On July 1st, Spain defeated Georgia 4-1 in the Round of 16 of the European Championship, advancing to the quarterfinals. This is the first time since 2012 that Spain has won a knockout match in the European Championship or World Cup within 90 minutes.
Between 2008 and 2012, Spain established a dynasty, winning one World Cup and two European Championships in five years. However, Spanish football has since entered a period of decline.
In the 2014 World Cup, Spain, as the defending champion, was eliminated in the group stage. In the 2016 European Championship, Spain reached the Round of 16 but lost 0-2 to Italy in the Round of 16, ending their title defense. In the 2018 World Cup, Spain reached the Round of 16 but lost to the host Russia in a penalty shootout. In the 2020 European Championship, Spain qualified from the group stage, then defeated Croatia in extra time and Switzerland in a penalty shootout to reach the semi-finals, before losing to Italy in a penalty shootout. In the 2022 World Cup, Spain qualified from the group stage but lost to Morocco in the Round of 16 after a penalty shootout.
In this match, Spain’s 4-1 victory over Georgia marked their first 90-minute win in a knockout match at the European Championship or World Cup since 2012.
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