Spain ‘have score to settle’ with England star over antics from a year ago that sparked huge brawl in U21 final

GARETH SOUTHGATE has already watched England slay Spain in a Euros final in the last 12 months.

Now his task is to replicate what he saw Lee Carsley’s Young Lions manage in last summer’s Under-21 European Championship in Sunday's big-boy showpiece in Berlin.

And in doing so, complete a clean sweep of major-tournament triumphs for every age group from the Under-17s up to the seniors over the past seven years.

Talk of a golden generation in the noughties proved premature, despite Mssrs Beckham, Lampard, Rooney, Gerrard et al being in the prime of their careers.

But this current crop really will glitter if they seal glory in the Olympiastadion, given the unparalleled success they have had at nigh-on every level.

Victory in the Under-20 World Cup in 2017 in South Korea sparked the youth trophy rush.

Though the triumph at the Under-17 World Cup a few months later is the one most referenced given the amount of current senior stars who played in that tournament.

Phil Foden, Marc Guehi and Conor Gallagher - as well as Jadon Sancho - were all part of Steve Cooper’s whizkid side that went all the way in India.

Encouragingly for those trying to find reasons as to why we can win tomorrow, it was the Spanish who were vanquished 5-2 in the Kolkata final - with Foden netting twice.

The Under-19s also won the Euros that year in Georgia, before doing it again in 2022 in Slovakia.

England’s youth domination was complete when Carsley’s kids claimed the Under-21 Euros without conceding a single goal all tournament in July last year.

Unlike the seniors out in Germany this summer, Carsley’s side had played some scintillating stuff on their route to the final.

Curtis Jones was the star man, conducting from deep in midfield alongside Angel Gomes whom Carsley had creatively converted from wideman to protector of the back four.

Anthony Gordon performed so well out of position at centre-forward - a problem forced on Carsley by Rhian Brewster’s injury and Flo Balogun’s defection to the USA - that he won player of the tournament.

Levi Colwill used his lesson in baiting strikers into pressing, learnt from Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton, to great effect.

One of the images of the competition captured the centre-back infuriating the Israelis in the semi-final by standing with his foot on the ball for an age as they refused to fall into his trap.

Ironically, current superstar Cole Palmer started the tournament on the bench behind close pal and soon-to-be Chelsea team-mate Noni Madueke.

That is despite the laid-back playmaker going on to be the most successful graduate from that side - and, anyway, by the final he had forced his way into the starting XI.

Carsley’s ballers showed a grittier side against the Spanish though.

Southgate had flown in to Georgia to see the final with his own eyes, having been a staunch supporter of the younger ranks and previously the Under-21 boss himself.

It turned out to be a battle in Batumi with nine yellow cards, three reds and a half-time melee - sparked by Palmer’s cheeky celebration to Jones’ flukey winner.

Then-Manchester City man Palmer, whose free-kick had gone in off an unwitting Jones, raced towards the dugout after the goal and stared down the Spanish bench.

A number of La Roja subs raced onto the pitch to confront Palmer, sparking a full-on scrap between both squads, with Colwill and Oihan Sancet cautioned.

Staff-members got involved with Carsley’s No2 Ashley Cole having a set-to with Spanish fitness coach Carlos Rivera - and both were sent off.

Arguments continued down the tunnel at half-time.

And it all boiled-over again after James Trafford’s 98th-minute dramatic penalty save to deny Abel Ruiz, with an already-substituted Morgan Gibbs-White dismissed.

Mastermind Carsley, who has been scouting opponents for Southgate in Germany, diplomatically said after the game that “what you saw was both teams passionate and wanting to win”.

He then added: “People will remember that we won, not how we played.”

That comment could not be more relevant to the senior side this summer.

Pundits Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker led the criticism to the lacklustre performances produced by Southgate’s side earlier in the tournament.

Displays have gradually improved since then, culminating in a smart and at times sparkling semi-final against the Dutch.

But let’s be frank, no one will give a Catalonian fig if Southgate’s side stink the place out in Berlin if they end up bringing the trophy home.

And though Spain have undoubtedly played the best football at this tournament, England’s players have a wealth of big-game experience to fall back on - including those final victories over La Roja at younger age groups.

Southgate’s side sound up for an El of a game too, if wind-up merchant Palmer’s words are anything to go by.

The ice-cool Blues star, not usually the excitable type, said: “It’s going to be huge.

“We played them last year in the Under-21s final, England versus Spain.

“Even that was a massive game so I can’t imagine this one!”

• May 1929, Spain 4-3 England - International Friendly (L)
• December 1931, England 7-1 Spain - International Friendly (W)
• July 1950, Spain 1-0 England - World Cup (L)
• May 1955, Spain 1-1 England - International Friendly (D)
• November 1955, England 4-1 Spain - International Friendly (W)
• May 1960, Spain 3-0 England - International Friendly (L)
• October 1960, England 4-2 Spain - International Friendly (W)
• December 1965, Spain 0-2 England - International Friendly (W)
• May 1967, England 2-0 Spain - International Friendly (W)
• April 1968, England 1-0 Spain - European Championship (W)
• May 1968, Spain 1-2 England - European Championship (W)
• March 1980, Spain 0-2 England - International Friendly (W)
• June 1980, England 2-1 Spain - European Championship (W)
• March 1981, England 1-2 Spain - International Friendly (L)
• July 1982, Spain 0-0 England - World Cup (D)
• February 1987, Spain 2-4 England - International Friendly (W)
• September 1992, Spain 1-0 England - International Friendly (L)
• June 1996, England 0(4)-(2)0 Spain - European Championship (W)
• February 2001, England 3-0 Spain - International Friendly (W)
• November 2004, Spain 1-0 England - International Friendly (L)
• February 2007, England 0-1 Spain - International Friendly (L)
• February 2009, Spain 2-0 England - International Friendly (L)
• November 2011, England 1-0 Spain - International Friendly (W)
• November 2015, Spain 2-0 England - International Friendly (L)
• November 2016, England 2-2 Spain - International Friendly (D)
• September 2018, England 1-2 Spain - Nations League (L)
• October 2018, Spain 2-3 England - Nations League (W)

Overall, England have won 14, drawn three and lost 10 matches against Spain.