“We will protect them from the digital Wild West,” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Tuesday.

The ban, which still needs parliamentary approval, is part of a raft of changes that include making company executives responsible for “illegal or harmful content” on their platforms.

Australia became the world’s first country to bring in a ban last year, with others watching – and judging – its success.

France, Denmark and Austria have also announced that they are considering their own national age limits.

The UK government has launched a consultation on whether to implement a ban for under-16s.

Social media companies have argued that the bans would be ineffective, difficult to implement and could isolate vulnerable teenagers. Reddit is challenging Australia’s ban in the High Court.

“Today, our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone,” Sánchez said, describing social media as a place of “addiction, abuse, pornography, manipulation [and] violence.

“We will no longer accept that. We will protect them.”

Sánchez first mooted a possible ban in November, but on Tuesday, the plan was fleshed out.

Under the changes, social media platforms would be required to have effective age verification systems, “not just check boxes, but real barriers that work,” the prime minister explained, in a possible reference to the loopholes Australian children use to bypass checks – including simply using a photo of an adult.

The new laws would also criminalise the manipulation of algorithms to amplify illegal content.

“This is something created, promoted, and disseminated by certain actors whom we will investigate, as well as the platforms whose algorithms amplify disinformation in exchange for profit,” Sánchez said.

“Hiding behind code and claiming that technology is neutral is no longer acceptable.”

There would also be a new system designed to track “how digital platforms fuel division and amplify hate”. No further details were given on how this would work.

Another measure, Sánchez said, would be to “investigate and prosecute the crimes committed by Grok [X’s AI tool], TikTok, and Instagram”.

The European Commission has launched an investigation into Grok over concerns it was used to create sexualised images of real people.

The UK has announced its own investigation into Grok, and on Tuesday in France, the offices of X were raided by the Paris prosecutor’s cyber-crime unit as it looked into allegations of offences including unlawful data extraction and complicity in the possession of child pornography.

X is yet to respond to either investigation – the BBC has approached it for comment. It has previously characterised the French investigation as an attack on free speech.

Sánchez said he hoped to get the laws passed next week, but that could prove difficult because his left-wing coalition government lacks a parliamentary majority.

Spain’s main opposition party, the conservative People’s Party, seems to approve of the ban, saying it has previously proposed similar restrictions. The far-right Vox party has spoken out against it, however.

In response to the announcement, X owner Elon Musk labelled Sánchez as a “tyrant and traitor to the people of Spain”.

TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, Discord and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, have all been approached for comment.

France has led the charge in Europe, with President Emmanuel Macron saying he wants a ban for under-15s in place by the start of the next school year in September.

Spain, Portugal and Morocco are co-hosting the tournament, while the opening three matches will be played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to mark the competition’s 100th anniversary.

Morocco has expressed interest in staging the final but Spanish Football Federation chief Rafael Louzan said: “Spain has proven its organisational capacity over many years.

“It will be the leader of the 2030 World Cup and the final of that World Cup will be held here.”

Real Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium and Barcelona’s Nou Camp are viewed as the leading candidates to host the match, but Louzan provided no further details.

The BBC has approached world governing body Fifa, which has the final say on where the match will be played, and the Portuguese and Moroccan football federations for comment.

Morocco wants to stage the final in Casablanca at the Grand Stade Hassan II, which is due to be completed in 2028 and expected to hold 115,000 people.

Last year, Morocco’s Royal Football Federation president Faouzi Lekjaa expressed his wish to see the stadium stage a final against Spain.

Afcon scenes ‘damage the image of world football’

However, on Monday, at an event organised by the Madrid Sports Press Association, Spain’s Louzan also referred to the wild scenes at the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) earlier this month.

Morocco had talked up the tournament as a test event for 2030 but it ended in chaotic scenes in the capital city Rabat.

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw, already angered by a decision to disallow his side a goal in injury-time with the score 0-0, ushered his team from the field after hosts Morocco were awarded a penalty following a video assistant referee check.

There was also unrest in the stands as Senegal’s supporters tried to force their way onto the pitch.

Following a delay of about 17 minutes, Brahim Diaz’s tame ‘Panenka’ spot-kick was saved and Senegal went on to claim a 1-0 victory in extra time.

A win for Morocco would have seen the country clinch its first Afcon title since 1976.

“Morocco is really undergoing a transformation in every sense, with magnificent stadiums,” Louzan said. “We must recognise what has been done well.

“But in the Africa Cup of Nations, we have seen scenes that damage the image of world football.”

Fifa said last year it was premature to decide the venue for the 2030 final, saying the host city for the 2026 World Cup final was revealed only two years before the tournament.

Spain have put forward 11 stadiums to host games at the 2030 World Cup, with Morocco set to use six and Portugal three.

The opening matches will take place in South America as Fifa marks the 1930 competition that was staged and won by Uruguay.

Argentina were the beaten finalists, while Paraguay is where Conmebol, the South American football confederation, is based.

More than 30 are being treated for serious injuries in the hospital, Spain’s transport minister Oscar Puente said.

The incident happened near the town of Adamuz, close to the city of Cordoba, when a high-speed train travelling from Malaga to Madrid derailed and crossed over onto another track, the rail network operator Adif said.

The derailed train then collided with an oncoming train, travelling from Madrid to Huelva. Andalusian emergency services said at least 73 people in total were injured in the collision.

The incident appeared to be “extremely strange”, Puente added, because the train derailed on a straight stretch of track, which had been refurbished in May last year.

The official cause is not yet known. An investigation is not expected to determine what happened for at least a month.

Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, said the country will endure a “night of deep pain”.

Iryo, a private rail company that operated the journey from Malaga, said around 300 passengers were on board the train that first derailed, while the other train – operated by Renfe – had around 100 passengers.

The mayor of Adamuz, Rafael Moreno, was among the first on the scene of the accident. He described it as like “a nightmare”.

In a post on X, the Emergency Agency of Andalucía urged any crash survivors to post on social media that they are alive.

The twisted wreckage of the train made it difficult to recover survivors and bodies, rescue crews said.

Cordoba fire chief Francisco Carmona told Spanish public broadcaster RTVE: “We have even had to remove a dead person to be able to reach someone alive. It is hard, tricky work.”

According to Adif, the crash happened about ten minutes after the train left Malaga at 18:40 local time (17:40 GMT). The company said it was setting up spaces for relatives of victims at Atocha, Seville, Cordoba, Malaga and Huelva stations.

All rail services between Madrid and Andalusia were suspended following the accident and will remain closed on Monday. The company said it will keep terminals open overnight for impacted passengers.

The type of train involved in the crash was a Freccia 1000, which can reach speeds of up to 400 km/h (250 mph), a spokesperson for the Italian rail company Ferrovie dello Stato told Reuters.

The Spanish Red Cross has deployed emergency support services to the scene and is also offering counselling to families nearby.

Miguel Ángel Rodríguez from the Red Cross told RNE radio: “The families are going through a situation of great anxiety due to the lack of information. These are very distressing moments.”

Salvador Jimenez, a journalist with RTVE who was on one of the trains, said the impact felt like an “earthquake”.

“I was in the first carriage. There was a moment when it felt like an earthquake and the train had indeed derailed,” Jimenez said.

In his latest update on X, he said he was among a group of passengers waiting in the “freezing cold night” for buses to transport them to a local sports centre.

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia said they were following news of the disaster with “with great concern”.

“We extend our most heartfelt condolences to the relatives and loved ones of the dead, as well as our love and wishes for a swift recovery to the injured,” the royal palace said on X.

French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen have both offered condolences in statements.

“My thoughts are with the victims, their families and the entire Spanish people. France stands by your side,” Macron wrote on social media.

In 2013, Spain suffered its worst high-speed train derailment in Galicia, north-west Spain, which left 80 people dead and 140 others injured.

The contest between the two continental champions was revived in 2021 when UEFA and South American confederation CONMEBOL strongly opposed FIFA’s plans for a biennial World Cup.

Lionel Messi’s Argentina outclassed Italy 3-0 in the 2022 contest and the South American side will return to the Lusail Stadium in Qatar where they were crowned world champions three years ago.

The match will be held on March 27, 2026, with the game kicking off at 9 p.m. local time.

Spain and Argentina have met 14 times, with both teams winning six times each.

The delegation, led by the Association’s Chairman, met the Ambassador on Thursday, November 13, at the Embassy of Spain to discuss strengthening diplomatic ties and expanding areas of mutual collaboration.

Accompanying the Chairman were Members of Parliament Hon. Felicia Adjei and Hon. Alhassan Sulemana, along with the Association’s Secretary, Mr. Mustapha Ahmed. They were received by Deputy Commissioner Ms. Isabel Ibarra Serrano de Haro, whose presence added depth to the engagement.

During the meeting, the Chairman expressed gratitude for the Ambassador’s “continuous hospitality” and reaffirmed the Association’s determination to pursue deeper cooperation between the two countries. He highlighted priority sectors for collaboration, including trade, education, health, agriculture, tourism, and parliamentary exchange programmes.

He further emphasized that Ghana could benefit from Spain’s “strong institutional structures and development models,” which provide valuable lessons for national development.

In response, Ambassador Lossada expressed Spain’s readiness to work closely with the Association to advance shared interests and unlock new development opportunities.

The meeting concluded with both sides pledging to build a more dynamic partnership that promotes innovation and growth in Ghana, particularly in constituencies such as Abuakwa South.

This engagement adds fresh momentum to parliamentary diplomacy efforts and further strengthens the long-standing ties between Ghana and Spain.

The 18-year-old Barcelona winger was selected for the World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey on 15 and 18 November respectively.

The Spanish FA (RFEF) said it was not told about Lamine Yamal’s procedure on Monday, the day the squad began a training camp.

Lamine Yamal scored in Barcelona’s 4-2 La Liga win over Celta Vigo on Sunday before being substituted in stoppage time.

A statement, read: “The medical services of the Royal Spanish Football Federation wish to express their surprise and concern upon learning, at 13:47 on Monday 10 November – the day the national team’s official training camp began – that Lamine Yamal had undergone an invasive radiofrequency procedure earlier that same morning to treat discomfort in his pubic area.

“This procedure was carried out without prior communication to the national team’s medical staff, who only became aware of the details through a report received at 22:40 last night, in which a medical recommendation of 7–10 days of rest was indicated.

“In light of this situation, and with the player’s health, safety, and wellbeing as the top priority, the Royal Spanish Football Federation has decided to release the player from the current squad.”

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick criticised Spain for playing Lamine Yamal in qualifiers against Bulgaria and Turkey in September.

He missed four Barcelona games with a groin injury after that international break and was absent for Spain’s matches against Georgia and Bulgaria in October after aggravating the injury.

He has played in Barcelona’s past six matches, scoring four goals.

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has called up Rayo Vallecano’s Jorge de Frutos to replace Lamine Yamal.

The Euro 2024 champions are top of Group E with two games remaining, three points above Turkey.

After being swept aside in all four encounters last season, Los Blancos enter this El Clásico with more than just points on the line. Pride, revenge, and top spot in La Liga are all at stake.

Hansi Flick’s Barcelona dominated the fixture in 2024–25, dismantling Madrid in every competition. The tone was set early with a stunning 4–0 win at the Santiago Bernabéu in October 2024. That was followed by a thrilling 5–2 victory in the Supercopa semifinal in Jeddah, then a dramatic 3–2 triumph after extra time in the Copa del Rey final in Seville. Barça completed the sweep with a 4–3 home win in May, sealing their control over the rivalry.

Central to Barcelona’s dominance was the emergence of teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. Unplayable in transition and ice-cold in the final third, Yamal tore into Madrid’s backline repeatedly, contributing goals and assists while raising eyebrows across Europe. His connection with Pedri and Gavi has formed a fluid, fearless midfield-attacking axis that Flick has leaned on in big moments.

But this season, Real Madrid may finally be ready to fight back. Under new manager Xabi Alonso, Madrid have regained their identity: tactically disciplined, confident in possession, and harder to break down. Alonso’s arrival has coincided with Kylian Mbappé reaching peak form, and the French forward has made an impressive impact thus far in 2025/26, delivering key goals in tight games and showing signs of real chemistry with Vinícius Jr.

Unlike last season, where Real often looked tactically reactive, Alonso’s Madrid side have clear principles: pressing high, dominating possession, and playing with calculated control. Eduardo Camavinga and Aurélien Tchouaméni have added steel and mobility to the midfield, while Jude Bellingham, still thriving in a free role and recovering to his best from injury, remains a goal threat from deeper positions.

The table adds extra spice: Madrid lead La Liga, and a win would push them five points clear of their rivals. A loss, though, would see them cede top spot — and reopen questions about their ability to win when it matters most.

Flick, for his part, knows the psychological edge remains with Barcelona. His team will look to impose their vertical game again, pressing Madrid’s backline and using Yamal’s pace to exploit any space behind. But Alonso will have learned from last season’s defeats. Expect a more cautious approach, especially early on, with a focus on controlling tempo and reducing Barça’s transition chances.

So, can Madrid finally break the spell? With home advantage, a more settled tactical identity, and Mbappé in form, this may be their best opportunity yet. But Barcelona’s confidence in this fixture — and Yamal’s continued brilliance — mean nothing will come easy. One thing’s certain: on Sunday night, Spain — and the footballing world — will be watching.

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Broadcast details

Sunday 26 October

17:15: Real Madrid v Barcelona – LIVE on SuperSport La Liga and SuperSport Maximo 3

The Inter Miami midfielder, 38, won 32 major honours in 18 years at Barcelona, including nine La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues.

He made 143 appearances for Spain and was part of the side that won the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship.

Busquets joined Inter Miami in 2023, linking up with former Barca team-mates Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez.

“I feel like the time has come to say goodbye to my career as a professional footballer. It’s been almost 20 years of enjoying this incredible story I always dreamed of,” Busquets said in a video posted on social media.

“I’m retiring very happy, proud, fulfilled, and above all, grateful. Thank you all very much, see you soon.”

Busquets joined Barcelona in 2005 as a youth player, progressing to Barca’s B side before making his first-team debut under manager Pep Guardiola in a 2008 league game against Racing Santander.

He played 722 matches in total – the third-most appearances in the club’s history.

He made his international debut in 2009 and retired in December 2022 as the country’s third-highest appearance holder.

Inter Miami secured their place in the MLS play-offs with a 4-0 victory over New York City FC on Wednesday.

The 18-team play-offs begin on 22 October and culminate with the MLS Cup on 6 December.

The La Liga champions were hoping to host Real Sociedad in the league on Sunday with a reduced capacity of 27,000.

Instead, the fixture will be at the 55,000-seater Olympic Stadium on the city’s Montjuic hill, where Barca have played for the previous two seasons during the renovation work.

The club thanked members and supporters “for their understanding and support during such a complex and exciting process”, and said they were working on the amendments given by the council.

Barcelona have played their two home games against Valencia and Getafe at the much smaller 6,000-capacity Johan Cryuff Stadium, home to their women’s team.

The city’s fire department said there were problems with evacuation routes, among other safety issues.

However, the Barca’s operations director Joan Sentelles told reporters during a tour of the stadium on Tuesday: “Just because it’s not finished, doesn’t mean it’s not safe.”

Sentelles also said the roof will be put on the stadium in the summer of 2027, a year later than originally planned.

Work on the Nou Camp began in June 2023, at a cost of about £1.1bn, with the goal of modernising the stadium and expanding its capacity to 105,000 – making it one of the largest grounds in the world.

The plan was to be back playing games there in November 2024, to coincide with the club’s 125th anniversary, but that target has long since passed.

Laia Bonet, Barcelona’s deputy mayor, said the city council must guarantee the safety of everyone who wants to go to the stadium. “This is the priority,” she added.

In doing so, Bonmati became the first women’s player in history to win the award three times since its inauguration in 2018, seeing off competition from Arsenal forwards Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo, who finished second and third respectively.

Bonmati once again played a leading role in Barca’s success last season, helping the Catalan side to a domestic treble: the Liga F, Copa de la Reina de Futbol and Supercopa de Espana Femenina.

The midfielder recorded 16 goals and 12 assists in all competitions for Barca last season, and was named the UEFA Women’s Champions League player of the season after playing an instrumental role in her side’s run to the final, where they were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal in Lisbon.

Bonmati was a vital cog in Barca’s imperious attack last season, as they scored 128 goals in just 30 league matches, winning the title with an eight-point gap over Real Madrid and dropping just six points over the course of the season.

Alongside her club success, Bonmati was also a crucial figure for her country, Spain.

Despite her preparations being blighted by a diagnosis of viral meningitis just days before the start of Euro 2025 in Switzerland, she played a seismic role in her side’s run to the final, and was named player of the tournament.

Bonmati featured in every match of the summer competition, making some vital contributions, and scored the winner in the 1-0 semi-final victory over Germany.

She also provided an assist for Athenea del Castillo to score Spain’s opening goal in the 2-0 quarter-final victory over Switzerland, but their tournament ultimately ended with a penalty shoot-out defeat to England.

By winning the Ballon d’Or on Monday, Bonmati ensured the trophy would go to a Spanish Barcelona midfielder for the fifth year in succession. She won the 2024 and 2023 editions, while team-mate and compatriot Alexia Putellas scooped the trophies in 2022 and 2021.

Ballon d’Or Feminin top 10 in full

1. Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona, Spain)

2. Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal, Spain)

3. Alessia Russo (Arsenal, England)

4. Alexia Putellas (Barcelona, Spain)

5. Chloe Kelly (Arsenal, England)

6. Patricia Guijarro (Barcelona, Spain)

7. Leah Williamson (Arsenal, England)

8. Ewa Pajor (Barcelona, Poland)

9. Lucy Bronze (Chelsea, England)

10. Hannah Hampton (Chelsea, England)

Nico, who emerged as one of Spain’s most promising talents following an impressive season, was strongly linked with a move to the Camp Nou. However, he rejected Barcelona’s advances and opted to extend his contract with Athletic Bilbao, committing to the club until 2025.

Speaking candidly about the transfer saga, Inaki Williams did not hold back in his criticism of Barcelona’s tactics.

“A lot of lies have been told. We all know how football works and the pressure they wanted to exert. Barça ran a media campaign they thought would work. That external noise caused a lot of damage and tainted the situation,” said Inaki, who has recently been named captain of Athletic Bilbao.

Both Williams brothers are expected to play key roles as Bilbao prepares for a busy 2025/26 campaign, which includes a return to European competition.

The team kicks off their La Liga season against Sevilla, with high expectations at San Mamés.

Source: Adomonline.com

The Lionesses came back twice to reach the decider in Basel and book this revenge mission against the same side who beat them at the 2023 World Cup in Sydney.

And Mariona Caldentey ensured England would need another when she nodded in a 25th-minute opener, cancelled out by her Arsenal team-mate Alessia Russo with a header of her own from Kelly’s cross after the break to make it 1-1.

Hannah Hampton made two spectacular saves in the shootout before Kelly – who made the difference in extra time at Wembley three summers ago –  netted another dramatic winner after Salma Paralluelo’s miss.

Lauren James was deemed fit enough to start after coming off at half-time of England’s semi-final comeback over Italy with an ankle issue, while Jess Carter returned to the defence in place of Esme Morgan.

Lucy Bronze overtook Jill Scott to become the Lionesses’ all-time appearance leader in major tournaments, featuring – and starting – for a 36th time.

England had a chance to take an early lead when Russo, released on the right, forced Cata Coll into a save, and James could not connect when the rebound returned in her direction.

England keeper Hampton’s big block denied Esther Gonzalez, who directed a second effort off-target, before Spain nearly gifted England a huge chance just before the 20-minute mark.

Laia Aleixandri was caught sleeping on Coll’s pass, allowing Lauren Hemp to intercept and test the Spanish keeper, who stuck out a leg to let Aleixandri off the hook.

Spain’s patience deep in England’s half paid off when Caldentey finally found the back of the net, the opener initially facilitated by Aitana Bonmati winning her battle with Georgia Stanway near the touchline.

The back-to-back Ballon d’Or winner then found a composed Athenea del Castillo – earning a start in place of Claudia Pina – who her time before working it to Ona Batlle, whose pinpoint delivery allowed Caldentey to power her header into the top right.

Spain were in the driver’s seat by the 41st minute when James, who had taken a knock, was replaced by Kelly, who got herself involved immediately with a wide effort.

Hampton denied Bonmati, then Caldentey before Russo, sandwiched between two Spain centre-backs, drew the sides level, nodding home another sumptuous cross from Kelly in the 57th minute.

Kelly then nearly got herself on the scoresheet with just over 20 minutes remaining, forcing Coll into a low fingertip save.

Russo’s evening was over two minutes later, replaced by 19-year-old breakout star Michelle Agyemang, and it took a spectacular reaction from Hampton to deny Pina, two minutes after the Spanish substitute’s own 71st-minute introduction.

A big Carter block denied Paralluelo, who blazed over, and neither side was able to make the difference after 30 minutes.

Spain looked likelier to score, first through Pina’s curled effort, then Paralluelo came up short in her attempt to cleverly flick in a winner late in the first 15-minute period of extra time.

England resolutely defended against more waves of Spanish attack, but their own was found wanting as they looked to avoid another shootout, their hopes kept alive by two more Hampton saves before Vicky Lopez blazed over.

Coll picked out Kelly’s corner with just under five minutes remaining in extra time, there was another huge Carter intervention to deny Bonmati another chance, and four minutes of stoppage time passed without anyone finding the back of the net.

Bronze, who fired in the winning penalty in England’s semi-final comeback over Sweden, had been forced off in extra time.

Mead found the back of the net with England’s first attempt, but was forced to retake it after VAR determined it had been double-hit after the substitute slipped, and was denied by Coll on her second try.

Patri Guijarro and Alex Greenwood both converted before Hampton leapt to her left, refusing to let Caldentey beat her again, then kept out Bonmati’s effort after Niamh Charles had beaten Coll.

Coll kept out captain Leah Williamson’s attempt, but Paralluelo’s miss opened the door for Kelly – who netted the winner three summers ago.

And just like she did three summers ago at Wembley, Kelly stepped up and scored when it mattered most.

On Sunday night, the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 final will bring reigning champions England head-to-head with 2023 World Cup winners Spain at the Friends Arena in Stockholm.

Two elite footballing forces with divergent aims: England are chasing back-to-back EURO titles, while Spain look to assert themselves as undisputed queens of the global game with a first-ever European crown.

Spain coach Montse Tomé on completing the double: “This team has grown together, suffered together, and triumphed together. We are here to fight for the title that has eluded us – and we will give every ounce of ourselves to lift it.”

Total goals scored at this tournament so far, averaging 3.47 per game.

Spain’s Esther Gonzalez leads the Golden Boot race with four goals heading into the final.

England are bidding to become just the second team to win successive Women’s EUROs after Germany.

This is Spain’s first appearance in a Women’s EURO final.

This will be Sarina Wiegman’s third final in four years as England manager, after EURO 2022 and the 2023 World Cup.

A formidable German side would spoil Spain’s party for most of the game as a breakthrough would fail to be found, despite a host of game changing players on the pitch for Montse Tome’s side.

And whilst the resilient eight-time champions would stay strong and even have chances to remarkably progress into the finals, it was down to the two-time Ballon d’Or Feminin winner Aitana Bonmati to save Spain’s blushes and keep the European dream alive in extra time.

It will mean England will have a chance to change history after slipping to defeat in the Women’s World Cup in 2023 at the hands of Spain to retain their title as European champions and deny the quartet of trophies for an in-form Spanish side.

In a statement released on Tuesday, July 15, the Basque club announced: “Nico Williams strengthens his bond with Athletic.”

The exciting winger has penned a deal that will keep him at San Mamés until June 30, 2035, with the club highlighting his ambition to “continue making history with the club of my life.”

The extension adds eight more years to his previous agreement. The signing ceremony took place at San Mamés and was attended by club president Jon Uriarte, General Director of Football Mikel González, his older brother and team captain Iñaki Williams, and their mother, María Arthuer.

Despite receiving significant interest from Spanish giants FC Barcelona, Nico Williams has opted to remain loyal to Athletic Club.

The 22-year-old looks set to follow in the footsteps of his brother Iñaki, who has spent his entire professional career at Athletic, rising through the ranks to become the club’s leader both on and off the pitch.

The Brazil manager has been found guilty of tax fraud dating back to 2014 when he was in charge at Real Madrid.

He was accused of concealing income related to his image rights.

But, he has been acquitted of another possible tax offences committed in 2015, also related to the collection of his image rights while he was employed by Real Madrid.

Despite the verdict, Ancelotti is unlikely to serve any time behind bars.

Under Spanish law any sentence under two years for a non-violent crime rarely requires a defendant without previous convictions to serve jail time.

Ancelotti spent three years in his first reign as Madrid boss, before leaving in 2016 to join Bayern Munich for a season.

After spells with Napoli and Everton, he returned to the Spanish capital in 2021 before leaving again to take over Brazil this year.

The 66-year-old was accused of misleading the tax office to avoid paying over £833,000 in income tax.

Ancelotti had vehemently denied any wrongdoing – but the former AC Milan boss has previously underpaid tax.

He admitted to not paying his fair share of tax in 2014 but blamed his doing so on errors from his accountants.

Ancelotti is adamant he hasn’t broken the law, claiming he did not spend the 183 days in Spain required to pay tax.

Similarly, Barcelona legend Lionel Messi and his father, Jorge, were convicted of tax fraud for defrauding the government of £3.4m between 2007 and 2009.

In 2016, the Argentine was hit with a 21-month jail term for using tax havens to conceal his earnings from image rights.

But he ended up paying a fine of £223,000 instead.

But for Spain, triumph was overshadowed by controversy.

What should have been a moment of celebration – the team’s historic triumph at the 2023 Women’s World Cup – turned into something else entirely.

Instead of celebrating their first major trophy, the squad found themselves at the centre of a sexism scandal.

Nearly two years later, the dark cloud over Spanish football seems to have shifted. But have things changed for the better in Spain? And are the world champions entering a new era as they begin their pursuit of a European crown?

How did we get here?

Just as Spain were getting ready to lift the World Cup trophy, Luis Rubiales – the country’s football federation president – kissed striker Jenni Hermoso on the lips.

It was a kiss that Rubiales said was consensual, but Hermoso said was not.

What followed was a storm of criticism, widespread protests and a court case that found Rubiales guilty of sexual assault. Rubiales’ mother, in defence of her son, went on hunger strike.

Hermoso said the incident had “stained one of the happiest days” of her life.

In the immediate aftermath, 81 players – including all 23 World Cup winners – said they would not play for Spain again while Rubiales was in charge.

“They were incredibly brave, but the truth is they were terrified,” said Amanda Gutierrez, president of Futpro, the union that helped the players in their fight against the RFEF, Spain’s football association.

“Their careers were on the line.”

The boycott only ended almost a month later when the RFEF promised “profound changes” following a lengthy meeting with players and government officials.

Has Spanish federation kept its promises?

So have things actually changed?

“The players were heard, there’s no doubt about that,” Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague said.

Gutierrez explained that – under pressure from the players and the Spanish government – the RFEF promised to improve the players’ working conditions and provide equal access to the same resources the men’s side had.

“Let’s just say there’s still a lot of work to do,” said Gutierrez, who added that the changes have been happening “gradually”.

Spanish football journalist Alex Ibaceta added: “The players put up with a lot of stuff, but they’ve set a limit and if it goes below that, they won’t tolerate it.

“We’ve seen it before, these players are willing to give up the national team shirt to sign up for what they believe in.”

While the promised changes might be slow, Gutierrez believes the players should be proud of themselves for achieving structural changes for the generations to come.

“I always tell them that this is the greatest achievement of their careers – beyond trophies and sporting success,” she said.

Is Tome different from Vilda?

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Montse Tome succeeded Jorge Vilda (left), becoming the first woman to be head coach of Spain’s women’s team

Jorge Vilda may have delivered World Cup glory to Spain, but he will be remembered in a negative light by some for his role in their triumphant run.

The head coach, who was booed by some fans after the final, had survived a player revolt before the tournament and was viewed as one of Rubiales’ closest allies.

By his side on the touchline was Montse Tome, his assistant coach who became his successor a few weeks after the final whistle blew in Australia.

The decision to appoint the former Spain midfielder was not a popular one.

Tome, who had never previously been a head coach, was seen as a continuation of the previous regime, while many thought the world champions deserved a world-class coach.

“The thing is, before the World Cup when she was Vilda’s assistant, players liked her,” Spanish journalist Maria Tikas said. “She was the person in the staff that they could talk to, and she was close to the players.

“But after the World Cup, she changed and they didn’t like her because if you remember when Rubiales said ‘I’m not going to step aside’, Montse Tome was applauding.”

Slowly but surely, tensions have reduced for Tome but it was been a rollercoaster start to the 43-year-old’s tenure.

While she was at the helm as Spain won the inaugural Women’s Nations League in February 2024, their fourth-place finish five months later at the Paris Olympics was deemed a failure.

“In terms of experience, Luis de la Fuente didn’t have much experience at senior level, and it worked well,” Balague said.

“So the federation considers the people that know the generations of players and have worked in the federation are good enough to run a football side.”

How has the squad changed?

When Tome named her 23-player squad, which included 11 World-Cup winning players, there was one notable absence. Jenni Hermoso.

The 35-year-old had featured in all six qualifiers, but was left out of the final four squads in the lead-up to the tournament in Switzerland.

Had she been punished for speaking out? Or was it purely a performance-based decision from Tome?

“If Montse had a personal vendetta against those that spoke out, you wouldn’t have Irene Paredes or Alexia Putellas in the team. And obviously, they’re there,” Balague said.

“You cannot carry legends just for being legends.”

Tikas said the striker, who plays for Tigres in Mexico, is “not at the level” of her Spain team-mates who play in the same position.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Patri Guijarro (left) and Claudia Pina ruled themselves out of the 2023 Women’s World Cup

While Hermoso is absent, Patri Guijarro and Claudia Pina have returned to the squad after making themselves unavailable for Spain’s successful World Cup run.

The pair were part of ‘Las 15’ – a group of 15 players that withdrew from the squad in September 2022 after raising concerns over their emotional state and health, and directing complaints towards Vilda.

Most players made themselves available again for the 2023 World Cup, although only three were called up for the tournament, but Guijarro and Pina remained steadfast.

“They lost out on probably one of the most important tournaments in Spain, both on and off the pitch, and that as a player is crushing because you’re missing it by standing up for something that’s out of your control and shouldn’t be happening,” Ibaceta said.

The Barcelona pair ended their exile last year, with changes promised by the RFEF and the attitude of their team-mates aiding their return.

“If Patri and Pina came back, it’s because the federation made changes to everything,” Ibaceta added.

“But it’s also because their team-mates gave that welcoming factor of ‘you can come without putting down what you believe in or what you stand for – we’re all here for that’.”

What are their chances at Euro 2025?

Spain were given an 8% chance of winning the World Cup in 2023.

Not only had they struggled in previous major tournaments, they arrived in New Zealand with a divided squad amid a backdrop of unrest.

“I still don’t know how they won the World Cup, because of this,” said Tikas. “It felt impossible, and not because of football, because of this.”

But against the odds, the team put aside their aside their differences and swept away the opposition to get their hands on the most coveted trophy in women’s football.

“I make comparisons with England when they won the Euros and everything changed for good,” Tikas added.

“When they woke up in Spain there should have been a boom, to increase the interest, increase the marketing and increase everything. And it was not like that, because of all the politics.”

Things seem different this time around as Tome’s side head to Switzerland with Opta giving them a 25% chance of victory.

“Now they are really like a group, a team, a family,” Tikas explained.

Ibaceta added: “Now things are more or less settled and the players can get on with their football. That has a big impact mentally on players. They can actually focus on winning the Euros.

“That’s what they’ve been missing.”

Rubiales was fined €10,800 (£9,206) in February for kissing captain Jenni Hermoso without her consent after Spain’s women’s team won the 2023 World Cup.

A Spanish appeals court upheld the fine, and also dismissed a separate appeal from prosecutors, who had sought a retrial and pushed for a jail sentence.

The incident – in which Rubiales grabbed Hermoso’s head and kissed her on the lips – triggered protests and calls for his resignation.

He denied the sexual assault charge, describing the kiss as an “act of affection” and “completely spontaneous”.

On Wednesday, the Audencia Nacional said it did not consider the kiss consensual, and said Hermoso had objected to it from the outset.

It found that Rubiales “restrained himself” when interacting with other players and “could also have done so, without too much effort, with the captain”.

At the original trial, Hermoso said she had not given permission for the kiss, which she felt “disrespected” her and “stained one of the happiest days” of her life.

The court upheld the sentence handed down in February, which included a ban on Rubiales going within a 200m radius of Hermoso and from communicating with her for one year.

The court also upheld the decision not to convict Rubiales of coercion.

Prosecutors had alleged he pressured Hermoso into publicly saying the kiss was consensual, which Rubiales denied.

Three other former Spanish football federation employees – coach Jorge Vila, marketing executive Rubén Rivera and sporting director Albert Luque – were previously cleared of coercion, a decision which was upheld on Wednesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo pulled Portugal level at 2-2 in the 61st minute, but there was nothing else to separate the two sides when the referee signalled the end of normal time.

Subbed off before extra time, Portugal captain Ronaldo dropped to the turf and sobbed tears of joy on the sidelines after Ruben Neves slotted home the winning penalty following Diogo Costa’s save from Alvaro Morata’s spot-kick.

Winners of the 2023 edition, Spain had opened the scoring in the 21st minute when Martin Zubimendi poked home after Portugal failed to clear their lines.

Their lead was short-lived as Nuno Mendes slammed a low, angled strike past Unai Simon and into the far corner of the net five minutes later.

Mikel Oyarzabal, who netted a late winner in last summer’s European Championship final against England, restored La Roja’s advantage before the break.

But Ronaldo came to Portugal’s rescue as he shrugged off Marc Cucurella to reach Mendes’ deflected cross and hook a volley in from close range.

Goncalo Ramos, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes and Nuno Mendes all calmly fired their penalties home before Morata’s weak effort was stopped by Costa.

And as Neves converted the final spot-kick, Portugal became the first team to win two Nations League titles – denying Spain, who were vying for the same honour.

The 17-year-old Barcelona forward, one of the contenders to win the Ballon d’Or for the best player in the world this season, helped his side into 4-0 and 5-1 leads in Stuttgart.

But they were nearly pegged back as France staged a thrilling fightback, scoring three times in the last 11 minutes in a desperate attempt to take the game into extra time.

But Spain held on and they will face Portugal in the final in Munich on Sunday, while France take on Germany in Stuttgart in the third-fourth play-off.

Leading 2-0 through goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Merino, Yamal earned a penalty when he was fouled by Adrien Rabiot, and calmly sent goalkeeper Mike Maignan the wrong way from the spot.

Pedri made it 4-0, collecting a Williams pass and clinically finishing before France pulled a goal back through Kylian Mbappe’s penalty following a foul by Tottenham’s Pedro Porro.

But Yamal grabbed his second and Spain’s fifth with a fine low strike and the game looked over.

However, France substitute Rayan Cherki sparked the revival when, on his international debut, he collected Mbappe’s pass, flicked the ball up and volleyed home a wonderful strike from 20 yards out to make it 5-2.

Spanish defender Dani Vivian slid the ball into his own net with six minutes left and then, in the third minute of injury time, Randal Kolo Muani headed in Cherki’s cross to make it 5-4, but France could not find an equaliser.

Reina, a product of Barcelona’s academy, spent eight seasons at Liverpool, where he won the FA Cup and League Cup while also earning the Premier League Golden Glove award for most clean sheets in his first three seasons with the club.

He went on to play for Bayern Munich, Napoli and AC Milan before signing for Como in July last year, making 11 appearances in the current Serie A campaign.

“A very beautiful career is coming to an end, a very full life. I feel very fortunate for what I’ve experienced,” Reina, who could make his final appearance in Como’s meeting with Inter Milan on Friday, told Movistar.

“Didn’t expect it, but I think the time has come, and I feel like bringing it to a close here.”

Reina, who said he is looking to move into coaching, also made 36 appearances for Spain and was part of the squad which won the World Cup in 2010 as well as the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.

Dutch forward Noa Lang and Spain’s Lamine Yamal both missed in the shootout before Spanish keeper Unai Simon kept out Donyell Malen’s effort to give Pedri the chance to clinch a last-four spot for the 2023 winners.

The Barcelona midfielder made no mistake, sending a lofted effort into the corner to cue wild celebrations among the home fans at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia.

Spain had led twice in normal time thanks to goals from Real Sociedad striker Mikel Oyarzabal, but Memphis Depay’s penalty nine minutes into the second half and an effort from debutant Ian Maatsen forced extra time.

A fabulous Yamal effort put Spain ahead 13 minutes into the additional 30 minutes, but Xavi Simons scored another penalty to send the tie to spot-kicks.

The result stretches Spain’s unbeaten run in all competitions to 18 matches, while they have not been beaten in the Nations League since a 2-1 home defeat by Switzerland in September 2022.

After snatching a 2-2 draw in Thursday’s first leg, the hosts had the better of the first-half chances and took an early lead through Oyarzabal’s penalty after Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke fouled the frontman inside the box.

Depay marked his 100th Netherlands appearance with a sweetly struck spot-kick of his own after being fouled by Robin Le Normand nine minutes into the second half.

But Spain were back in front midway through the second period when Oyarzabal nodded home his second of the game at the end of a flowing counter-attack involving Yamal and Nico Williams.

Luis de la Fuente’s team appeared to be heading through in normal time until Maatsen guided a powerful, left-footed effort into the net on 79 minutes.

After a lively start to extra time, Yamal outfoxed Maatsen on the corner of the area before curling home a sumptuous shot to restore Spain’s advantage, but La Roja were pegged back yet again when Simons beat Unai Simons from the spot after being brought down by the goalkeeper inside the box.

Yamal was denied by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen in the shootout after Lang had crashed his effort against the crossbar, but Pedri capitalised on Simon’s save from Malen to set up a semi-final meeting with France.

Football’s world governing body suspended the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) from any football-related activity for three years in October 2023.

It followed a kiss on the lips of Spain player Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony after the team won the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup final.

On Friday the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed Rubiales’ appeal, external on the grounds that “the sanction imposed is reasonable and proportional”.

CAS agreed with Fifa’s appeals committee – who upheld the suspension in January 2024 – that Rubiales “behaved in a manner contrary to the principles of the Fifa Disciplinary Code”.

On Thursday, Spain’s High Court convicted Rubiales of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso, 34, without consent and fined him 10,800 euros (£8,942).

Rubiales, 47, was also banned from going within a 200m radius of the Tigres player – and from communicating with her for one year.

He was acquitted of coercion, for allegedly trying to pressure Hermoso into saying publicly that the kiss was consensual.

Rubiales resigned from his position as the RFEF president but has always maintained the kiss was consensual.

Both Rubiales and Hermoso intend to appeal the verdict.

On Thursday, Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault and ordered by Spain’s High Court to pay a fine of €10,800 (£8,942).

Rubiales was acquitted of coercion, after allegedly trying to pressure Hermoso into publicly saying that the kiss was consensual.

Hermoso’s lawyer, Angel Chavarria, said the player intended to appeal, but did not provide further details on what specifically she was appealing against, Reuters and AFP reported.

The High Court ruling also banned Rubiales from going within a 200m radius of Hermoso and from communicating with her for one year, the court said in a statement.

Prosecutors had demanded a prison sentence for Rubiales, who has also said he will appeal against the verdict.

During the 2023 World Cup, as Spain’s players received their medals after defeating England in Sydney to win, Rubiales grabbed Hermoso by the head and kissed her on the lips.

He later described the kiss as an “act of affection” and told the court that he was “absolutely sure” Hermoso had given her consent.

In her testimony earlier this month, Hermoso insisted that she had not given consent and that the incident had “stained one of the happiest days of my life”.

The incident sparked nationwide protests and calls for the resignation of Rubiales.

Three of Rubiales’s former colleagues who were also on trial, accused of colluding in the alleged coercion – Jorge Vilda, coach of the World Cup-winning side, Rubén Rivera, the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF)’s former head of marketing, and Albert Luque, former sporting director – were cleared of those charges.

Rubiales, who was acquitted of coercion, was ordered to pay a fine of more than €10,000.

The episode, which overshadowed the team’s triumph in August 2023 and prompted a national and international debate on sexism and consent, resulted in Hermoso receiving death threats and eventually led Rubiales to resign as the head of the federation.

Rubiales, 47, was accused of sexual assault and of coercing Hermoso to downplay what happened after the kiss made headlines around the world. Prosecutors had sought a two-and-a-half year jail sentence – one year for sexual assault and 18 months for the alleged coercion.

Rubiales, a former player, has always insisted the kiss on Hermoso’s lips after the final in Sydney was consensual.

“I am absolutely sure that she gave me her permission,” Rubiales told the court in Madrid earlier this month. “In that moment it was something completely spontaneous.”

Three other people were also on trial for their alleged roles in pressuring Hermoso to say the kiss was consensual: the former head coach of the women’s national team Jorge Vilda; the former Spanish football federation sporting director Albert Luque; and the federation’s former marketing chief Rubén Rivera.

All three had denied the charges against them.

Giving evidence on the first day of the trial at the national court in San Fernando de Henares, near Madrid, Hermoso said she had never consented to being kissed by Rubiales, adding that he had not sought her permission to do so.

“I felt it was totally out of place and I then realised my boss was kissing me, and this shouldn’t happen in any social or workplace setting,” she said. “I felt disrespected. One of the happiest days of my life was tarnished and I think it’s very important for me to say that I never sought, much less expected, that this would happen. I think personally that it was a lack of respect.”

Hermoso told the court the kiss and its fallout had turned her life upside down, and had severely affected her family.

“Obviously, even today, I say that my life changed at that moment,” she said. “I’d spent years fighting to win titles for my team, like the World Cup, but all that’s happened to me means that I just haven’t been able to enjoy any of it from the moment I set foot back in Madrid. I’m a world champion but it seems that, even to this day, my life has been on standby. I honestly haven’t been able to live freely.”

In his evidence, Rubiales acknowledged that he had made an error of judgment but maintained that the kiss had been consensual.

“It’s obvious now that I made a mistake,” he told the court. “It was spontaneous. I behaved like a sportsperson, like I was one more member of the team. I should have been more cold-blooded and adopted a more institutional role.”

Rubiales had denied trying to coerce Hermoso into making a statement playing down the incident, saying he had suggested they make a joint statement to calm the situation. Hermoso refused, but the federation still released a statement on her behalf.

The player said the statement made her feel “that I was participating in something I hadn’t done and in which I didn’t want to participate”. The court heard testimony from Hermoso’s brother Rafael, who said Vilda had asked him on the flight back from Australia to “convince” his sister to record a video with Rubiales to show she was not bothered by the kiss.

“The last thing Mr Vilda said to me was that we should bear in mind the professional and personal consequences that all this could have for my sister,” he added.

Hermoso’s teammate Misa Rodríguez told the court the striker was “under a lot of pressure” and “started crying” shortly after Rubiales talked to her on the plane.

The public prosecutor Marta Durántez Gil told the court the evidence against Rubiales was clear.

“It was an unwanted kiss: I believe that after the examination carried out [during the trial], there is no doubt, or at least not sufficient reasonable doubt,” she said.

Rubiales had initially attempted to brush off the controversy, dismissing critics of his actions as “idiots and stupid people”. But the incident provoked global outrage, led to his being provisionally suspended by Fifa, and prompted Hermoso to make a criminal complaint accusing him of sexual assault.

Days later, amid mounting outrage over the kiss – as well as over Rubiales grabbing his crotch while standing next to Queen Letizia of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter, Infanta Sofía as the team won the World Cup – the federation demanded that he resign.

It also sacked Vilda, who was one of many officials who had applauded a defiant speech Rubiales made to the federation in which he said “I will not resign” five times and hit out at “false feminism” while also seeking to portray himself as a victim and recast the kiss as “a peck”.

Her teammates Irene Paredes, Laia Codina, and Alexia Putellas appeared at the trial of Mr Rubiales in Madrid on Thursday, where he is accused of sexual assault and coercion.

Ms Putellas said Ms Hermoso had felt “overwhelmed” after the incident, while Ms Codina said she was “sad” and “not enjoying herself”.

Mr Rubiales kissed Ms Hermoso on the lips during the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup medal ceremony in Australia, triggering protests and calls for his resignation. He denies any wrongdoing.

Ms Hermoso had told the court on Monday she had never given permission to be kissed at the World Cup medal ceremony and felt “disrespected” as a woman.

Ms Putellas said she thought at the time the incident had been something “fortuitous” and a “misunderstanding” but Ms Hermoso then later showed her a video and said she did not know how it occurred to Mr Rubiales to kiss her, according to local Spanish media.

The court heard from Ms Paredes that while on the bus to the airport after the World Cup final, she told her teammates to stop making jokes about the incident, saying it was “serious”.

Ms Putellas said that Ms Hermoso was “overwhelmed” on the plane back to Spain.

“She started crying from exhaustion,” the Barcelona player added.

The 31-year-old said Ms Hermoso was asked to speak to Mr Rubiales on the plane who told her that she should “come out” and “deny that there was no consent” in the kiss.

“She was angry and she said that there was no need for him to explain the facts to her because she had experienced it, that she wasn’t going to do that,” Ms Putellas said.

Ms Codina told the trial that during the team’s celebratory trip to the Spanish island of Ibiza, Ms Hermoso was “sad, she was not enjoying herself, far from it” even though it “should have been the best moment” of her life.

Three colleagues of Mr Rubiales are also on trial, accused of colluding in the alleged coercion: Jorge Vilda, coach of the World Cup-winning side, Rubén Rivera, the federation’s former head of marketing, and former sporting director, Albert Luque. They all deny the charges.

On Wednesday, the court heard that Mr Vilda spoke to Rafael Hermoso – brother of Jenni Hermoso – on the flight back to Spain, telling him that Mr Rubiales feared for his position, according to local Spanish media.

Mr Vilda asked him to speak to his sister about her making a video with Ms Rubiales that would downplay the kiss.

The coach warned that his sister could face “professional and personal consequences” if she did not cooperate, Rafael Hermoso said.

Speaking in court on Monday, Ms Hermoso said she and the then-president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation hugged and celebrated at the football event, saying that he then grabbed her “by the ears and kiss[ed] me on the mouth”.

“I didn’t hear or understand anything,” she said, adding that “a kiss on the lips is only given when I decide so”.

The footballer said she felt “completely abandoned by the federation”.

Prosecutors are calling for Mr Rubiales to receive a one-year prison sentence for sexual assault for the kiss.

They are also calling for him to be given a sentence of a year-and-a-half for coercion, for allegedly trying to pressure Ms Hermoso into saying publicly that the kiss was consensual.

Mr Rubiales denies the charges. The trial continues.

The Spanish world champion footballer was the first witness in Rubiales’ trial over the kiss, where he is accused of sexual assault and coercion.

She told the court in Madrid: “My boss was kissing me, and this shouldn’t happen in any social or work setting.”

Rubiales sparked major controversy when he kissed the athlete on the lips during the medal ceremony for the side’s World Cup victory in Australia, triggering protests and calls for his resignation. He denies any wrongdoing.

Hermoso told the court that she had never given permission to be kissed and felt “disrespected” as a woman.

“I greeted the queen, I greeted her daughter. The next thing was meeting Rubiales.”

Hermoso said she and the then-president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation hugged and celebrated.

“The next thing he did was to grab me by the ears and kiss me on the mouth.”

“I didn’t hear or understand anything,” she said.

She went on: “A kiss on the lips is only given when I decide so”.

“No one came to ask me how I was” after the kiss, she told the trial on Monday.

The footballer said she felt “completely abandoned by the federation”.

She continued to celebrate “the greatest achievement” of her life with her teammates, Hermoso explained.

“There was no place for me to be crying or lying in the corner of the dressing room.”

The other players initially made fun of the incident before one, Irene Paredes, intervened to say: “Stop, this is serious.”

Hermoso said she was pulled aside soon after the kiss and asked to consent to a statement minimising the incident, which she refused to do.

She added that Rubiales asked her to record a video with him on the flight home because he was being accused of assault on social media.

“I said no, that I was not going to do anything, that I was not the cause of this.”

She said people were huddled around Rubiales during the flight, and that she saw his daughters crying.

Reuters: Rubiales on the first day of his trial at the National High Court

The footballer said her life had been “on stand-by” until the trial began on Monday.

She said she had received death threats that prompted her to leave Madrid with her family. She now plays club football in Mexico, as well as for Spain’s national team.

Prosecutors are calling for Rubiales, 47, to receive a one-year prison sentence for sexual assault.

They are also calling for him to be given a sentence of a year-and-a-half for coercion, for allegedly trying to pressure Hermoso into saying publicly that the kiss was consensual.

Rubiales denies the charges.

At the time, Rubiales said the kiss had been consensual and denounced a so-called witch-hunt by “fake feminism,” before resigning from his position.

Three of his former colleagues are also on trial accused of coercing Hermoso into saying the kiss was consensual.

Jorge Vilda, coach of the World Cup-winning side, Rubén Rivera, the federation’s former head of marketing, and former sporting director, Albert Luque all deny the charges.

The trial runs until 19 February.

Announcing the move, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the “unprecedented” measure was necessary to meet the country’s housing emergency.

“The West faces a decisive challenge: To not become a society divided into two classes, the rich landlords and poor tenants,” he said.

Non-EU residents bought 27,000 properties in Spain in 2023, he told an economic forum in Madrid, “not to live in” but “to make money from them”.

“Which, in the context of shortage that we are in, [we] obviously cannot allow,” he added.

The move was therefore designed to “prioritise that the available homes are for residents”, he said.

Sánchez did not provide details on how the tax would work nor a timeline for presenting it to parliament for approval, where he has often struggled to gather sufficient votes to pass legislation.

But his government said the proposal would be finalised “after careful study”.

It is one of a dozen planned measures announced by the prime minister on Monday aimed at improving housing affordability in the country.

Other measures announced include a tax exemption for landlords who provide affordable housing, transferring more than 3,000 homes to a new public housing body, and tighter regulation and higher taxes on tourist flats.

“It isn’t fair that those who have three, four or five apartments as short-term rentals pay less tax than hotels,” he said.

Spain, Portugal and Morocco will co-host the 2030 men’s World Cup – but the opening matches will be held in South America to mark the centenary of the Fifa World Cup.

That means teams will play across different seasons and hemispheres within the same tournament.

Who else wanted to host in 2030?

Four South American nations – Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay – submitted a joint bid in early 2023.

But by October that year, Fifa confirmed the joint bid of Morocco, Portugal and Spain was the sole candidate.

Spain and Portugal initially launched a dual bid in 2021, with Ukraine joining the following year – after the country was invaded by Russia.

But Ukraine was replaced by Morocco amid reported concerns because of the ongoing war and governance issues at the Ukraine Football Association.

Spain hosted the World Cup in 1982 but Portugal and Morocco have never hosted.

Which stadiums are being used?

This hasn’t been confirmed yet, though the official bid evaluation report, contained 20 stadiums, split between the three co-hosts.

Spain looks set to stage the most matches, having put forward 11 stadiums.

That includes Barcelona’s Nou Camp – the largest football stadium in Europe – as well as Real Madrid’s Bernabeu.

The Nou Camp is under renovation which should take its capacity to 105,000.

Portugal is set to use three stadiums – Estadio Jose Alvalade, Estadio da Luz and Estadio do Dragao – the homes of Sporting CP, Benfica and Porto respectively.

Morocco has put forward six stadiums.

The President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) announced last year that five existing stadiums would be used, as well as a new stadium in the city of Casablanca.

This will be the first time World Cup matches are held in North Africa.

The stadiums proposed to host the final are the Bernabeu, Nou Camp and Morocco’s Grand Stade Hassan II, which is being built.

Why are the opening matches in South America?

The opening three matches of the tournament will take place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.

That is because Fifa is commemorating 100 years since the inaugural World Cup.

That competition was staged in Uruguay and won by the hosts, with Argentina the beaten finalists. Paraguay, meanwhile, is where the South American football confederation – Conmebol – is based.

Conmebol is the oldest continental football federation in the world, and the only one in existence at the 1930 World Cup.

Who qualifies for the 2030 World Cup?

The tournament hosts secure automatic qualification, which means Morocco, Portugal and Spain – plus Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay – are guaranteed places.

The other places will be determined by qualifying competitions in each of the continental confederation.

Qualification places are divided between the confederations.

These quotas are yet to be confirmed for 2030, but here’s how the places were allocated for the 2026 World Cup, which is also a 48-team tournament:

• Asian Football Confederation – eight places

• Confederation of African Football – nine places

• Concacaf (North, Central America and Caribbean) – six places

• Conmebol – six places

• Oceania Football Confederation – one place

• Uefa (Europe) – 16 places

The final two spots will be decided through a play-off tournament featuring six teams.

What will the format be?

The tournament will again feature 48 teams following the expansion from 2026; since 1998, it has been a 32-team competition.

The 2030 format is set to replicate 2026. Teams will be split into 12 groups of four teams, with the top two and eight best third-placed teams progressing to an extra last-32 round.

The expanded number of teams means 104 matches will be played across the tournament.

Fifa says the match schedule will be adapted  to give teams playing in the centenary games in South America additional days to travel, rest and prepare.

The tournament will run from 8 June, with the final on 21 July 2030.

Fifa is set to formally ratify the trio’s candidacy on Wednesday, with Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay also hosting a game each to mark a century since the very first World Cup was staged in South America.

It will have taken over 40 years since Morocco became the first African nation in 1987 to bid for the World Cup, aiming to host the 1994 edition.

Rabat has made five failed bids in total, including one for 2026 but also 2010, when it narrowly lost out to South Africa for the right to host the first World Cup on the continent.

“This is a unique opportunity to accelerate national economic growth, create jobs, and boost the country’s tourism,” said Fouzi Lekjaa, head of Morocco’s 2030 World Cup Committee.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting chaired by King Mohammed VI, Lekjaa emphasised the transformational potential of hosting the world’s biggest sporting event.

The Moroccan government has unveiled ambitious plans to modernise infrastructure in six host cities: Rabat, Casablanca, Fes, Tangier, Marrakesh and Agadir.

This includes expanding airports, roads and transportation networks, as well as boosting hotel and commercial services, according to an official statement.

Six stadiums in the host cities are already undergoing renovation work, said the statement.

Additionally, a new 115,000-seat stadium near Casablanca, costing 480 million euros ($507 million), is also in the works as the kingdom banks on the state-of-the-art venue to host the final.

“These projects will leave a lasting legacy for future generations,” said Moncef El Yazghi, a researcher specialising in sports policy.

FOOTBALL DIPLOMACY

Morocco’s interest in hosting the World Cup dates back to its groundbreaking performance at the 1986 tournament in Mexico, where it became the first African and Arab nation to reach the knockout stage.

The success sparked the idea of using football as a platform to enhance the nation’s reputation.

For sociologist Abderrahim Bourquia, the infrastructure improvements for the tournament offer economic benefits while also granting Morocco global confidence.

Spectators from all over the world “will associate Morocco with the sport’s positive values”, he said.

The project also aligns with Morocco’s ambition to cultivate stronger ties continentally.

In recent years, the kingdom has increasingly sought to deepen its diplomacy with other African countries, bolstered by its return to the African Union in 2017.

The country has signed some 44 partnership agreements with African football federations.

Morocco was due to stage the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 2015 but pulled out of hosting the tournament because of concerns about the spread of Ebola amid an outbreak in West Africa.

However, it will stage the next Afcon, beginning in December next year and running into January 2026.

It also hosted the Women’s Cup of Nations in 2022 and has been the host of the Club World Cup on several occasions.

These events have become a key tool for Morocco to achieve what El Yazghi describes as “football diplomacy”.

DEVELOPING DOMESTIC FOOTBALL

Morocco’s joint bid with Spain and Portugal came after Madrid backed Morocco’s position on the conflict of Western Sahara.

The territory, a former Spanish colony de facto controlled for the most part by Morocco, is claimed by the Sahrawi separatists of the Polisario Front.

The conflict has long been at the heart of Morocco’s diplomatic woes with neighbouring Algeria.

Madrid’s diplomatic shift in 2022 “undoubtedly paved the way for the joint World Cup bid,” said international relations expert Tajeddine El-Husseini.

While the 2030 World Cup offers Morocco global visibility, it also presents an opportunity to invest in the development of domestic football.

The men’s national team enjoyed historic success at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when they became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semifinals.

However, despite a population of 38 million, the country has only 90 000 registered players, according to El Yazghi.

To address this gap, the Moroccan Football Federation partnered with OCP Group, the state-owned phosphate producer, to finance new training centres for players in the hope of unearthing a new generation to follow in the footsteps of the current side, featuring stars like Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi.

He is the first Spaniard to win the Ballon d’Or since Luis Suarez in 1960, the first Premier League player since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008, and the first midfielder since Luka Modric in 2018.

Rodri arrived at the ceremony on crutches, having ruptured his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) last month in the early stages of a draw with Arsenal – an injury which has ruled him out for the remainder of the season.

The bookmakers’ favourite to win the Ballon d’Or over recent weeks was Vinicius Junior, with the Brazilian having fired Los Blancos to a Champions League and La Liga double.

Vinicius scored 24 goals and assisted 11 more across all competitions, including a brace in the Champions League semi-final at Bayern Munich and one in the final win over Borussia Dortmund.

It was not enough, though, with Vinicius and the rest of the Madrid squad – including fellow Ballon d’Or contender Jude Bellingham – not travelling to Paris after learning of their fate in advance.

On finishing ahead of those two superstars, Rodri said: “With the players that surround me, amazing players at the highest level… so young, they have all the future in their hands…

“I’m so proud to be elected as the best in front of these guys. I want to say ‘thank you’ to the people that recognise my value in the game.”

Monday evening’s ceremony in Paris crowned the best men’s player on the planet based on performances in the 2023/24 campaign, which culminated with the international summer tournaments: the European Championship and Copa America.

It marked the third time that the golden ball has been awarded on that basis, after previously going by calendar year. Karim Benzema and Lionel Messi were the other two winners.

Messi scooped the prize based primarily on a tournament, having led Argentina to 2022 World Cup glory – and Euro 2024 may well have proved crucial for Rodri.

The 28-year-old was named as the player of the tournament in Germany, helping La Roja to seven wins from as many games en route to the trophy.

He was forced off through injury at half-time against England in the final, but shone before that, leading the team from central midfield. He chipped in with a knockout-stage goal against Georgia, too.

At club level, Rodri’s importance had the spotlight shone on it in his absence. City lost three of the four Premier League games he missed last term.

Fortunately for The Citizens, he put in sensationally consistent form throughout his 34 games, helping his team to a fourth league title in succession.

Of his three defeats across all competitions, including with the national side, only one was within 90 minutes (against Manchester United, with penalty shootout losses to Arsenal and Real Madrid).

The scorer of the winning goal in the previous season’s UEFA Champions League final also showed his clutch tendencies again, effectively wrapping up the title on the final day of 2023/24 against West Ham United.

There was also an invaluable 88th-minute winner at Sheffield United earlier in the neck-and-neck race with rivals Arsenal.

Having been presented with the award by 1995 Ballon d’Or winner George Weah, Rodri said on his triumph and goalscoring exploits: “Incredible night for me.

“I try to improve every day, try to level up my game. I was a traditional midfielder, but realised I have to get better in the last third – assists, goals. That’s why my presence has been increased.

“It’s the modern holding midfielder role. You have to be like a striker! That’s the key, to level up every day.

“People don’t know me much. I’m just a normal guy. I try to be a good person, a leader. I try to improve and learn every day from the best. I’m a calm person… until I get upset! I’m a normal guy.”

Asked by host Didier Drogba whether he’ll sleep with the trophy, Rodri replied: “100% yes!”

Ballon d’Or ranking: top 10

• 1. Rodri – Manchester City and Spain
• 2. Vinicius Junior – Real Madrid and Brazil
• 3. Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid and England
• 4. Dani Carvajal – Real Madrid and Spain
• 5. Erling Haaland – Manchester City and Norway
• 6. Kylian Mbappe – Paris Saint-Germain (now Real Madrid) and France
• 7. Lautaro Martinez – Inter Milan and Argentina
• 8. Lamine Yamal – Barcelona and Spain
• 9. Toni Kroos – Real Madrid and Germany (now retired)
• 10. Harry Kane – Bayern Munich and England

Bonmati won every possible trophy at club level last season as Barcelona secured a historic quadruple – winning Liga F, the Champions League, Supercopa and Copa de la Reina.

The 26-year-old scored a career-best tally of 19 goals across all four competitions.

Bonmati also spearheaded Spain’s charge to the inaugural Women’s Nations League title in February with four goals, including one in their 2-0 win over France in the final.

“Thank you so much for your applause. I’m so grateful to be here to receive this award for the second time,” Bonmati said after she received the award in Paris.

“I always say this is not something that you can do alone, I’m so lucky to be surrounded by wonderful players who help me to keep growing into a better player.”

England’s Lauren James achieved a 13th-place finish in the voting, while her Lionesses team-mates Lucy Bronze and Lauren Hemp finished 20th and 28th, respectively.

Emma Hayes became the first winner of the Women’s Coach of the Year award after leading Chelsea to a fifth straight Women’s Super League title before guiding the United States to Olympic gold at Paris 2024.

Bonmati follows in Putellas’ footsteps

The award, officially called the Ballon d’Or Feminin, recognises the best footballer of the year and is voted for by a jury of journalists from each of the top 100 countries in the Fifa men’s world ranking.

Bonmati won the 2023 award after helping her club triumph in the Spanish top flight and Champions League, and Spain claim their first Women’s World Cup.

The playmaker joins compatriot and Barcelona team-mate Alexia Putellas as the only players to have won the Women’s Ballon d’Or – which was first awarded in 2018 – twice.

Bonmati netted the first goal in Barca’s Champions League final triumph over Lyon and was named the tournament’s player of the season.

Barcelona win women’s club of the year award

After winning the inaugural award for women’s club of the year in 2023, Barcelona picked up the award again after their success in Liga F, the Champions League, Supercopa and Copa de la Reina.

Barcelona’s president Joan Laporta said: “We are really honoured. Thanks to all the people in the club, especially the players who are working really hard to make Barcelona have the best women’s football team in the world.

The club had six players nominated for the women’s Ballon d’Or.

Hermoso wins Socrates Award

Image source: Getty Images

Spain’s Jennifer Hermoso was awarded with the Socrates Award, which recognises humanitarian work off the pitch.

Hermoso, who plays her club football for Mexican side Tigres, has been an outspoken advocate for women’s football and against sexual harassment in the game.

She was kissed by former Spanish FA chief Luis Rubiales after Spain won the 2023 World Cup final, which she later said was not consensual.

“Women’s football deserves a place for new and future generations,” Hermoso, 34, said.

“This morning, I woke up and remembered a voice of a little girl saying she wanted to become a footballer, I find it inspiring. I want to keep that going and help make the world a better place.

“I’d like to ask all of you to get together and work together in order to make a better world possible and to make football become what little girls deserve for the future.”

Women’s Ballon d’Or top 10

1. Aitana Bonmati (Spain and Barcelona)
2. Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway and Barcelona)
3. Salma Paralluelo (Spain and Barcelona)
4. Sophia Smith (United States and Portland Thorns)
5. Lindsey Horan (United States and Lyon)
6. Mallory Swanson (United States and Chicago Red Stars)
7. Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France and Paris St-Germain)
8. Mariona Caldentey (Spain and Barcelona/Arsenal)
9. Trinity Rodman (United States and Washington Spirit)
10. Alexia Putellas (Spain and Barcelona)

Barcelona’s Yamal hobbled off in injury time during Spain’s 1-0 win over Denmark on Saturday.

The 17-year-old had an MRI scan on Sunday and will return to his club after withdrawing from Spain’s camp.

“The tests did not reveal any structural injury, and the medical staff of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed it is a case of muscle strain,” said Spain in a statement on Sunday.

“Prioritising the player’s health and to avoid any risk of injury ahead of the upcoming match against Serbia, it has been decided to withdraw him from the squad.”

Yamal was on the receiving end of several tough tackles in the victory over Denmark and, following the game, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said the teenager cannot expect a “bed of roses” playing at the highest level.

“The referee has to protect these talented players, but Lamine has to get used to it,” said De la Fuente.

“Lamine displayed an exceptional attitude and generated a lot for us from the right flank. He has a special talent. I had a teammate who used to say: ‘What do you want, kisses [from the opponents]?’

“Teams will use the weapons they can within the rules.”

Yamal has been replaced in the squad by Atletico Madrid’s Rodrigo Riquelme.

Iniesta is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, thanks in part to the midfield partnerships he formed with Xavi Hernandez and Sergio Busquets for Spain and Barcelona.

He earned 131 caps for his country, scoring the winning goal in the 2010 Fifa World Cup final and winning the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.

“I never thought this day would come. I never imagined it,” he said.

“Yes, all these tears we have shed these days are tears of emotion, of pride.

“They are not tears of sadness. They are tears of that boy from a small town like Fuentealbilla, who had the dream of being a footballer and we achieved it after a lot of hard work, sacrifice, of never giving up, essential values in my life.”

Iniesta spent the majority of his 22-year career at Barcelona after graduating from the club’s La Masia academy.

He made his senior debut in 2002 and went on to win 29 honours, including nine La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues crowns.

In 2018 Iniesta joined Japanese side Vissel Kobe before moving to the United Arab Emirates in 2023 to play for UAE Pro League side Emirates.

He was runner-up in the 2010 Ballon d’Or and included in the Fifa Fifpro World 11 for nine successive years between 2009 and 2017.

The former world number one, 38, has been added alongside world number three Carlos Alcaraz, Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers.

Nadal has not competed since the Paris 2024 Olympics, where the 22-time Grand Slam champion was beaten in the singles by Novak Djokovic and lost in the quarter-finals of the doubles after partnering Alcaraz.

He withdrew from the US Open in August and last weekend’s Laver Cup because of fitness concerns.

Six-time champions Spain, whose most recent success came in 2019, face Netherlands in the quarter-finals, starting on 19 November.

Nadal missed the US Open because he said he would not “be able to give my 100% at this time”.

He then pulled out of the Laver Cup earlier in September, saying he believed there are “other players who can help the team deliver the win”.

Nadal also missed the Australian Open in January through injury and decided not to play Wimbledon to focus on the Olympics.

He previously hinted at retirement later this year, but said before the French Open he was not “100%” certain that would be the last time he played at Roland Garros.

The Davis Cup quarter-finals take place 19-21 November, with the semi-finals following on consecutive days before the final on Sunday, 24 November.

Reigning world number one Jannik Sinner is set to lead defending champions Italy, who will seek to become the first team to retain the title since 2013.

The European champions led when Joselu headed home Lamine Yamal’s cross despite Gregor Kobel’s best attempts to claw it off the line.

Becir Omeragic thought he had levelled for the Swiss but the goal was disallowed by the video assistant referee for a handball earlier in the move.

And soon after Spain doubled their lead when Fabian Ruiz pounced after Nico Williams had a shot saved.

But La Roja had Robin le Normand sent off midway through the first half for a professional foul on Breel Embolo.

That completely changed the momentum of the game and Zeki Amdouni hit the crossbar with the resulting free-kick.

Amdouni pulled one back from close range from a corner – and they had another goal ruled out as they pushed for an equaliser.

But they left gaps at the back and Ruiz converted Ferran Torres’ cross with Spain’s first shot in 45 minutes.

Moments later substitute Torres slotted Spain’s fourth into the bottom corner.

Denmark beat Serbia 2-0 in the group’s other game earlier on to go onto six points.

Defending Nations League champions Spain drew 0-0 away to Serbia in their first match last week.

Substitute Sergio Camello was the hero in the additional period, with two adroit finishes over Guillaume Restes to win a chaotic and engrossing match.

Spain initially looked to have won this final after 10 exceptional first-half minutes, in which Fermin Lopez scored twice before Alex Baena floated a free kick into the net to put them in charge in the final.

Eric Millot had put France ahead after just 12 minutes when his shot went through the hands of Arnau Tenas and in at the far post.

France mounted a stirring comeback in the dying minutes of the second half, with a goal from Maghnes Akliouche with 10 minutes to play and an injury-time penalty from Jean-Philippe Mateta pulling Les Bleus level at 3-3.

This victory gives Spain gold in the men’s football competition for the first time since 1992 when they triumphed in front of their home crowd in Barcelona.

The 33-year-old spent last season on the sidelines after his contract at United ended in 2023.

Fiorentina said De Gea would be presented to the media on Monday, 12 August but did not state the length of the Spaniard’s contract.

De Gea made 545 appearances for United across 13 years and was part of the team that won the 2012-13 Premier League title.

He also lifted two League Cups, one FA Cup and the Europa League during his time at Old Trafford.

Fiorentina, who finished eighth in Serie A in 2023-24, last won a major trophy in 2001, when they claimed the Coppa Italia.

They have been beaten in the last two Uefa Conference League finals and are in the play-off round of the same competition again this season.

The men’s national team beat England to be crowned European champions this summer while the women’s team won the World Cup last year.

They also hold the two biggest titles in European club football, with Real Madrid and Barcelona winning last season’s men’s and women’s Champions League respectively.

They could soon add an Olympic gold medal to their list of achievements too, with Spain into the men’s final in Paris on Friday. The women’s team just missed out, being beaten by Brazil in the semi-finals.

It is a hugely impressive list of achievements – and perhaps worrying for rival countries given the success has come despite a chaotic backdrop as a result of the sexism scandal that overshadowed the women’s World Cup win.

So how have Spain become such a dominant force?

Normalising the feeling of winning at all levels

Spain’s victory at this summer’s European Championship was their first Euros title since 2012. In fact, the national team had experienced a relatively lean period in the years between the wins.

But when Spain do reach the business end of tournaments, they generally come out on top – as one incredible statistic highlights.

Whether in World Cups, European Championships, the Champions League or the Uefa Cup/Europa League, in the last 27 men’s finals involving Spanish teams, all 27 resulted in wins for Spain.

Meanwhile, the women’s game in Spain has thrived in the last decade and is also starting to reel in big successes in the high-pressure games.

The country’s victory over England in last year’s Women’s World Cup final came in just their third appearance at the tournament, having made their debut in 2015.

Spain’s women won the Nations League earlier this year while Barcelona have won the last two Women’s Champions League titles.

“The changes in women’s football in Spain have been especially significant,” former player Maria Garrido, who is now a journalist, told BBC Sport.

“Ten years ago when I played for FC Barcelona, there was no La Masia [the famed academy at Barcelona] for girls. We covered our own transport costs, our parents brought us to training, and we didn’t earn any money.

“But in the last five years, the situation has improved dramatically. There has been a substantial push to promote women’s football, including the creation of more youth categories, better facilities and conditions, and the establishment of a dedicated football academy for girls.

“This transformation has not only revolutionised the sport but also elevated the respect for women’s football in Spain.”

These successes for both the men’s and women’s teams followed lifting numerous titles at youth level over the last decade, with the players from those teams taking that winning mentality into senior football.

Salma Paralluelo is just 20, but she was part of the Women’s World Cup-winning team and is already a two-time Women’s Champions League winner with Barcelona.

At youth level, she won the Under-20 and Under-17 Women’s World Cup, as well as the Under-17 Women’s European Championship.

“We are working very well but we are seeing that in the lower categories,” she said in an interview with Fifa last year.

“We are winning everything. In the end we are normalising winning. It is incredible what is being done.”

Continuation of coaches

Familiarity and continuity appear to have also played a significant role in Spain’s recent dominance.

The man who guided the men’s team to Euro 2024 success this summer was Luis de la Fuente.

The 63-year-old took charge of the national team in 2022 but previously managed several of his team with the Under-19s, Under-21s and Under-23s.

The triumph in Germany was his third European Championship win with his nation – having also won with the Under-19s and Under-21s.

“De la Fuente knew most of these players from the academies and they are growing as a team,” former Spain midfielder Juan Mata told BBC Sport.

“This is not only a team for the present, but also a team for the future.”

Jorge Vilda, who managed Spain as they won the Women’s World Cup last year before he was sacked amid the fallout from Luis Rubiales scandal, had been national team manager for eight years.

He had previously won titles as manager of the Under-17 and Under-19 national sides.

Vilda was replaced by his former assistant Montse Tome, who became Spain’s first female head coach, and she led the team to victory in the Nations League at the first attempt, beating France in February.

“The practice of promoting coaches from Under-17 and Under-19 levels to the senior teams has fostered a consistent tactical approach and philosophy within the Spanish national teams,” adds Garrido.

“This seamless transition allows players to develop under familiar leadership, ensuring a coherent and unified playing style from youth to senior levels.”

A defined playing style

When the men’s team last enjoyed a period of dominance – in the late 2000s and early 2010s – they were renowned for their short passing and ‘tiki taka’ style of football.

That era of pure ‘tika taka’ is now largely over but while Spanish football has not completely abandoned its principles, it has evolved them.

Possession is still an important part of their game, but not quite as significant as it used to be.

In their 3-0 win against Croatia at Euro 2024 they had less possession than their opponent for the first time since the Euro 2008 final – ending a remarkable run of 136 matches.

Technique and positioning are now key elements of the Spanish game, and both are also the main focus in women’s and youth football.

The ultimate aim is that players are familiar with a system through all levels.

“What’s great about this Spain team, they know their roles and how to fit in,” former Manchester City defender Micah Richards said following Spain’s win over England at Euro 2024.

“With England at times, we’re sort of just getting our best players on the pitch. This Spanish side just managed to find a way and pick the players who are going to impact in this system.”

How has sexism scandal impacted Spanish football?

For all the good that has happened with Spanish football in recent years it is still trying to repair its reputation following the sexism scandal that overshadowed the country’s Women’s World Cup win last year.

Rubiales resigned as head of the Spanish football federation following criticism for kissing Spain forward Jenni Hermoso without her consent at the final’s medal presentation ceremony. Rubiales has always denied any wrongdoing.

“Despite the controversy with former president Luis Rubiales and the sexism scandal, Spanish football is still thriving,” says Garrido.

“The scandal did bring some negative attention and might have affected morale, but Spain’s strong football system and talented players helped keep things on track. Their success shows how dedicated and resilient they are.

“In the long run, this scandal could lead to positive changes in Spanish football. There’s a push for more transparency, inclusivity, and gender equality within the federation.

“With some necessary reforms, it can become even stronger and more inclusive, ensuring ongoing success and growth.”

The Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) made an official complaint about the celebrations to European football’s governing body before the pair were charged.

Uefa has now suspended Morata and Rodri “for failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football, and Uefa in particular, into disrepute”.

They are banned for Spain’s next game, which is against Serbia on Thursday, 5 September.

Gibraltar is an enclave at Spain’s southern tip that has been under British rule since the 18th century, and Spain has long called for its return.

The chanting took place in front of tens of thousands of Spain fans in Cibeles Square, Madrid on 15 July as players celebrated their 2-1 Euro 2024 final victory over England.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri, 28, could be seen chanting “Gibraltar is Spanish” on the stage, and AC Milan striker Morata, 31, later encouraged the crowd to join in with the same chant.

The Gibraltar FA complained about Spain’s behaviour, saying it had “noted the extremely provocative and insulting nature of the celebrations around the Spanish men’s national team winning Euro 2024”.

“Football has no place for behaviour of this nature,” it added.

Gibraltar has been a full member of Uefa since 2013.

An Irene Paredes own goal set Brazil on their way, with Gabi Portilho scoring a second on the stroke of half-time to stun the side that many had tipped as favourites for the gold medal.

Adriana added a third for Brazil, who were still without their all-time leading scorer Marta, 38, after she was suspended following her dismissal in the Group C defeat to the Spaniards.

While Duda Sampaio headed into her own goal to give Spain hope, Kerolin raced clear in the first of 15 added minutes to score Brazil’s fourth before Salma Paralluelo bundled in a late consolation.

Spain will now play Germany for the bronze medal in Lyon on Friday (14:00).

Brazil are now guaranteed to at least match their previous best showing in the competition, when they won the silver medal in 2004 and 2008 – on both occasions losing to the US.

The 2020 silver medallists fell behind in the first half of the semi-final after tournament top scorer Soufiane Rahimi converted a penalty for his sixth goal at the Games.

Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez equalised midway through the second half in Marseille after pouncing on a loose ball in the penalty area.

Substitute Juanlu Sanchez then drilled home a winner five minutes from time to clinch his side’s place in Friday’s final in Paris.

They will play the winners of the second semi-final between France and Egypt (20:00 BST).

Meanwhile, Morocco will face the losers of that tie in the bronze medal match in Nantes on Thursday.

The Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) made an official complaint about the celebrations to Uefa and European football’s governing body appointed a disciplinary inspector to “evaluate a potential violation of the Uefa disciplinary regulations”.

Morata and Rodri have now been charged with “general principles of conduct, violating the basic rules of decent conduct, using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature, and bringing the sport of football, and Uefa in particular, into disrepute”.

Uefa’s control, ethics and disciplinary body (CEDB) will make a decision on the issue “in due course”.

Gibraltar is an enclave at Spain’s southern tip that has been under British rule since the 18th Century, and Spain has long called for its return.

The chanting took place in front of tens of thousands of Spain fans in Cibeles Square, Madrid on 15 July as players celebrated their 2-1 Euro 2024 final success against England.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri, 28, could be seen chanting “Gibraltar is Spanish” on the stage, and AC Milan striker Morata, 31, later encouraged the crowd to join in with the same chant.

The Gibraltar FA complained about Spain’s behaviour, saying it had “noted the extremely provocative and insulting nature of the celebrations around the Spanish Men’s national team winning Euro 2024”.

“Football has no place for behaviour of this nature,” it added.

Gibraltar has been a full member of Uefa since 2013.

The Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) made an official complaint about the celebrations to Uefa on Tuesday.

The inspector will “evaluate a potential violation of the Uefa disciplinary regulations”, the European football governing body said.

Gibraltar is an enclave at Spain’s southern tip that has been under British rule since the 18th Century, but Spain has long called for its return.

The chanting took place in front of tens of thousands of Spain fans in Cibeles Square, Madrid on 15 July as players celebrated their 2-1 Euro 2024 final success against England.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri, 28, could be seen chanting “Gibraltar is Spanish” on the stage, and AC Milan striker Morata, 31, later encouraged the crowd to join in with the same chant.

The Gibraltar FA complained about Spain’s behaviour, saying it had “noted the extremely provocative and insulting nature of the celebrations around the Spanish Men’s national team winning Euro 2024”.

“Football has no place for behaviour of this nature,” it added.

Gibraltar has been a full member of Uefa since 2013.

The Serie A side triggered Morata’s release clause – which was reportedly about £11m – in order to sign him.

The 31-year-old captained Spain to victory in Euro 2024 earlier this month.

Morata made his professional debut with Real Madrid and has also played for Juventus and Chelsea.

He won the Champions League twice in two spells at Real Madrid and lifted the Italian title twice with Juventus.

Morata, who won the FA Cup with Chelsea, has scored 36 goals in 80 matches for Spain.

Getty captured a remarkable 250,000 photos during the tournament, including 20,000 in the final – and images of the opening goal were published within 46 seconds of it hitting the back of the net.

The photographers who took some of the most striking and iconic pictures explain how and why they did it.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Alex Pantling: Capturing a player heading the ball often results in compelling images, but the backlight and clean background in this shot truly emphasise the sweat spraying off Lutsharel Geertruida’s head in the Netherlands’ game against Austria. This, combined with the colour of the Netherlands kit, makes for a striking photograph.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Shaun Botterill: The exterior of the iconic Munich Football Arena is a sight to behold when it comes to life, illuminated in a multitude of colours. The Euros were a wonderful mix of fans, with both sets of supporters filtering through the entrance. For this shot, I used the massive exterior panels as a uniform backdrop, softened by a shallow depth of field, to highlight a passionate Romania fan proudly holding his flag aloft in the sunshine. I love how he could celebrate with fellow Romania supporters while mingling with Ukraine fans. The vibrant colours, combined with the patterned backdrop, worked perfectly to create an image previewing the match.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Matthias Hangst: I shot this frame during the match between England and Denmark in Frankfurt. Major football tournaments offer the rare opportunity to cover matches from the tribune – high in the stands among the fans – which I enjoy for its unique angles and perspectives. Whenever I’m up on one of these tribunes, I always think of one of the most famous football images of all time: Diego Maradona guarded by six Belgium players during the 1982 World Cup. Jude Bellingham is one of the shining stars of modern football, a character to focus on and try to capture in a distinctive way.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Boris Streubel: With the way modern football is played, it’s sometimes difficult to capture great action shots. The slick, one-touch play doesn’t often lend itself to the crunching tackles of days gone by. Usually, it’s a stray pass or a slight error that leads to those classic confrontations. This shot of Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes with his foot raised high while the Czech Republic’s Antonin Barak goes to head the ball provided a fantastic opportunity to capture an amazing image. Timing was everything for this one, as capturing it slightly before or after this moment wouldn’t have had the same impact.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Julian Finney: Austria were performing exceptionally well, topping their group. This photograph was taken during their final group match against Poland, where the Austria fans travelled in large numbers. At full-time I witnessed them celebrating and my camera was drawn to a particularly enthusiastic, topless, tattooed man. I wanted to centralise him, surrounded by fellow red-clad supporters. Berlin’s stadium is stunning for photography, and the gap in the structure allowed sunlight to stream through, creating a beautiful backlight that added to the drama of the scene.

IMAGE SOURCE: AMA/GETTY IMAGES

James Baylis: When we arrived at Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park stadium for Turkey’s match against Georgia the rain was torrential. Some were doubting whether it would be played, but the pitch withstood the soaking and we went on to witness one of the best games of the group stage. The photographers’ pitchside entrance was impassable before kick-off, with water flowing down the steps like a waterfall. The situation was made worse as rainwater cascaded through gaps in the roof, bouncing off seats in the front few rows.

This picture shows how hard the Dortmund stadium staff were working to sweep as much of the water down a drain as they could. It seemed a thankless and futile task because, as quickly as they swept it away, it was all around them again. Completely soaked and exhausted, they carried on regardless.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Carl Recine: I was in the tribune for the Denmark v Serbia match. This position works best when both teams are going at each other and playing football from a bygone era with long balls and strong tackles. Strong colours on a clean, green background always helps too. Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund was having a torrid time, with the Serbia defenders not giving him an inch. This image sums up Serbia’s desperation to defend their goal at all costs.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Matthias Hangst: The players are under the spotlight of the world’s media. Photographers capturing the team photo before each match present a wonderful opportunity to showcase the attention and focus on a team. With matches sometimes attracting up to 200 photographers on the pitch, all lenses are trained towards the two teams before kick-off. This symbolic photo of England’s players before the group game against Slovenia illustrates the immense interest and societal impact football can wield. It highlights 11 players who bear the responsibility for the happiness and joy of an entire nation.

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Michael Regan: Kylian Mbappe was struggling with his nose injury. This was his first match wearing the protective mask, making it essential for every photographer to capture it, as we all wondered how it might impact his performance. Despite Mbappe scoring a penalty, France managed only a draw against Poland. This moment occurred during a break in play when the discomfort became too much for him and he removed the mask, revealing a pained expression that spoke volumes about France’s struggles.

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Clive Mason: As expected for a home team fixture in a major tournament, the stadium was packed and buzzing with excitement. Germany fans were in full force, but there was also a passionate contingent of Hungary supporters, despite being heavily outnumbered. From my elevated position, I was captivated by the vibrant colours of the Hungarian flags, which their fans waved frantically, creating a sea of colour that stretched from wall to wall. I particularly appreciated the contrast in the bottom right third of the frame, where a harsh shadow added an angular aspect to the picture.

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Robbie Jay Barrett: Like every photographer at the Euros, I was waiting for that big Cristiano Ronaldo moment. He hadn’t scored yet in the tournament and when he picked up the ball for an extra-time penalty in Portugal’s last-16 game against Slovenia, I presumed this was the moment. He missed. Thankfully I stayed on him on my long lens waiting for any reaction as he had been quite emotive in every game, appearing desperate to score.

At the end of the first half of extra time Ronaldo walked towards the bench and players flocked around to console him. I stuck with him with his back to me during the team talk as I could see he was emotional. It wasn’t until he turned around to get in position to start the second half that I could actually see his face. He was in floods of tears.

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Dan Mullan: This image was taken using a small remote camera attached to the top corner of the net, providing a unique perspective on a critical moment in the match between Turkey and Austria. Turkey keeper Mert Gunok denied Christoph Baumgartner an equaliser in the dying moments of the last-16 match. Some pundits compared this save to Gordon Banks’ legendary stop against Pele in the 1970 World Cup. The comparison is flattering, and I am thrilled that the time invested in setting up the camera for this shot paid off.

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Oliver Hardt: Thanks to our co-operation with Uefa, I secured an exclusive photo position in the stands among the fans. As the England-Slovakia match neared its end, I strategically sought out the best spot for any potential extra time and a possible penalty shootout, aiming to capture those special moments. However, football often surprises us with its twists, and this match was no exception. Positioned perfectly, I was able to capture the golden moment of Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick goal with a telephoto zoom lens, highlighting the drama and excitement of the game.

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Alex Pantling: I am confident that the Spain-France semi-final will be remembered as the Lamine Yamal show. Scoring a goal of such calibre in a match of this magnitude at just 16 years old is truly special. Thanks to our Uefa on-field privileged access, I was able to capture this remarkable event up close. As the match concluded, forward Lamine walked over to the Spain supporters on his own. I followed him across the pitch, leading to a wonderful moment as he celebrated with them. Being able to document such an intimate and joyous occasion was a testament to the incredible access we had during this unforgettable match.

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Alex Livesey: Covering football matches as a photographer is exhilarating, especially when capturing those split-second moments that define the game. The pressure to stay focused until the last second makes the job both challenging and rewarding.

After capturing Ollie Watkins scoring the last-minute winner for England as this semi-final against the Netherlands was heading into extra time, I instinctively stayed on my wider lens instead of switching to a telephoto lens.

A wider shot allowed me to show the entire atmosphere: Watkins’ ecstatic and stunned realisation of his match-winning goal, juxtaposed with the stunned reactions of Virgil van Dijk and Joey Veerman. This kind of shot tells a fuller story, showing not just the moment of triumph but the raw emotions of everyone involved.

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Oliver Hardt: As a photographer, there’s the inevitable pressure to capture big moments and great pictures. Images can be missed in the blink of an eye. This pressure is amplified by the occasion, and it doesn’t get much bigger than the European Championship final. Capturing the winning goal – scored by Mikel Oyarzabal as Spain beat England 2-1 – not only brings great satisfaction but also creates an iconic image that defines a moment in sporting history.

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Stu Forster: What would have been the equalising goal from Marc Guehi’s header was perfectly captured by a remote camera positioned in the stadium roof. The image clearly shows Dani Olmo heading the ball off the line. So much effort and planning goes into the placement of these cameras that it’s a nice reward to capture unique angles and defining moments like this.

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Joosep Martinson: Shooting from an exclusive position in the stands provided a fantastic vantage point for the end of the match, and this moment at the final whistle perfectly sums up the night. Dani Olmo and Dani Carvajal are in utter delirium, a stark contrast to the dejected mood of Ollie Watkins, who is experiencing the complete opposite emotion.

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Michael Regan: A cruel twist of the presentation ceremony is that the losing team have to file past the trophy just before watching the winners lift it. While it’s an important part of the night’s story, it wasn’t a picture I wanted to take. This image shouldn’t define the Gareth Southgate era as England manager.

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Alex Pantling: I covered Spain in my first game of the tournament in Berlin and, from that game on, it was evident that they had incredible unity and team spirit. This photograph, with head coach Luis de la Fuente at the center of the squad holding the trophy, perfectly encapsulates why they deserved to win Euro 2024. England faced the best team in the tournament by far.

The Manchester City defender played every minute for England in Germany as the Three Lions finished runners-up.

It is the second time in succession Walker has made the team of the tournament, having done so in 2021 when England were beaten by Italy in the final at Wembley.

The team of the tournament was picked by a panel of 12 “technical observers” including David Moyes, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Rafa Benitez.

Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), William Saliba (Arsenal), Rodri (Manchester City) and Manuel Akanji (Manchester City) were the players chosen from Premier League clubs.

Lamine Yamal, who won the Young Player of the Tournament award, was named alongside Spain team-mates Nico Williams, Dani Olmo and Fabian Ruiz.

Jamal Musiala, who scored three goals for hosts Germany before their quarter-final exit to Spain, was named in attack while AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan completed the XI.

Uefa team of the tournament: Mike Maignan (France); Kyle Walker (England), Manuel Akanji (Switzerland), William Saliba (France), Marc Cucurella (Spain); Daniel Olmo (Spain), Rodri (Spain), Fabian Ruiz (Spain); Lamine Yamal (Spain), Jamal Musiala (Germany), Nico Williams (Spain).

Spain beat England 2-1 in Sunday’s final in Berlin to win their record fourth European crown.

They travelled from Germany to the Spanish capital on Monday and first met with Spain’s King Felipe VI and his family.

The party then continued into the city as supporters gathered at Cibeles Square and lined the streets for Spain’s open-top bus parade in anticipation of seeing their heroes and the Henri Delaunay Trophy.

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Image caption: Spain players, led by Euro 2024-winning captain Alvaro Morata, sing with the fans in Madrid

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Image caption: Match winner Mikel Oyarzabal holds the Henri Delaunay Trophy aloft as he celebrates with his team-mates on stage

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Image caption: Thousands gathered to celebrate with the players in the Spanish capital

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Image caption: Spain’s players showed off the trophy from an open-top bus and waved at spectators

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Image caption: Spain defender Dani Carvajal gets his hands on the silverware during the bus tour

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Image caption: The open-top bus had ‘C4mpeones de Europa’ written on the front and side, meaning ‘Champions of Europe’, with the ‘a’ replaced by a ‘4’ because it is Spain’s fourth European title

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Image caption: Earlier in the day, Spain’s squad presented the trophy to King Felipe VI of Spain

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Image caption: Morata shakes hands with Queen Letizia of Spain

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Image caption: Manchester City midfielder Rodri was involved in the celebrations

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Image caption: Crowds gathered at Cibeles Square in Madrid to welcome their heroes home

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Image caption: Morata shows off the trophy as the squad touched down on Spanish soil

Mikel Oyarzabal was La Roja’s hero as he struck the winner four minutes from time at the Olympiastadion, where Cole Palmer cancelled out Nico Williams’ second-half opener.

Spain subsequently became the first team in European Championship history to lift the Henri Delaunay Cup on four occasions, having won all seven of their matches in Germany.

Indeed, since the 2002 Champions League final, Spanish teams and the Spanish national team have now won all 23 major finals against non-Spanish teams.

De la Fuente completed a treble of European Championship triumphs, having also guided Spain to glory at under-19 and under-21 levels.

And the head coach paid tribute to his players, who delivered their nation’s first major international silverware since Euro 2012.

“I couldn’t be happier,” he said. “To see the fans, to see the players. A real team, European champions.

“I said I was proud, and today I am even prouder. It confirms what we are. For me, they are the best in the world, and today I confirm that definition.”

De la Fuente knows there is more to come, however.

“There is always room for improvement, that is our goal,” he said.

“The virtue of this team is that it always wants to improve. These players are very good.”

Gareth Southgate’s side were sunk by Mikel Oyarzabal’s late winner to leave England heartbroken again in a second successive European Championship final and unable to end the long wait for success for the men’s team.

Spain’s young star wingers combined to give them the lead two minutes after the break as Lamine Yamal’s pass opened up space for Nico Williams to beat England keeper Jordan Pickford with a powerful low finish.

England captain Harry Kane was out of sorts once more and was substituted on the hour and it was Cole Palmer – on for Kobbie Mainoo – who raised hopes of another dramatic comeback with a composed left-foot strike after 73 minutes.

It was Spain, however, who snatched the win four minutes from time as Oyarzabal slid home Marc Cucurella’s cross to leave England the nearly men once more.