Spain deserve Nations League win over Croatia, if only just

Spain outlasted Croatia in a penalty shootout to win the UEFA Nations League final on Sunday. Dean Mouhtaropoulos – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — Spain have won the 2023 Nations League after beating Croatia 5-4 in a penalty shootout on Sunday.

After a goalless 120 minutes, Real Madrid full-back Dani Carvajal held his nerve to score the deciding penalty and hand Spain their first major trophy for 11 years. Croatia, meanwhile, are still looking for their first international success after reaching the final of the 2018 World Cup and the semifinals in Qatar in December.

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Rapid reaction1. Spain deserved it, but only just

Spain are 2023 Nations League champions after a dramatic night in Rotterdam. A tight game of few chances was perhaps always destined to end in extra-time and penalties given most of Croatia’s knockout games seem to go that way, and it took a cool clip from Carvajal in the shootout to settle it.

Aymeric Laporte had already missed a chance to win it when his penalty cannoned back off the crossbar to give Croatia a second life after Lovro Majer saw his penalty — Croatia’s fourth — saved by Unai Simon. Simon saved again from Bruno Petkovic in sudden death, and Carvajal made no mistake with his Panenka.

Spain will feel they deserved it having edged the better opportunities in 90 minutes. Substitute Ansu Fati had the best chance but saw his effort cleared off the line by Ivan Perisic six minutes from time when he really should have scored.

For Croatia, it’s more heartbreak. Having won the silver medal at the 2018 World Cup and bronze in Qatar, Luka Modric and the rest of Zlatko Dalic’s team have to settle for second place again. All eyes will now be on Modric to see if the 37-year-old midfielder decides to retire from international football or take on one last major tournament at the European Championship in Germany next summer.

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2. Croatia’s golden generation go close again

Croatia is a small country with a population roughly the same as the U.S. state of Oklahoma, but on Sunday, Rotterdam was swamped with red, white and blue. Croatian flags were hanging outside the bars around the Stadhuis from early morning, and the crowds only grew throughout the day. Inside the 50,000-capacity De Kuip, home of Eredivisie side Feyenoord, it felt like Zagreb, with only two small pockets of Spain fans interrupting the sea of red-and-white checkered shirts.

Don’t tell Croatia that June internationals don’t matter.

What these supporters have seen in the past five years is nothing short of remarkable. A country with a population of fewer than 4 million, which only declared its independence in 1991, finished second at the 2018 World Cup and third in 2022. To qualify for these Nations League finals, they topped a group that also included France, and in the semifinals they became the first team to beat the Netherlands at De Kuip since 2000.

Croatia will be expected to win their Euro 2024 qualifying group ahead of Turkey, and no one will be counting them out when the tournament begins in Germany next summer.

3. Spain can target Euro success in Germany

After winning the World Cup and two Euros in the past 15 years, the Nations League trophy probably doesn’t mean as much to Spain as it would for Croatia, but Carvajal’s winning penalty still sparked wild celebrations. It’s Spain’s the first trophy since winning Euro 2012 under Vicente del Bosque and it will give them hope ahead of next summer’s Euros in Germany.

The last-16 exit to Morocco in Qatar was disappointing, but the signs are there that new boss Luis de la Fuente, who took over from Luis Enrique after the World Cup, can lead Spain into another successful era. In Gavi and Pedri, he has two of the best young midfielders in the world, while Rodri, fresh from his treble triumph with Manchester City, was outstanding in Spain’s two games in the Netherlands. He barely missed a game for City last season and scored the winner in the Champions League final against Inter Milan but still had enough energy to put in a man-of-the-match performance against Croatia.

The ingredients are there for Spain to build on their Nations League success when they get to Germany in 12 months’ time.

Best and worst performersBEST

Rodri, Spain: Fantastic performance from the Manchester City midfielder, who found the energy to play 120 minutes and score in the shootout just a week after the Champions League final.

Ivan Perisic, Croatia: The Tottenham Hotspur man was superb at left-back, clearing Ansu’s late chance off the line.

Unai Simon, Spain: He had a quiet night until the penalty shootout, when he made two outstanding saves from Majer and Petkovic.

WORST

Lovro Majer, Croatia: Missed one of Croatia’s best chances and saw his effort in the shootout saved by Simon.

Alvaro Morata, Spain: Had only a couple of half chances before he was replaced with Joselu midway through the second half.

Dominik Livakovic, Croatia: Looked nervous at times and almost dropped Fabian Ruiz’s harmless cross into his own goal.

Highlights and notable moments

Carvajal. A Panenka. You won’t find many cooler ways to win a trophy.

Key stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information)

– Entering Sunday, Spain had lost their past three penalty shootouts: against Russia (2018 World Cup), against Italy (Euro 2020) and against Morocco (2022 World Cup).

– Croatia had won or advanced after extra-time or in penalties in six of their past seven opportunities.