By Abimbola Ogunnaik
Spain have won their first title in 11 years after defeating Croatia 5-4 on penalties to win the UEFA Nations League title on Sunday, 18 June, 2023 at the Feyenoord Stadium in Holland.
The match ended goalless after extra time, leaving the trophy to be settled on spot-kicks with Spain goalkeeper, Unai Simon emerging as the hero.
He saved Croatia’s fourth kick from Lovro Majer giving Spain’s Aymeric Laporte the chance to win the shootout but he hammered the ball against the bar.
Simon then saved again from Bruno Petkovic to hand Spain a second chance to win, which Dani Carvajal took with a chipped finish.
Spain’s last title was the 2012 European Championship and the Nations League will help make up for a disappointing World Cup in which they were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Morocco.
Croatia, who were runners-up at the World Cup in 2018 and third in 2022, have never won a major trophy and were hoping Nations League success would cap a glittering international career for captain Luka Modric, who played his 166th international game.
Spain winning the Nations League is a confidence boost for their new coach Luis de la Fuente after heavy criticism in March following a defeat to Scotland in a Euro 2024 qualifying game. It also avenged their 2021 final defeat by France.
“For us it was a unique opportunity, we went out early in another tournament (at the World Cup in Qatar) and today we had to take advantage.
“We had confidence with the penalties and it went well, I knew how I was going to shoot it, and I knew I was going to be sixth… I wanted to take it Panenka style and it went well,” Real Madrid defender Carvajal told Spanish broadcaster TVE
It remains to be seen whether this was Modric’s final chance to deliver a trophy for his country, with the 37-year-old former Ballon d’Or winner set to make an announcement on his international future this week.
