Thousands celebrate Spain's Euro 2024 victory in Barcelona

Spain defeated England 2-1 in the EURO 2024 final on Sunday to claim their fourth title and become the most successful team in the history of the tournament.

Nico Williams opened the scoring for Spain early in the second half, but Cole Palmer equalized for England 25 minutes later.

Mikel Oyarzabal's goal four minutes from the end sealed the victory for La Roja.

Thousands of fans gathered around giant screens set up in various Catalan cities, with the largest crowd in Barcelona's Plaça Catalunya.

Over 4,000 people gathered in Barcelona's famous square to watch the game, with many arriving more than an hour before the 9 pm kickoff.

Although some England fans were expected, none showed up, and the square was colored red and yellow.

After the excitement of Williams' first goal, the crowd fell silent when Palmer scored.

As fear and tension grew and thoughts turned to extra time, Oyarzabal's late goal shook the whole place.

Police braced for post-match celebrations

After the game, Plaça Catalunya erupted into madness with cheering, singing and red flares. 

The surrounding areas and streets near the center of Barcelona filled with red and yellow and turned into a true celebration. 

The match went off without incident and the evacuation of the square was smooth.

For the event, Catalan police Mossos d'Esquadra significantly increased security, deploying an additional 90 officers for the event.

Albert Batlle, deputy mayor for prevention and security, stressed in an interview with RAC1 radio that the "most critical moment" would be after the match.

After Spain's victory, the Mossos concentrated their efforts on Plaça Espanya, a location known for previous post-match celebrations, notably in 2008 and 2012, where disturbances occurred after both events.

Catalonia cheers Lamine Yamal

One of the tournament's biggest stars was Lamine Yamal, the Catalan prodigy born in 2007 in Esplugues de Llobregat, near Barcelona.

Yamal scored one of the standout goals of the tournament against France in the semifinals, making history as the youngest player to score in the championship.

The Catalan star has a unique way of celebrating a goal: he forms the number 304 with his hands. 

These numbers pay tribute to the postal code of Rocafonda, a neighborhood in Mataró where he grew up. 

Throughout the night, he was undoubtedly the most celebrated player at Plaça Catalunya, demonstrating the deep affection he enjoys among fans in Catalonia.

Spain's stellar run to final

Spain had an extraordinary tournament, widely considered the best team in the competition and the clear favorite to win the final. 

Going into the final, they had already set a record by winning all six of their matches.

England, on the other hand, had a tough road to the final, often relying on penalties and narrowly avoiding elimination on several occasions.