moment and we won.”

The celebrations that followed left a lasting impression, even on a self-described non-party lover. “I remember going home, doing the bus parade with all the fans,” Merino recalled. “It was unreal, magical, seeing Madrid full of people wearing Spain shirts and cheering for us. Such positive and unifying vibes. Everyone was just enjoying the achievement — laughing, dancing. It was great to see the whole country united.”