Spain 1-0 England
UEFA U17 Championship Finals
The Final
4.45pm UK time (5.45pm Belgian time)
Sunday 13 May 2007
Tournai, Belgium
Live on Eurosport
England's dream of ending 14 years without winning a major trophy ended in heartbreak on Sunday after they narrowly lost to Spain.
Bojan Krkic was the Spanish hero, firing in on 48 minutes to make it a magnificent seven for his country in this competition.
England's players sank to the turf at the final whistle, but they can look back with pride at what they have achieved in the last fortnight. Their considerable consolation lies in qualifying for the World Championships later this year - a first for the Three Lions.
On a sunny afternoon, England kicked off into the wind with a new-look midfield after Henri Lansbury was ruled out having not recovered from being struck in the face with the ball against France.
Leeds' Danny Rose, whose exploits on the left flank have been a revelation all tournament, was dragged inside to play alongside Michael Woods while Nathan Porritt was deployed on the left flank.
Spain began well, almost sauntering during the opening exchanges like a tourist strolling around the picturesque Tournai which stood in the distance.
Driven forward by skipper Ignacio Camacho, whose blond mane fluttered in the stiff breeze, the dominant force in European youth football looked dangerous in possession.
But it was the Three Lions who had the first chance on nine minutes after a Spanish attack had been halted by right-back Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi.
The Chelsea man linked with Daniel Welbeck before Rhys Murphy switched the ball wide to Porritt, hugging the left flank. Cutting back inside his man, the Middlesbrough player sent a curling effort past the far post, although only he knows whether it was a cross or not.
England were enjoying more possession and they won the game's first corner on 21 minutes. It was wasted however, with Porritt and Victor Moses squandering the chance to test Spanish keeper David De Egea by trying something needlessly over-elaborate.
It was 60 seconds to forget for Porritt who was then booked for a foul on Lucas Porcar.
Spain were almost celebrating from the resulting free-kick, taken by Fran Merida. The Arsenal starlet sent a viciously curling free-kick towards the far post but no-one in a red shirt could poke it in.
Buoyed by a change in fortune, Spain attacked in force with Yago Falque a more than willing outlet on the left. After being picked out by Merida on 25 minutes, Falque's cross was headed clear by the excellent Jordan Spence to Joaquin Forner who was lurking on the edge of the box.
His drive, however, was comfortably dealt with by Jason Steele in the England goal.
As the minutes ticked towards half-time, England assistant coach Kenny Swain barked 'forward' to the young Lions who seemed reticent to commit bodies in attack. Indeed, Murphy was often isolated up front.
In contrast, Spain would swarm forward in attack, although Spence and the outstanding Krystian Pearce remained unruffled during the first period.
It needed something special to break the deadlock and in Krkic, Spain have someone capable of producing something extraordinary.
The player of the tournament last year, the Barcelona wonderkid was in the right place to put his side ahead on 48 minutes. After Steele had parried Merida's close range effort, Krkic lashed in the rebound from 16 yards.
England had a wonderful chance to draw level in the 56th minute. De Egea flapped Porritt's swirling free-kick straight to Woods who could only fire wide from ten yards.
Woods went even closer three minutes later. After Welbeck had won a free-kick on the edge of the area, Woods' searing drive seemed destined for the bottom corner until De Egea flung himself to his left to palm the ball behind.
Spain thought they had the championship wrapped up with ten minutes remaining when Falque's delightful dink over the defence found Krkic who duly tapped past Steele, only for his celebrations to be cut short by the sight of the linesman's flag.
The two Spaniards combined moments later to carve their way through the English back-line, but Steele was alert enough to rush off his line and deny Krkic.
England: 1 Jason Steele (Middlesbrough), 2 Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi (Chelsea), 3 Joseph Mattock (Leicester City), 5 Krystian Pearce (Birmingham City), 6 Jordan Spence (West Ham), 7 Daniel Welbeck (Manchester United), 8 Daniel Rose (Leeds) (15 Daniel Gosling, Plymouth Argyle, 56), 9 Rhys Murphy (Arsenal), 10 Victor Moses (17 Jonathan Franks, Middlesbrough, 75), 14 Michael Woods (Chelsea), 16 Nathan Porritt (Middlesbrough) (11 Tristain Plummer, Bristol City, 60).
Subs not used: 12 Tom Taiwo (Chelsea), 13 Alex Smithies (Huddersfield), 18 Gavin Hoyte (Arsenal).
Spain: 13 David De Egea, 2 Moises Jimenez, 3 Alberto Morgado, 4 David Rochela, 6 Ignacio Camacho, 7 Joaquin Forner, 9 Bojan Krkic, 10 Francisco Merida (5 Jose Fernandez, 80) 12 Lucas Porcar, 14 Yago Falque (11 Ismael Lopez, 79), 15 Sergio Rodriguez.
Subs not used: 1 Yelco Ramos, 8 David Gonzalez, 16 Daniel Aquino, 18 Ander Vitoria.
Goals: Krkic 48
Referee: Dejan Filipovic (Serbia)
Assistant referees: Magnus Sjoblom (Sweden) and Radoslaw Siejka (Poland)
Fourth official: Bulent Yildirim (Turkey)