Spain have been superior and are deserved champions, writes CHRIS SUTTON

I don't think anybody could argue that Spain did not deserve that victory. They had the better of the opportunities, they were the dominant team and were the outstanding team in the tournament. They have been so superior to the rest.

It’s a good thing for the game that they won this tournament playing the best football. Had England made it over the line it would have been all about the way they had defended, but Spain played the beautiful football and England didn’t.

In many respects Spain had to do it the hard way on Sunday night, losing their leader Rodri in the middle of the park at half-time, and you worried about them in the second half.

I think England and Gareth Southgate will have gone in at the break thinking job done. They stifled Spain and stopped them from getting any decent attempt on Jordan Pickford’s goal.

England didn’t carry nearly enough threat in the first half but I think that keeping it 0-0 at half-time made it all to play for. But Spain flew out of the traps in the second half and got themselves in front.

There was an argument that Cole Palmer should have started on Sunday night — but boy did he make a difference when he came off the bench in the 70th minute. He is only 22 but he doesn’t lack confidence, he’s such a classy player.

It does happen in football that when one team goes in front, the other comes back at them and has a go.

But the issue was that England were not brave enough to make that next step.

It was a really slick move from Spain to get that winning goal.

A good run from Mikel Oyarzabal, great ball out wide to Marc Cucurella, inch-perfect cross and Oyarzabal’s nickname is ‘Bigfoot’ for his size 12 shoes — well he got his big foot on the ball and into the net. And it’s Spain’s deserved title.

Can England get to the next level? They have the players to do it but have been lopsided in this tournament and there’s been an oddity about the way they have tried to go forward.

Harry Kane did not offer enough in behind and when Ollie Watkins came on for him he was a better option.

Overall it was a good tournament for Southgate, but he’s come up short again.