Euro 2024 final: Spain can handle hostile England crowd – Olmo

Dani Olmo has said he believes Spain will be able to counter a hostile atmosphere at Berlin’s Olympiastadion on Sunday with England fans expected to significantly outnumber their Spanish counterparts at the Euro 2024 final.

Officially, both teams receive the same 10,000 allocation from UEFA, with a spokesman from the Spanish Football Federation [RFEF] confirming they are aware of around 11,000 fans with tickets for the game.

A far larger contingent of English supporters are expected in the German capital, with an estimate of up to 35,000, if not more, believed to have tickets for the match at the 74,475-capacity stadium. Many more fans are due to arrive in the city over the weekend who do not possess tickets.

“There might only be 11,000 in the stadium, but there are also 48 million back in Spain supporting us,” Olmo said in a news conference on Friday when made aware of the disparity between the support for the two nations.

“Germany are the hosts so they outnumbered Spain fans in the quarterfinal, too, but we have always felt the support here. We have been able to celebrate with them after games and there were more than we thought. We have a great group of fans following us and it tells.”

RB Leipzig’s Olmo has been one of the stars of Spain’s run to the final, scoring in each of the knockout round wins against Georgia, Germany and France. That has propelled him into a group of six players who have scored three goals at the tournament and if no one scores four, the Golden Boot will be shared between them, UEFA confirmed on Friday.

Of those six players, Olmo and England striker Harry Kane are the only two left in the competition, making them the favourites to go home with the top scorer award.

“It’s an extra motivation [winning the Golden Boot] if needed, but if we win the game I don’t mind if I score or [goalkeeper] Unai Simón does,” Olmo added.

“I have felt good in the tournament. I am in a good form and want to keep taking advantage of that. It’s true I am level [with Kane], but Fabián [Ruiz] has two, Alvaro [Morata] one, so if he scores a hat-trick he would win it and we would be just as happy.

“The goal is to win the game. I would be happy if I can help the team with a goal, but the main objective is to win the trophy. We are 90 minutes from glory.”

While Spain’s run to the final has featured six successive wins, including beating hosts Germany and pre-tournament favourites France, England’s performances have been criticised at times and they have won just two of their six matches inside 90 minutes.

The Three Lions were also perceived to be in the so-called easier section of the draw, beating Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands to make the final, but Olmo thinks the best two teams have prevailed in Germany.

“England have shown so far they can come back from games when they have started losing,” he said. “They did so in the semifinal, also in the quarterfinal and in the round of 16 when [Jude] Bellingham scored the bicycle kick.

“They are a team that never gives up, that’s for sure. We have to be focused all game. It doesn’t matter if we are down or up, we have keep our focus, play our game and give our best for 90 or 120 minutes.

“I think the best two teams reached the final. It’s always like this in a tournament, the ones who win the most are in the final. It’s the same in this tournament this year.

“The best two teams will face again in the final. We will try to focus on ourselves, the things that brought us where we are now and try to do our best.

“If it’s working, why change? We are showing a way of playing and we have a clear idea which is unique and personalised to the national team.