England, France and the Netherlands have qualifed for the knockout stages of Euro 2024, with Albania’s 1-0 loss to Spain on Monday confirming their places.
Ferran Torres’s goal ensured Spain’s victory over Albania 1-0, to make it three wins from three in Group B on Monday.
Already assured of a last-16 spot as group winners, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente made 10 changes to the side that began the victory over reigning champions Italy.
Several players gave De La Fuente food for thought as the business end of the tournament looms, not least man-of-the-match Torres, whose clinically taken 13th-minute goal settled the contest.
While Spain matched their feat of 2008 when they also won every group game on the way to the title, Albania’s hopes of a first venture into the knockout rounds were crushed.
They finished bottom of the group with one point.
Spain topped the group with nine points with Italy second on four after they snatched a last-gasp 1-1 draw with Croatia who ended in third place with two points.
Albania’s defeat also had an impact elsewhere, meaning France, Netherlands and England progressed to the next round before their final group matches.
None of the three nations played on Monday, but Albania’s result means the four points each have earned from their opening two group-stage matches guarantees they cannot finish outside of the third-place spots that advance to the knockouts.
England claimed a narrow victory over Serbia in their Group C opener but drew to Denmark on Thursday, while France and the Netherlands each won their opening matches before holding each other to a 0-0 draw on Friday.
Spain had already qualified for the last 16 and went ahead after 13 minutes when Dani Olmo threaded the ball through to Ferran Torres, who fired a sumptuous low shot in off the far post.
Spain dominated play and Torres, Mikel Merino and Joselu all came close to scoring. Albania showed determination throughout and fought desperately for a goal, with Kristjan Asllani and substitute Armando Broja forcing keeper David Raya into saves at full stretch.
Albania’s defeat means they go home, while Spain go through at the top of Group B.
Centre back Aymeric Laporte was the only Spain player retained as De La Fuente flexed his squad players.
Albania may have sensed an opportunity to create history and their thousands of fans — decked out in red and black — created a fever pitch atmosphere as kickoff approached on a sultry summer evening alongside the River Rhine.
The fog of their red flares was still hanging over the pitch, however, when Spain produced a vivid reminder of the depth in their squad.
Dani Olmo split the Albanian defence with a slide-rule pass and Torres, in for rested 16-year-old Lamine Yamal on the right wing, sent a left-foot finish in off the post.
Spain, wearing a pastel-yellow second strip, controlled the tempo of the opening period to such an extent that Albania, for all their energy, were unable to give their fans anything to feed off.
It took Albania 45 minutes to force David Raya into a save and it was a decent one as the Arsenal keeper sprang to his left to keep out a well-struck shot by Kristjan Asllani.
Sauntering Spain briefly upped the pace at the start of the second half with Joselu showing great agility to hook a volley over the bar from Alejandro Grimaldo’s cross.
Albania’s found their voices again with the arrival of Armando Broja off the bench on the hour mark and he almost made an immediate impact as he tried to lift a shot over Raya but the keeper stuck out his left arm to claw it away.
