Martín Zubimendi sees off Denmark to breathe life into Spain’s victory parade

It was little late and a little lucky too, but the European champions did eventually get the goal that completed their homecoming. Kasper Schmeichel had resisted for 79 minutes but then almost out of nowhere, Martín Zubimendi, the man Liverpool couldn’t convince and whose coach calls the second best midfielder in the world after the man he came to replace, hit a volley that squirmed through the hands of the Denmark keeper and into the net. Just when it seemed that they wouldn’t get a goal to go with the Henri Delaunay trophy, 29,870 people erupted in Murcia, the party ending rather well after all.

Twenty-four shots it had taken, a deflection too, but Spain had defeated Denmark to go top of the group and mark the occasion with a victory that had looked like it might evade them. Schmeichel had made five saves until then, two of them one-on-ones with Álvaro Morata, but ultimately carried some of the responsibility for defeat on a night when Denmark had their moments. And yet while there was a period here when it felt like the game might drift into a draw with which they would have probably been satisfied, the selección did get the win they deserved.

The win they had come for too. This was a homage to the champions, their first match on Spanish soil since winning Euro 2024 in Berlin, even if not all of them made it back. Of the starting XI in Berlin, only four began here: Aymeric Laporte, Fabián Ruiz, Lamine Yamal and Morata. Unai Simón, Dani Carvajal, Rodri, Robin Le Normand and Dani Olmo, plus Ferran Torres, had all been left out of the squad because of injury; Nico Williams and Le Normand then pulled out, and they weren’t alone, Bryan Gil and Yéremi Pino departing too.

Rodri and Carvajal, leaders of this side, were the worse of those: both men had suffered serious knee ligament tears and amidst an ever-expanding fixture list, injury has become an obsession in Spain this season, a fear that lingers. That dominated the buildup to this match, too, maybe even threatening the sense of occasion. For some, it seemed, what really mattered was players getting through this unscathed. Not for Spain’s players, and not for those who lined the streets and the stands here. Certainly not for Zubimendi, who had to replace Rodri.

“Rodri is the best in the world in his position, irreplaceable, but Martín is the second best,” Luis de la Fuente had said. “He oozes assuredness from every pore; he doesn’t get nervous walking a tightrope with no safety net.” He was rewarded with the winner.

Of the group of captains, those injuries left just Morata who this week revealed that he had suffered depression and anxiety attacks, needing medication and psychiatric treatment; three months before the tournament, he thought he would not make it to Germany at all. Instead he lifted the trophy after years of feeling misunderstood, the target of easy jokes. Here he was given the opportunity to lift it again and greeted with the kind of warmth previously denied. When it came to scoring though, he came up against Schmeichel.

 

Captain Álvaro Morata parades the European Championship trophy before the game. 

Denmark hadn’t come to pay homage. Top of the group with two wins from two, they wanted to play their part. In front of 1,500 travelling fans, theirs was the first opportunity too, David Raya saving from Kasper Dolberg at his near post. To begin with, it was Spain on the front foot although, while they dominated possession, real chances were few. An Álex Grimaldo shot was easy for Schmeichel, Zubimendi poked a volley just wide and, when the best opportunity came, Morata squeezed a shot just beyond the far post. Then Lamine Yamal’s curler was saved before he and Pedri had efforts blocked at the edge of the area.

The intensity though was dropping and Denmark were starting to see a way through, especially on the right. Raya had to be swift when a sharp combination between Christian Eriksen and Albert Grønbæk opened Spain up. Another exchange involving Eriksen and Dolberg saw the latter clip over a cross that almost went in. And Pierre-Emile Højbjerg’s shot deflected off Laporte and nearly looped under the bar. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

When Morata’s shot flew well over, it drew generous, even polite applause where once it might have drawn groans. Lamine Yamal, clean through, hit over, and at the start of the second half Ruiz struck the side netting. Spain dominated but it lacked a little edge, some incision. Until, that was, Ruiz’s lovely pass put Morata in. Schmeichel, though, stood in the way then and did so again when the captain soon got another chance, this time played in by Laporte.

Denmark seemed to have settled for this; Spain had not yet, the pace quickening again, Lamine Yamal’s fast feet working an opening on the edge of the area that Schmeichel saved just as the first Mexican wave began its journey around the ground. Time slipped away but they were determined to enjoy this anyway and when Zubimendi scored, they could really let go.