Nations League: Dani Carvajal's Panenka plan!

Spain’s Carvajal, who took decisive penalty to beat Croatia 5-4 in final via sudden death, reveals his tantalisingly slow chip shot was premeditated

Dani Carvajal chipped home a Panenka penalty to win Spain the Nations League on Sunday, with a 5-4 shoot-out victory over Croatia, after a tense match finished 0-0 following extra-time.

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon denied Lovro Mayer and Bruno Petkovic from the spot, before Carvajal cheekily chipped home to earn La Roja their first trophy since Euro 2012 and break Croatian hearts. 

Dani Carvajal

Modric’s wait continues

Zlatko Dalic’s side, runners-up at the World Cup in 2018 and third in 2022, have never won a major trophy and were hoping Nations League success would cap a glittering international career for captain Luka Modric, who played his 166th international game. 

The victory is a confidence boost for new Spain coach Luis de la Fuente after heavy criticism in March after a defeat by Scotland in Euro 2024 qualifying. It also avenged their 2021 final defeat by France. “For us it was a unique opportunity, we went out early in another tournament [at the World Cup in Qatar] and today we had to take advantage,” Real Madrid defender Carvajal told Spanish broadcaster TVE. 

“We had confidence with the penalties and it went well, I knew how I was going to shoot it, and I knew I was going to be sixth...I wanted to take it Panenka style and it went well.” 

Sea of Croatian fans

Dalic warned over 25,000 Croatian fans were expected to travel to Rotterdam and they filled the majority of the stadium, De Kuip a sea of red and white checkered squares, save for a modest area of Spanish fans. The Croatians chanted Modric’s name in the 10th minute, matching his shirt number, a plea for him not to retire from international duty after the tournament, as had been rumoured. On the pitch Spain made the early running, with Gavi drilling narrowly wide after pressing furiously. 

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