A Mikel Merino goal in the penultimate minute of extra time grabbed Spain a dramatic 2-1 win over Germany to send them into the Euro 2024 semi-finals and keep their dreams of a record-breaking fourth European Championship title alive. After a fiery yet goalless first half, Spain’s Dani Olmo latched onto an inch-perfect pass from 16-year-old Lamine Yamal to give La Roja the lead on 51 minutes. Niclas Fuellkrug struck the post with 14 minutes remaining but with the hosts staring at an exit, Florian Wirtz slammed in a Joshua Kimmich knock-down in the 89th minute to take the game to extra time.

With the game looking set for penalties, Olmo lofted a cross for Merino, who headed Spain to victory and a semi-final meeting with either France or Portugal.

“Well, I’m dead, really. The adrenaline is taking its toll on me now. It has been a special moment,” goalscorer Merino said after.

Olmo said he was “exhausted really”, adding: “It is a source of pride, what a great team we have, how we have fought until the end.”

Germany’s elimination ends the hosts’ hopes of a fairytale Euros victory after a decade of poor performances at major tournaments, while also lowering the curtain on Toni Kroos‘ stellar career.

“We played a good tournament but when you’re so close, to be eliminated like that, it’s bitter,” Kroos told ARD.

The battle between the two most successful Euros nations, with three titles apiece, was billed as a final come early, with the in-form Spaniards against Julian Nagelsmann’s reborn hosts.

Spain nominated Kroos as Germany’s most dangerous player pre-match but the midfielder had a huge, even if unintended impact early, colliding with Pedri, who was then substituted with a leg injury for Olmo.

Germany, with the oldest squad at Euro 2024, struggled with Spain’s speed during the first half, frequently coming into tackles a fraction too late, but the two best chances of the opening half fell to the hosts — and both to Kai Havertz.

The Arsenal forward leapt highest to head a cross directly at Unai Simon early and then scuffed a tame shot at the goalie later in the half with just the ‘keeper to beat.

Nagelsmann took off surprise starter Emre Can for the pink-haired Robert Andrich, while the ineffective Leroy Sane was replaced by Wirtz.

The substitution who would make his mark however was Olmo, who gave Spain the lead six minutes into the second half, slicing through the sleepy Germany defence to perfectly place a Yamal pass past Manuel Neuer into the bottom left corner.

The goal kicked Germany into gear with Wirtz particularly dangerous.

The Bayer Leverkusen starlet linked with Fuellkrug on the counter with a quarter of an hour remaining but the striker, under heavy attention from the Spanish defence, could only hit the post.

With 10 minutes remaining Nagelsmann made his final substitution, bringing veteran Thomas Mueller from the bench.

But it was Wirtz — 13 years his junior – who made the difference, skimming a Kimmich header across the grass and in at the far post.

Mikel Oyarzabal, on for Nico Williams, curled a 104th-minute shot just wide of the post and Wirtz did the same a minute later with the goal beckoning.

Germany appealed strongly for a penalty in the second period of extra time, after a Jamal Musiala shot hit Marc Cucurella’s hand, but after a VAR check the original decision to not award a spot-kick stood.

Minutes later, Olmo curled in a cross for Merino, who leapt high to head the ball past Neuer and put Spain into the semi-finals.

Luis de la Fuente will be forced into changes for Tuesday’s semi, after Dani Carvajal received his marching orders for hauling down Musiala for a second yellow card of the match.

Centre-back Robin Le Normand and captain Alvaro Morata will also be suspended for picking up yellows, with the Spain skipper earning a late caution for his celebrations in the aftermath of Merino’s winner.

Spain vs Germany, UEFA Euro 2024 Quarterfinal LIVE Updates© AFP

Spain vs Germany Live Streaming Euro 2024 Quarter Final Live Telecast: When And Where To Watch© AFP

Hosts Germany take on Spain in the first of two blockbuster quarter-final ties at Euro 2024 on Friday, with Kylian Mbappe‘s France up against Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Portugal in the late match. Germany and Spain clash in Stuttgart at 1600 GMT with the host nation putting their hopes on the line against probably the best-performing side at the tournament thus far. Spain, with the thrilling duo of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams on the wings, have reached the quarter-finals with four wins in as many games, nine goals scored and just one conceded.

Germany, meanwhile, have also impressed on their run to the last eight, with Jamal Musiala outstanding in attack and Toni Kroos pulling the strings in midfield as he prepares to retire after the competition.

The match, a repeat of the Euro 2008 final won 1-0 by Spain in Vienna, therefore promises to be a thriller.

“My focus is less on Yamal, more on Jamal,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said Thursday as he compared the two opposing stars and indicated that his team planned to take the game to the Spanish. 

“We can do something in attack ourselves. We want to attack and make life difficult for them.”

The match would have been a fitting final given both teams’ current form and their historical standing — the nations are the most successful in the history of the European Championship with three titles each.

They also met in the group stage at the 2022 World Cup, playing out a 1-1 draw that contributed to Germany being eliminated in the first round.

“Three wins away from immortality” was the headline in Thursday’s edition of Kicker, the popular German football magazine, yet the host nation’s dream of winning the trophy in Berlin on July 14 could also end here.

Spain have perhaps the world’s best holding midfield player in Rodri, but their coach, Luis de la Fuente, admitted they are wary of the brilliance of Kroos.

“We thought about tying Kroos’s feet together, but I’m not sure if UEFA will let me,” he joked. 

“We know how Kroos behaves. We will try and make sure he doesn’t have the chance to receive the ball and will limit his passing options.”

The winners of that match will advance to a semi-final against either France or Portugal, who go head-to-head in Hamburg at 1900 GMT.

It is another heavyweight clash between two much-fancied sides, as well as a repeat of the Euro 2016 final, when Portugal beat France 1-0 in extra time in Paris.

France have reached a sixth quarter-final in the last seven major tournaments despite not one of their players scoring in open play.

Mbappe meets idol Ronaldo

Les Bleus have netted only three times in four games, with one a penalty by Mbappe and the other two coming from own goals, including Jan Vertonghen‘s which allowed them to beat Belgium in the last 16.

Mbappe has been hindered by a broken nose, which saw him miss one group game before returning to action while wearing a protective face mask. He also suggested on Thursday that he is not currently fully fit.

“I don’t think I’m fully fit. It’s not an excuse, but I think to be really at 100 percent, explosive and fast, I need a proper pre-season with my club,” he said.

Mbappe, who recently signed for Real Madrid, will come up against his boyhood idol in Ronaldo, the Portugal captain who is now 39.

“It is an honour. Everyone knows how much I have always admired Cristiano,” Mbappe, 25, said.

“Whatever has happened before or will happen after, he will remain a legend in the game, but of course, we hope to win tomorrow and get through to the semi-final.”

Ronaldo is enduring a difficult tournament, failing to find the net and ending up in tears after missing a penalty in the last-16 tie against Slovenia from which Portugal squeezed through on penalties.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez, meanwhile, insisted the focus cannot solely be on the two opposing superstars.

“Football is a team sport. Tomorrow is not a match between two individuals. They are two incredible players who have a big influence on the game worldwide, and that influence will continue, but tomorrow we will need a real top-level team performance if we are to win,” Martinez said.

Host nation Germany face Spain in Friday’s Euro 2024 quarter final in Stuttgart riding a wave of belief not seen in the proud football nation for almost a decade. After a series of poor performances at major tournaments, the most decorated nation in European football history are again confident of a deep run. Germany veteran and 2014 World Cup winner Toni Kroos said Wednesday “the goal is to win the tournament”. “We want to go a lot further and in the dressing room we are very convinced we will achieve that.”

The bold stance is a far cry from nine months ago, when Hansi Flick became the first coach sacked in Germany history after a 4-1 demolition by Japan in Wolfsburg. 

His replacement Julian Nagelsmann only won one of his first four games in charge, but in March laid the groundwork for a successful Euro run. 

Nagelsmann made 11 changes to the squad, bringing in players from eventual Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen and surprise runners-up Stuttgart, while axing several big names.  

But Nagelsmann’s most crucial step was bringing back Kroos, who had stepped down from international football in 2021. 

The midfielder has excelled in what will be his final tournament before retiring from football completely. 

‘Won games we would have lost’

The clash between the tournament’s two most impressive teams — and the only sides to have won three Euros titles — would be a marquee matchup for the final in Berlin. 

But with other pre-tournament favourites like France, England and Portugal stuttering, whoever emerges victorious on Friday will be favoured to go all the way to the German capital. 

With four wins in four, Spain are the only side to have tasted victory each of their matches at Euro 2024 and have scored nine goals while conceding just once. 

Germany have won three and drawn one but have faced challenges along the way. 

A player with an unblemished record of success, six-time Champions League winner Kroos believes the will to win comes “only through experience”.

“You can have a winning mentality or belief, you can live it, but it’s hard to convey it in conversations. 

“You have to go through experiences and that’s how your belief grows more and more.”

Kroos pointed to the “difficult situations” which have honed Germany’s tenacity. 

“Against Hungary we had difficult moments, against Switzerland we were behind. Versus Denmark things did not go so smoothly,” Kroos said, explaining “something like that helps you get through tough phases, stay calm and believe in yourself”.

“We now have a different belief. We are now winning games or at least not losing games that we were clearly losing in the past.”

‘Eventually, they all understand’

Kroos will do battle against Spain, the country he has lived in for the past decade.

He said his knowledge of the Spanish players from his time at Real was no clear advantage, saying “they’re all pretty well known. 

“I don’t think we’re expecting any big surprises.”

The 34-year-old felt underappreciated in Germany, which motivated his decision to leave Bayern Munich for the Spanish capital in 2014. 

Bayern powerbroker Uli Hoeness was particularly critical of Kroos, calling him “sideways pass Toni” and saying in 2021 “Toni Kroos has no place in modern football anymore”.

Hoeness, the man who built Bayern into a global powerhouse, clearly understands football, which made the criticism even more bizarre. 

Asked on Wednesday if the Spanish were quicker to see his value faster than the Germans, the midfielder said cooly “I’ll say it like this, some of them understand quickly, and some others need a bit more time.”

“But eventually, they all understand.”

Germany’s hopes of winning Euro 2024 on home soil rest with inflicting a very rare defeat on Spain’s midfield maestro Rodri in Friday’s blockbuster quarter-final. Since La Roja last lost a competitive game to Scotland in March 2023, Rodri has played 77 matches for club and country and tasted defeat just once when Manchester United beat his Manchester City in May’s FA Cup final. In that time the 28-year-old has won two Premier League titles, the Champions League, one FA Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup, as well as guiding his country to Nations League glory.

“In his position, he is the best – he can do everything. The quality, he reads the game, his mentality, he is always ready,” said City boss Pep Guardiola, who has overseen a collection of some of the best midfielders ever to grace the sport.

“He is so good at many things…The presence, the physicality, he is complete.”

Spain have dazzled so far at Euro 2024 – the only side to have won all four of their matches en route to the quarter-finals.

Wonder kid wingers Yamine Lamal and Nico Williams have given Luis de la Fuente’s side a direct threat that even the great Spain team that won three consecutive major tournaments between 2008 and 2012 lacked.

Fabian Ruiz, Pedri and Dani Olmo provide extra guile from midfield and even the much-maligned Alvaro Morata has moved into a share of third place for the most goals in European Championship history.

However, Rodri’s all-round importance as the anchor to this Spanish side was evidenced in the last 16 against Georgia.

Trailing to Robin Le Normand’s own goal despite not having faced a shot on target, Spain were beginning to be flustered by not taking advantage of their dominance of the ball and chances.

Just after the half hour mark, Rodri took possession, paused and issued an instruction of calm to his teammates.

Moments later he arrowed a low shot into the far corner for the equaliser that served as the launch pad for a 4-1 win.

“Sometimes 20 or 30 seconds of saying to people ‘calm down’ is more productive than going on the attack,” Rodri said of his message of reassurance to the team.

‘Not afraid’

Morata may wear the captain’s armband, but Rodri has developed into the leader of Spain’s new generation, keen to break free from the shadow of their all-conquering predecessors.

“We have Rodri, who is a perfect computer,” said De la Fuente. 

“He administers everything, all the emotions, all the moments in a magisterial way; that’s a great help for everyone.”

Despite being one of the world’s leading lights in his position for a number of seasons, this is his first major tournament as Spain’s starting six.

At the 2022 World Cup he was used as a centre-back by Luis Enrique to accomodate an ageing Sergio Busquets.

The Barcelona legend’s international retirement cut the final chord to Spain’s last major tournament win in 2012.

Now Rodri’s generation want to write their own story to become national heroes.

“Germany will be strong at home, but they will be worried about us too,” said the former Atletico Madrid man of the clash in Stuttgart.

“We came to win and we are not afraid. Our mentality is to go on Friday with everything we have against Germany.”

Should Spain get their way, another midfield great will play his final match.

Toni Kroos will retire after the tournament and the man who spent the last decade of his club career in Spain with Real Madrid, showed his respect for his opposite number in the quarter-finals.

“I think he is someone who exudes enthusiasm, who is not prone to making mistakes, even under pressure, which always gives a lot to the team,” said Kroos.

“On top of that, in the last one or two years, he has also scored goals, important goals.”

Rodri’s strike won City their first ever Champions League in the 2023 final.

Now he is aiming to make his major tournament breakthrough and break German hearts along the way.

Toni Kroos ahead of Euro 2024 Quarter-Final: Spain vs Germany.© AFP

The UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-finals are set, and we have a bunch of blockbuster games coming up. One side of the quarter-final draw is stacked with reputed heavyweights, while a couple of underdogs have also slipped in to the Top 8 and could yet go much further. The five hot favourites ahead of Euro 2024 – France, England, Portugal, Spain and hosts Germany – are still in the race for glory. The Netherlands made it through after a convincing Round of 16 victory, while Switzerland and Turkey should not be counted out based on form.

The first quarter-final game, on July 5, is arguably the game of the tournament so far. Germany and Spain have been arguably the two best teams of Euro 2024 – and the two highest-scoring nations – but one journey will end here.

But speaking of the potential game of the tournament, and the second quarter-final – Portugal vs France – may have something to say about it. The two nations played out an enthralling 2-2 draw in Euro 2020, but have underwhelmed so far with their brand of football. Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe are also yet to take the tournament by storm.

Switzerland are proving to be the giant-killers this summer. After nearly beating Germany, they dispatched defending champions Italy with ease in the Round of 16. Now, they face England, who have had to rely on Jude Bellingham‘s heroics amid some unconvincing displays.

Finally, Netherlands face Turkey in the last bout of the quarters. Turkey dumped out a strong Austria, while Netherlands won 3-0 against Romania.

Euro 2024 Quarter Final Draw in full:

1. Spain vs Germany – Friday, July 5 – Stuttgart Arena, Stuttgart (9:30 PM IST)

2. Portugal vs France – Saturday, July 6 – Volksparkstadion, Hamburg (12:30 AM IST)

3. England vs Switzerland – Saturday, July 6 – Merkur Spiel-Arena, Dusseldorf (9:30 PM IST)

4. Netherlands vs Turkey – Sunday, July 7 – Olympiastadion, Berlin (12:30 AM IST)

The winner of Spain-Germany faces the winner of Portugal-France in the semis, while the winner of England-Switzerland faces the winner of Netherlands-Turkey.

Euro 2024 Round of 16 match between Germany and Denmark was suspended© AFP

Germany vs Denmark Live Streaming Euro 2024 Round Of 16 Live Telecast: When And Where To Watch© AFP