Spain changed almost their entire lineup but still maintained their winning streak at the European Championship with a 1-0 victory over Albania, who were knocked out on Monday.
With Spain already guaranteed to top Group B, coach Luis de la Fuente made 10 changes to his starting lineup. Despite this, Spain won all three of their group matches at a Euros for the first time since 2008, when they went on to win the tournament.
Ferran Torres scored in the 13th minute, and goalkeeper David Raya made a crucial save in stoppage time to ensure Spain finished the group stage without conceding a goal.
“Every player is ready to start in the first eleven, and that’s crucial. Anyone can make a difference for the team, and substitutes coming on are also very important,” said Torres, who started his first match of Euro 2024. “I aim to make it difficult for my coach to leave me out.”
Torres scored with a shot that deflected off the post from Dani Olmo’s pass, and he gestured with his fingers to his ears during his celebration.
He explained that this gesture meant he was listening to the fans and not ignoring anything. “I don’t need to prove anything out there,” Torres added. Italy also advanced from Group B after drawing 1-1 with Croatia.
Albania needed at least a draw to have a chance of reaching the knockout stages for the first time, even as one of the best third-placed teams. The defeat meant they finished bottom of the group.
Albania’s inability to beat Spain meant that England, France, and the Netherlands were all certain of qualifying for the knockout stages, regardless of the results in their final group matches.
All three teams had four points from two games and would qualify as at least one of the best third-placed teams.
