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2021 UEFA Nations League final

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Not to be confused with 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals, the final tournament of the Nations League.

2021 UEFA Nations League Final
Pre-show at the final in San Siro, Milan.
Event2021 UEFA Nations League Finals
Spain France
1 2
Date10 October 2021 (2021-10-10)
VenueSan Siro, Milan
Man of the MatchKarim Benzema (France)[1]
RefereeAnthony Taylor (England)[2]
Attendance31,511[3]
WeatherClear night
12 °C (54 °F)
57% humidity[4]
← 2019
2023 →

The 2021 UEFA Nations League Final was a football match that determined the winners of the final tournament of the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League. It was the second final of the international football competition involving the men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA. The match was held on 10 October 2021 at the San Siro in Milan, Italy, and was contested by Spain and France.[5]

France won the match 2–1 for their first UEFA Nations League title.

Venue

The final was played at the San Siro in Milan, home to Milan and Inter Milan.

Background

Route to the final

Further information: 2020–21 UEFA Nations League, 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A, and 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

Spain Round France
Opponents Result League phase Opponents Result
 Germany 1–1 (A) Match 1  Sweden 1–0 (A)
 Ukraine 4–0 (H) Match 2  Croatia 4–2 (H)
  Switzerland 1–0 (H) Match 3  Portugal 0–0 (H)
 Ukraine 0–1 (A) Match 4  Croatia 2–1 (A)
  Switzerland 1–1 (A) Match 5  Portugal 1–0 (A)
 Germany 6–0 (H) Match 6  Sweden 4–2 (H)
Group A4 winner
Pos Team
 Pld Pts
1  Spain 6 11
2  Germany 6 9
3   Switzerland 6 6
4  Ukraine (R) 6 6
Source: UEFA
(R) Relegated
 Final standings Group A3 winner
Pos Team
 Pld Pts
1  France 6 16
2  Portugal 6 13
3  Croatia 6 3
4  Sweden (R) 6 3
Source: UEFA
(R) Relegated
Opponents Result Nations League Finals Opponents Result
 Italy 2–1 Semi-finals  Belgium 3–2

Pre-match

Officials

Anthony Taylor
Englishman Anthony Taylor was selected as the referee for the final.

On 8 October 2021, the UEFA Referees Committee announced the officiating team for the final, led by 42-year-old English referee Anthony Taylor of the Football Association. He was joined by seven of his compatriots, including assistant referees Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn. Craig Pawson served as the fourth official, while Stuart Burt was selected as the reserve assistant referee. At UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, Stuart Attwell worked as the video assistant referee (VAR) for the match. Chris Kavanagh and Lee Betts were appointed as assistant VAR officials, along with Dutchman Pol van Boekel.[2]

Taylor has been a FIFA referee since 2013. The match was his third UEFA final as lead referee, having officiated the 2015 UEFA European Under-19 Championship Final and the 2020 UEFA Super Cup. He also was selected as a referee at UEFA Euro 2020, where he officiated three matches. He previously served as an additional assistant referee at UEFA Euro 2016, including the final,[6] as well as in the 2015 UEFA Europa League Final and 2016 UEFA Champions League Final.[7][8] Domestically, he officiated the FA Cup final in 2017 and 2020, the Football League Cup final in 2015, and the FA Community Shield in 2015. The final was the fourth time Taylor had refereed Spain (two wins and one loss) and the third for France (one win and one loss).[9]

Team selection

Spain had all their players available for selection.[4] However, Ferran Torres was a doubt with an ankle issue which required him to be substituted out of Spain's semi-final against Italy and miss Spain's final training session.[10] France had two players missing, after left-back Lucas Digne left the squad due to a muscle injury,[11] while midfielder Adrien Rabiot testing positive for SARS‑CoV‑2.[12]

Both teams made two changes to their starting line-ups after their semi-final victories. Spain replaced centre-back Pau Torres with Eric García and midfielder Koke with Rodri, while France replaced centre-back Lucas Hernandez with Presnel Kimpembe and COVID-positive Rabiot with Aurélien Tchouaméni.[4]

Match

Summary

After a goalless first half, Mikel Oyarzabal put Spain into the lead after 64 minutes with a low finish from the left to the bottom right corner of the net after a pass from Sergio Busquets which French defender Dayot Upamecano failed to cut out.[13] This goal came seconds after Theo Hernandez shot against the underside of the crossbar for France. Two minutes later Karim Benzema scored to make it 1–1, cutting in from the left to the edge of the penalty area before shooting to the top right corner of the net past Unai Simón who managed to get a touch on the ball but could not prevent it going into the net.[14] With ten minutes remaining Kylian Mbappé got the winning goal when he received the ball from Theo Hernandez before shooting low under the advancing goalkeeper Simón from the left. Mbappé was initially in an offside position from the pass but as the ball was deflected into his path by Eric García he became onside and so the goal was given.[15][16]

Details

Spain 1–2 France
  • Oyarzabal 64'
 Report
Attendance: 31,511[3]
Spain[4]
France[4]
GK 23 Unai Simón
RB 2 César Azpilicueta
CB 19 Aymeric Laporte Yellow card 86'
CB 12 Eric García
LB 17 Marcos Alonso
CM 9 Gavi downward-facing red arrow 75'
CM 5 Sergio Busquets (c)
CM 16 Rodri downward-facing red arrow 84'
RF 11 Ferran Torres downward-facing red arrow 84'
CF 22 Pablo Sarabia downward-facing red arrow 61'
LF 21 Mikel Oyarzabal
Substitutions:
FW 7 Yeremi Pino upward-facing green arrow 61'
MF 8 Koke upward-facing green arrow 75'
MF 20 Mikel Merino upward-facing green arrow 84'
MF 18 Pablo Fornals upward-facing green arrow 84'
Manager:
Luis Enrique
GK 1 Hugo Lloris (c)
CB 5 Jules Koundé Yellow card 55'
CB 4 Raphaël Varane downward-facing red arrow 43'
CB 3 Presnel Kimpembe
RM 2 Benjamin Pavard downward-facing red arrow 79'
CM 6 Paul Pogba Yellow card 46'
CM 8 Aurélien Tchouaméni
LM 22 Theo Hernandez
AM 7 Antoine Griezmann downward-facing red arrow 90+2'
CF 19 Karim Benzema
CF 10 Kylian Mbappé Yellow card 90'
Substitutions:
DF 15 Dayot Upamecano upward-facing green arrow 43'
DF 12 Léo Dubois upward-facing green arrow 79'
MF 17 Jordan Veretout upward-facing green arrow 90+2'
Manager:
Didier Deschamps

Man of the Match:
Karim Benzema (France)[1]

Assistant referees:[2]
Gary Beswick (England)
Adam Nunn (England)
Fourth official:
Craig Pawson (England)
Reserve assistant referee:
Stuart Burt (England)
Video assistant referee:
Stuart Attwell (England)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Chris Kavanagh (England)
Lee Betts (England)
Pol van Boekel (Netherlands)

Match rules[17]

  • 90 minutes
  • 30 minutes of extra time if necessary
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level
  • Maximum of twelve named substitutes
  • Maximum of five substitutions, with a sixth allowed in extra time[note 1]

Statistics

Notes

  1. ^ Each team was given only three opportunities to make substitutions, with a fourth opportunity in extra time, excluding substitutions made at half-time, before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time.

References

  1. ^ a b "Spain 1–2 France: Les Bleus seal trophy with another comeback". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "English ref Anthony Taylor and his team to take charge of Spain v France in Milan". The Football Association. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Full Time Report – Final – Spain v France" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Tactical Line-ups – Final – Spain v France" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  5. ^ "UEFA Nations League finals: all you need to know". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Clattenburg named referee for UEFA Euro 2016 final". UEFA. 8 July 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  7. ^ "Atkinson to referee UEFA Europa League final". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 18 May 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  8. ^ "Clattenburg to referee Champions League final". UEFA.com. 10 May 2016.
  9. ^ "Anthony Taylor » Matches as referee". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  10. ^ García-Ochoa, Juan Ignacio (9 October 2021). "Ferran: "Mi tobillo va mejor y me probaré en el calentamiento"" [Ferran: "My ankle is better and I will test myself in the warm-up"]. Marca (in Spanish). Milan. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  11. ^ "Lucas Digne va quitter le groupe" [Lucas Digne will leave the squad]. French Football Federation (in French). 8 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Adrien Rabiot forfait pour la finale" [Adrien Rabiot withdraws for the final]. French Football Federation (in French). 9 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  13. ^ "Spain 1-2 France: Karim Benzema stunner and Kylian Mbappe strike clinch Nations League trophy for France". Sky Sports. 10 October 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  14. ^ "Spain 1 France 2". BBC Sport. 10 October 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  15. ^ "Kylian Mbappé sinks Spain to clinch Nations League for France". Guardian. 10 October 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Mbappe, Benzema lead France over Spain in Nations League final". ESPN. 10 October 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  17. ^ "Regulations of the UEFA Nations League, 2020/21" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 13 October 2019. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  18. ^ a b c "Team statistics – Final – Spain v France" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
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