Euro 2024: Bhaichung Bhutia backs Spain in European Cup final against Kane’s England

“We will be seeing Yamal as a contender or winner of the Footballer of the Year, Ballon d’Or,” Bhutia praised the Spanish Footballer.

Bhaichung Bhutia at launch function of Sport of Life initiative with Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust in Bengaluru on Friday 04 March 202. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia has backed Spain to win the Euro Cup final against England on Sunday, expecting Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams to mesmerize the fans worldwide with yet another stunning show in the summit clash.

“Spain definitely is going to have upper hand in the final because the way they’ve been playing, the team is completely balanced. They look technically so good, they have been outstanding with six out of six wins. They’re definitely a team which is in form. Yamal and Williams are going to come up with another stellar show,” Bhutia told PTI Videos in an interview.

The 47-year-old legendary India striker acknowledged that 17-year-old Yamal “is definitely a superstar in the making”.

“We saw in this tournament, how he’s been, he’s got his assists, he’s got his goal in the semifinals. He knows when to release ball, when to dribble past the defenders. The greatest quality of player is making the right decision. And with Yamal as a 16-year-old boy, we can see that he does not overdo,” he observed.

“The quality and football brains, we can see quite a lot in him. Seven to eight years down the line, I’m sure we will be seeing him as a contender or winner of the Footballer of the Year, Ballon d’Or. He might be getting quite a few in his career in years to come,” Bhutia said.

Bhutia, however, reckoned that Williams could be the big surprise in the final on Sunday.

“For Spain, I feel Williams, though Yamal is there, can be a big surprise in the finals because he’s got that pace. He can be a major factor in game changing moments in the finals. If he can get his judgment right, he’s definitely going to be a huge problem because right-hand side, if they’re going to play with three defence in England, they are going to get a lot of space.”

On why England is not his favourite for the final, he said, “I’ve never been a fan of Gareth Southgate’s formation of going very defensive. I think they started with 4-2-3-1 and they were more defensive and not positive-minded. The kind of quality players they have, they should be playing free-flowing, attacking football, what Spain does.

“But I think in quarterfinals, semifinals, he’s changed the formation 3-4-3, where Phil Foden, even Bellingham has been able to come out and play quite their natural game. One of the main reasons why Phil Foden could do his best was the formation which they were playing, they don’t really give him that attacking support where he needed that.”

He, however, said he will still bet on England captain Harry Kane because he is known to be a natural goal-scorer.

“He’s scored goals in Premier League, he’s gone to Bundesliga, he’s a goal scorer at Bayern Munich. I think he is one of the best goal-scorers in this generation. If you have to bet anybody to score goals, it’s Harry Kane. And we’ve not seen his best so far. Kane is still somebody who can score goals and can win matches single-handedly.”