Will Foden get the better of Rodri? Five key battles

England will spell successful hunt of much history connected Sunday erstwhile they return connected Spain successful nan Euro 2024 last successful Berlin.

Gareth Southgate has led his squad to back-to-back European Championship finals and a first men's awesome tourney last connected overseas soil.

Spain person been nan awesome entertainers successful Germany, while England person had to telephone connected grit and determination arsenic they steadily improved to scope nan final.

BBC Sport looks astatine 5 cardinal battles that could determine who lifts nan trophy connected Sunday.

The midfield is apt to beryllium important successful nan final, pinch superstar talent successful abundance.

Southgate has recovered a measurement of getting some Premier League Player of nan Season Phil Foden and La Liga Player of nan Season Jude Bellingham to play successful a cardinal attacking domiciled - and nan 2 could beryllium cardinal to unlocking Spain.

Foden was superb against nan Netherlands and was unlucky not to headdress a stellar capacity pinch a goal, and while Bellingham has struggled astatine times, he is tin of popping up pinch moments of magic.

Standing successful their measurement will beryllium Manchester City holding midfielder Rodri - who has mislaid only 1 of his past 79 games for nine and country.

Foden knows only excessively good really bully Rodri is pinch nan 2 playing together astatine City, but that could besides beryllium advantageous to Southgate erstwhile moving retired really to negociate him.

The 28-year-old, who was calved connected nan time England knocked Spain retired of Euro '96, is wide considered to beryllium nan champion subordinate successful nan world successful his position.

Like he is for City, he is nan motor of nan Spain squad and has dictated play from nan midfield - creating 5 chances, providing 1 assistance and recovering nan shot 31 times.

Before this tournament, location were murmurs of an up-and-coming prima successful Barcelona's ranks - 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal.

But astatine Euro 2024, nan teen - who turns 17 nan time earlier nan last - has genuinely announced himself connected nan world stage, becoming nan youngest subordinate to commencement a European Championship lucifer successful Spain's opener against Croatia.

His extremity successful nan semi-final made him nan youngest goalscorer astatine a Euros aliases World Cup, breaking Pele's record. He besides collapsed Pele's grounds of being nan youngest subordinate successful a semi-final successful either tournament.

He has provided 3 assists and created 13 chances, causing havoc connected nan correct helping while Nico Williams does nan aforesaid connected nan left.

If England are to person a chance of winning, they will person to woody pinch Spain's threat down nan flanks.

Kieran Trippier has been preferred connected nan near broadside of defence passim nan tourney but he is an wounded uncertainty aft being replaced by Luke Shaw astatine half-time successful nan semi-final against nan Netherlands.

Southgate confirmed it was conscionable a precaution but Shaw has looked crisp erstwhile he has travel connected and not for illustration personification who has spent 4 months retired pinch injury.

As England's only earthy left-back, nan last could beryllium nan clip to manus Shaw a start. He scored aft conscionable 2 minutes of nan Euro 2020 last against Italy, truthful he has been location and done it connected nan large occasion.

For some Marc Cucurella and Bukayo Saka, Euro 2024 has been a communicative of redemption.

Only six months ago, Chelsea left-back Cucurella was being booed disconnected by his ain fans, having struggled to impressment pursuing a £63m move from Brighton successful 2022.

But nan 25-year-old was astatine nan bosom of Chelsea's unexpected precocious surge for a European spot and has continued that shape astatine Euro 2024.

He has started 5 of Spain's six matches, having earned only 4 caps anterior to nan tournament, and has struck up a superb business pinch Williams down Spain's left-hand side.

For Saka - aft nan heartbreak of missing a punishment successful nan last of Euro 2020 and nan horrific group maltreatment he received successful nan aftermath - Euro 2024 has highlighted his resilience.

The 22-year-old has been a accordant threat, earning his reward pinch a good extremity against Switzerland successful nan quarter-final earlier dispatching his punishment successful nan shootout - his communicative coming afloat circle.

Declan Rice has played each infinitesimal of England's Euro 2024 and covered much region than immoderate different subordinate pinch 74.91km.

The Arsenal midfielder has had much than 300 touches and 236 completed passes while nether unit - much than immoderate different subordinate astatine nan tournament.

He has besides made 7 line-breaking passes that person led to a changeable and, defensively, is joint-top pinch France's Jules Kounde for balls recovered pinch 41.

Rice will look to predominate nan mediate of nan parkland to forestall RB Leipzig midfielder Dani Olmo from adding to his three-goal tally, which he has accumulated contempt starting only 2 games.

Olmo is level pinch 4 different players connected goals but his 2 assists mean he leads nan title for nan Golden Boot.

In nan absence of Pedri, who suffered a tournament-ending wounded against Germany successful nan past eight, Olmo has stepped up and liking successful nan 26-year-old from clubs astir Europe has ramped up.

Spain's entertaining style astatine this tourney is successful ample portion down to their move wingers - Yamal and Williams.

Athletic Bilbao winger Williams, 21, has impressed down nan left-hand broadside pinch his dribbling and expertise to tally astatine defences.

He and Yamal person go adjacent friends and some observe birthdays successful nan 2 days starring up to nan final.

Southgate will surely look to trusted defender Kyle Walker to forestall immoderate mixed birthday/Euro-winning celebrations connected Sunday.

Walker is 13 years Williams' elder but nan speedy full-back is 1 of nan fewer defenders successful Europe who tin declare to beryllium capable to woody pinch nan gait of France striker Kylian Mbappe and Brazil guardant Vinicius Jr.

The Manchester City defender, 1 of 4 England players to person played each infinitesimal of their Euros run truthful far, thrives successful one-against-one battles and will person to put his velocity to bully usage to support up pinch Williams connected Sunday.