Spain vs Germany live updates: Euro 2024 match team news ...

Nagelsmann was asked about Yamal in the build up to the match.

“He’s a big talent. He was really consistent in this season but his job is to deliver that for a few years," said the Germany manager. "I think there are not many players who are that stable at this age but of course, I guess he has a very good surrounding, he needs a lot of people around him who have his back.

"He has big qualities, he’s very good in the one v ones, but he’s only 16 years old so there are also big chances for our players in that regard to counter him."

“It gives me a really gratifying feeling to see these two kids playing for Spain at this Euros,” says Jonas Ramalho. “It’s really positive. People like me can identify with them and I know they are role models for others in our situation.”

The former Athletic Bilbao, Girona, and Malaga defender Ramalho is talking about watching young forwards Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal star for Spain at Euro 2024.

Ramalho, now 31, was born in Bilbao to a Spanish mother and an Angolan father in 1993. He captained Spain’s under-17s to a European Championship final in 2010, was a squad member as the under-19s won the Euros in 2011, and played all five games when they won the under-19 trophy again in 2012.

In November 2011, he became the first Black player in Athletic Bilbao’s history, given a La Liga debut by Marcelo Bielsa at the age of 18.

Current Athletic forward Williams was born in Pamplona in July 2002. Nine years previous to that, his Ghanaian parents Maria and Felix travelled overland, across the Sahara desert to the Spanish enclave of Melilla in north Africa, when Maria was pregnant with her first son Inaki (as the elder Williams sibling told The Athletic in an interview in 2022).

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We mentioned Musiala being one of the stand-out players at Euro 2024 so far. So it is only right that we talk about Spain's two brightest young talents: Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams.

They have one goal and four assists between them at this tournament, but their impact in De la Fuente's side is far more impressive than those numbers.

They are a real throwback to the wingers of old, the ones that bring fans of all ages to the edge of their seats and their combined ability to strike fear into defenders' eyes is what makes them so special.

They, like Musiala, will be hoping to make another big impact in a couple of hours' time.

For those not quite fortunate enough to have a ticket for today's game, a place in the Stuttgart fan park looks a very decent consolation.

It has already started to fill up, despite having a little under two and a half hours until kick-off.

Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann was in confident mood when he spoke to the media yesterday.

"It is one of the more important games, without a doubt, but our preparations have been identical (to previous games)," he said. "Everything is staying the same, and that has nothing to do with superstition.

"Our preparations are complete, hopefully. We had a lot of individual chats yesterday and watched a lot of videos. We are well prepared and confident we can put in a good performance.

"We feel the support, we need it because it carries us. I hope we can give that back."

And clearly Spain manager Luis de la Fuente is in agreement over the size of today's game.

"It could have been the final of the European Championship, and it'll be an even game on a footballing level," he said. "Germany always start games in a really powerful way, so obviously we'll try to counteract that. We'll try to take the initiative and go all-out from the first minute.

"These are two giant powers of European football and the first thing I'd say about my team is that one of our great strengths is that we always perform as one unified block. In that respect, us and Germany are in fact quite similar.

"I wouldn't change my players for anyone in the world. For me, my players are the best in the world. We're fully prepared to go out there and try to win. We feel lots of responsibility, and we're extremely focused."

For my money, these have been the best two teams at Euro 2024 so far. So it feels a little underwhelming that this one of the quarter-finals rather than a semi-final or even the final itself.

For that reason, The Athletic's Michael Cox wrote about why this is one of the biggest quarter-finals in international football history and it is hard to argue with anything that he has said — check out the piece below.

GO FURTHER

Why Spain vs Germany is one of the biggest quarter-finals in international football history

If you're a fan of origin stories, then you are going to love this one!

The Athletic's Danny Taylor visited Fulda, the place where it all started for Musiala.

Born in Stuttgart, he moved to Fulda the age of two because of his mother, Carolin, starting a bachelor’s degree in social sciences at the city’s university.

It is a truly excellent piece, so make sure to check it out below.

GO FURTHER

Jamal Musiala – made in Fulda: ‘It’s crazy to think he used to play here’

The other individual award that could be heading Musiala's way is the Golden Boot (given to the tournament's leading goalscorer).

But he faces stiff competition from Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands.

Euro 2024 top goalscorers

Players from eliminated teams have not been included

And, while we're talking about Jamal Musiala, let's discuss just how good he has been for Germany.

Going into the tournament, there was a lot of pressure on his shoulders to deliver for the home nation and he has delivered like none of his team-mates so far.

He is the joint-leading goalscorer at the tournament with three goals and is surely the current stand-out candidate for the Young Player of the Tournament at this point of the competition.

And, if he keeps up his excellent form and takes Germany all the way, there won't be many in a better position to take the Player of the Tournament award either.

We would love to hear from you, our loyal subscribers, ahead of today's game.

You can get involved in our matchday discussion by clicking here or going to the 'Discuss' tab at the top of this page.

Let's hear some pre-match predictions, opinions on who you think should play and whether either of these teams can go all the way.

Some of the best comments have a chance of being included in here before kick-off!

If — and it is a big 'if' — Kroos helps Germany to the Euro 2024 title, it would crown the perfect retirement and one that not many can or would be able to compete with.

In football, a player has never played a starring role in their club and country winning major honours in their final season.

So, in a bid to find out whether it would be the perfect retirement, The Athletic's Nick Miller looked across sports to find out whether any athletes have been able to find the perfect timing — check it out below.

That is the question on everyone's lips heading into today's game.

Kroos is still very clearly able to compete — and star — at the top level in European football. But he has always maintained that he wanted to retire on his terms and, as we continue to see across sports, retirement is often forced upon an athlete.

The Athletic's Dermot Corrigan explained why the 34-year-old is calling it a day after Euro 2024 and it is well worth read ahead of kick-off today — you can find it below.

GO FURTHER

Germany’s Toni Kroos is at the top of his game at Euro 2024 – so why is he retiring?

Kroos, with a smile on his face, responded to the comments of his former Real Madrid team-mate.

"It's normal to say that they want to win the tournament," he said. "I will do everything I can to make sure it doesn't happen. They are here to win, we are here to win.

"We'll see what happens on Friday. The important thing is that they didn't want me to retire at Madrid, they are my friends."

Joselu was a part of that Real Madrid side that finished the 2023-24 campaign with two trophies and he was asked about his German team-mate.

“I love Toni [but] I think Friday is his last game,” said the Spain striker. “We know the quality he has. He is a key player for Germany but we can't focus only on him.

“We know that every time they have possession, the ball passes through Toni. We will have to have a special eye on him so that Germany can't play their game.

“He's been a good friend and, at Madrid, we spoke a lot and he gave me a lot of advice. He is fundamental for Germany as he has been for Madrid, but we hope it will be his final game and we retire him on Friday.”

Toni Kroos will be aware that every game he plays at this tournament could be his last.

The 34-year-old has confirmed that he will retire after Euro 2024, bringing an end to a glittering career. The World Cup winner bowed out of club football in perfect fashion, winning La Liga and the Champions League (again) with Real Madrid.

And he will hope to do the same at international level having come out of international retirement to represent his country one last time.

Everyone in Germany will hope that Kroos' career is stretched out another two games as they look to make the final on home soil.

Manager: Julian Nagelsmann

Captain: Ilkay Gundogan

Qualifying record: Qualified automatically as hosts

Euro 2020: Round of 16

Most caps in squad: Thomas Muller (130)

Top scorer in squad: Thomas Muller (45)