Nico Williams leads majestic Spain into last 16 with win over Italy at Euro 2024

There they were, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Andrea Cambiasso, wearily sizing up the younger, fitter, faster, stronger man in front of them once again, like a couple of wounded bouncers realising they had bitten off more than they could chew but were in a fight they could not get out of. And Nico Williams just would not stop coming at them.

Spain produced a staggering 58 attacks on a night when Italy were battered into submission and it felt like Williams had a monopoly on them, an unsparing, devastating opponent who looked like he could have kept going long into the night and never get tired.

Luciano Spalletti, the Italy coach, had sent on Cambiasso at half-time in the hope that, in tandem with Di Lorenzo, they might at least be able to discourage the juggernaut down Spain’s right flank. The problem was that Williams took even greater pleasure and motivation from the chance to wreak double the destruction as Spain swept into the last 16 on the back of the most arresting performance of the tournament so far.

By the time he had returned to the dressing room after the final whistle, the Athletic Bilbao forward and Spain’s totem was greeted to a standing ovation from his team-mates, having already received one from the country’s jubilant supporters salivating in the stands.

Watching back home, and bursting with pride, was Williams’s brother and Bilbao team-mate, Inaki, who was quick to register his approval. “I was delighted with the reception I got in the dressing room,” Williams said. “I grabbed my phone and saw a text from my brother and the rest of my family. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did. I think that’s my most complete performance for Spain.”

Ignore the scoreline, secured courtesy of an own goal from Riccardo Calafiori that Williams, who else, had helped to force; it did scant justice to the scale of Spain’s dominance or the majesty of a display that had a bit of everything bar the bundle of goals their superiority and sublime football deserved. This was statement football, tiki-taka on speed.

Only Italy’s goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, who made two fine saves late in the game to deny Mikel Oyarzabal after a series of outstanding first half interventions, prevented La Roja from running up a cricket score here. Williams called it a “spectacular” performance, Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente the best of his reign and that, in talent terms, they were the best in the world, they just needed silverware to “underline it”.

Spalletti said La Roja played the sort of football he would love to replicate with Italy and made no attempt to mask the gaping chasm in class. “We were constantly stretched, we were never able to squeeze the spaces and they caused us problems beyond what the scoreline suggests, let’s not beat around the bush,” the Italy coach said.

The tone was set after just 85 seconds when Williams sped past Di Lorenzo like a bullet train and stood up a cross that Pedri met with a firm header that Donnarumma did superbly to tip over. It would become a prevailing theme. “These one-on-one situations are my forte and once you get past your full-back for the first time you grow in confidence and things become easy,” Williams said. It was a brutal truth.

Just 21, Williams has a golden future ahead of him. His partnership with the superb Marc Cucurella down Spain’s left side was as relentless as it was irresistible. Lamine Yamal impressed down the right. Rodri was a colossus in midfield. Can we just end the Declan Rice debate here? Alvaro Morata led the line brilliantly, pressing, holding up the ball, running the channels and delivering a fine cross that Williams narrowly headed wide in the culmination of what, after a gorgeous quickfire move, would have been the goal of the tournament.

One moment Spain were patient and poised, the next fast and furious. They oozed intelligence and intensity. At times, it felt like Donnarumma v Spain as Italy crumbled under the sheer ferocity of their opponents’ football, Spalletti bemoaning his side’s lack of stamina and a whole lot in between. Italy’s overworked goalkeeper made superb saves to deny also Morata and Fabian Ruiz inside 25 minutes. The Azzurri were clinging on.

Poor Di Lorenzo was crying out for help. Spalletti recognised as much and sent for Cambiasso. A fat lot of good that did. The additional attention Williams received also served only to create more space for Chelsea’s Cucurella to make underlapping runs and one such move fashioned a glorious chance for Pedri he should have buried. Italy had switched to 4-4-2 in the process but with Cambiasso effectively serving as a second right-back, the configuration invariably looked very different. Spalletti had used four of his five substitutes after just 64 minutes, by which time Spain were ahead.

The goal was an example of Italy finally buckling under the sheer weight of the pressure being applied. Williams - yes, him again - beat both Di Lorenzo and Cambiasso, desperately wishing the night would end, with another electric turn of speed and fired over a cross. Morata flicked it towards goal with his head. Donnarumma got a hand to it but succeeded only in steering the ball at Calafiori, who watched it bounce off his leg and in.

Williams would later hit the crossbar and Spain could and should have scored a pile more thereafter. No one will want to be paired with them in the knockout rounds on this evidence.

Spain dominate Italy: As it happened...

10:12 PM BST

Nico Williams was the star of the show

10:09 PM BST

Tickets and raffles

10:06 PM BST

The Group B table after two games

• Spain 6pts

• Italy 3pts

• Albania 1pt

• Croatia 1pt

Italy need a draw against Croatia to be sure of reaching the last 16. If they lose things could get very hairy.

09:57 PM BST

FT: Spain 1 Italy 0

Spain have won Group B with a game to spare, and served notice that they are serious contenders to win the whole bleedin’ thing. Forget the scoreline: 4-0 wouldn’t have flattered Spain, who produced the best performance of the tournament so far.

This is a different version of Spain, who rely on individual brilliance, particularly dribbling, as much as tiki-taka. Lamine Yamal was exhilarating, Nico Williams even better, and Italy’s right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo is off to hospital with twisted blood.

09:55 PM BST

90+6 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Carvajal is booked for being Dani Carvajal, then Donnarumma comes up for a corner. Nothing comes of it and that should be that.

09:53 PM BST

90+4 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Spain substitution Mikel Merino comes on for the weary Fabian Ruiz, who was again terrific.

09:51 PM BST

90+2 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Perez nutmegs poor old Di Lorenzo on the left, cuts into the area and drives a low shot that is pushed away at the near post by Donnarumma.

Moments later Donnarumma makes an even better save, plunging to his left when Perez  runs through one on one and tries to curl the ball across him.

Donnarumma has saved Italy from a rare old thumping.

09:49 PM BST

90 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

There will be four minutes of added time.

09:48 PM BST

89 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Carvajal makes a meal of a nothing challenge from Retegui, which leads to a bit of arguing on the halfway line. It peters out soon enough.

09:47 PM BST

88 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

For the first time all night Spain are under pressure. Italy’s attacking remains desperate and a bit haphazard, but at least they’re managing to attack.

09:45 PM BST

86 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Carvajal concedes a corner, Italy’s first of the match I think. Bastoni squares up to Carvajal before it is taken, so the referee tells them both to calm down - not once but twice.

Eventually the corner is helped on by Cristante and bounces straight into the arms of Simon.

09:42 PM BST

84 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

This is definitely Italy’s spell, although these things are relative. Spain still look comfortable, and Unai Simon still hasn’t had a save to make.

09:40 PM BST

82 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Italy substitution Giacomo Raspadori on, Lorenzo Pellegrini off.

09:40 PM BST

81 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

As it stands Spain will win Group B with a game to spare, which would mean a last 16 game against one of the third-placed qualifiers.

Laporte heads over at the far post after a short corner. The ball was too high for him to control the header.

09:38 PM BST

79 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Italy have had more of the ball since going behind, and there’s a warning for Spain when Dimarco’s free-kick only just evades the unmarked Di Lorenzo at the far post.

They still haven’t had a shot on target, mind.

09:37 PM BST

78 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Double substitution for Spain Ayoze Perez and Mikel Oyarzabal come on for Alvaro Morata and the brilliant Nico Williams.

09:33 PM BST

74 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Another foul by Le Normand gives Italy a free-kick 25 yards out. Pellegrini whips a fairly tame effort over the bar.

09:30 PM BST

72 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Double substitution for Spain Ferran Torres and Alex Baena replace Pedri and Lamine Yamal.

09:30 PM BST

71 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Williams hits the bar! Spain continue to look utterly brilliant. Williams cuts inside from the left, away from poor old Di Lorenzo, and smashes a curler across goal from the edge of the area. It beats even the telescopic arm of Donnarumma, leaping desperately to his left, and thumps off the top of the crossbar.

09:27 PM BST

69 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Le Normand gets a yellow card for an earthy tackle on Zaccagni.

09:25 PM BST

66 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

A rare opening for Italy. Cambiaso takes advantage of a mistake from Rodri to gallop into space on the right, move infield and cross. Retegui goes for the ball at the near post along with a Spanish defender, but neither player manages to make contact and the ball rolls across the six-yard box to safety.

09:24 PM BST

66 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

09:22 PM BST

64 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Double substitution for Italy Mattia Zaccagni and Mateo Retegui come on for Federico Chiesa and Gianluca Scamacca.

09:21 PM BST

62 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

This might be Spain’s best performance at a major tournament since their stunning defenestration of Italy in the Euro 2012 final. They won 4-0 that night; a similar score here would not particularly flatter them.

09:20 PM BST

60 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Spain keep the ball for an age, every pass accompanied by an olé. Then, out of nothing, Yamal whips an extravagant curler from 20 yards that beats Donnarumma and flashes just past the post. What a glorious goal that would have been.

Sod that, what a glorious moment it was: he’s 16 for heaven’s sake.

09:18 PM BST

59 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Off the line by Cambiaso! Williams swings the resulting corner to the far post, where Le Normand plants a header back across goal. It beats Donnarumma and is hooked clear by Cambiaso on the line. It might not have been going in, though my suspicion is it would have hit the inside of the post and bounced into the net.

09:17 PM BST

58 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

After another quick Spain break, Morata smashes a rising drive from 25 yards that is pushed over one-handed by Donnarumma. Sweetly struck but too close to the keeper.

09:16 PM BST

56 min: Spain 1 Italy 0

Pedri zig-zags into the Italy area, forcing Donnarumma to rush from his line and grab the ball. Jeez, Spain have been magnificent tonight.

09:15 PM BST

Goal!

55 min: Spain 1 Italy 0 (Calafiori og) A goal was in the post from the first whistle, and it has finally arrived. Williams twisted the hapless Di Lorenzo inside out on the left and hammered a dangerous low cross into the six-yard box. It brushed the head of Morata at the near post, then the diving Donnarumma pushed the ball off Calafiori and into the net.

Calafiori was blameless. So, in truth, was Donnarumma: although Morata’s header wasn’t on target, he couldn’t let it flash across his six-yard box.

09:12 PM BST

53 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Pedri whistles a decent effort from 25 yards that is patted down by Donnarumma and grabbed at the second attempt.

09:11 PM BST

52 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Just wide by Pedri! Williams plays in the underlapping Cucurella, who picks out Pedro at the near post with a sharp cutback. Pedri tries to open his body but mistimes the movement and sidefoots wide from eight yards. That was a terrific chance. He might even have had time to take a touch.

09:10 PM BST

50 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Spain have picked up where they left off and have set up camp in the Italy half. It will frustrate the life out of them if they don’t win this game after playing so much good football. Maybe it’s a job for Joselu.

09:07 PM BST

48 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Rodri gets gingerly to his feet after receiving treatment for around 90 seconds. Cristante stood on his foot, and for a minute it looked like he might have broken a metatarsal. I think he’s okay.

09:05 PM BST

46 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

The substitute Cristante is booked inside 22 seconds for crumping Rodri. Outstanding.

09:04 PM BST

Double substitution for Italy

Luciano Spalletti doesn’t want to endure another 45 minutes like that. He’s brought on Andrea Cambiaso and Bryan Cristante for Jorginho and Davide Frattesi.

09:03 PM BST

One-way traffic

08:49 PM BST

HT: Spain 0 Italy 0

A goalless thrashing in Gelsenkirchen. Spain have been exhilarating, Nico Williams in particular, but also wasteful in front of goal. Italy have been so busy putting out fires that they’ve barely had time to attack.

08:47 PM BST

45+1 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Chiesa wafts indulgently over the bar from the edge of the area to end a promising Italy break. It’s their first shot at goal.

Moments later Rodri is booked for dissent.

08:45 PM BST

43 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Calafiori shoves over Le Normand, who then lands painfully on Dimarco’s leg. He’s okay.

08:44 PM BST

42 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

A loose ball runs invitingly towards Fabian Ruiz, 25 yards out. His shot is sweetly struck but straight at Donnarumma. That’s Spain’s ninth attempt at goal, four on target. Italy have had the square root of bugger all.

08:41 PM BST

38 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Laporte’s ball forward is flicked ingeniously behind his standing leg by Williams to find Pedri. He returns the ball to Williams, who is crucially challenged in the area by Bastoni.

Spain have played some delightful, high-speed football.

08:38 PM BST

36 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Williams is fouled on the left wing by Di Lorenzo, who is lucky not to be booked. It’ll be a surprise if he still knows what day it is too.

Williams tries a training-ground free-kick, driving the ball back to Fabian Ruiz. He shoots high over the bar.

08:36 PM BST

34 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Spain have been so impressive, dominating every facet of the game. Italy 1-0 it is then.

08:31 PM BST

Watch: Donnarumma denies Fabian Ruiz

Pure as the driven snow that strike.

08:30 PM BST

28 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Sheer delightful football from Spain. Fabian Ruiz plays an extravagant reverse pass to Carvajal, who eschews a low cross and instead cuts the ball back to Rodri in the D. He sweeps a first-time shot that is blocked by Bastoni.

08:28 PM BST

27 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Rodri shoots well wide from distance. Spain have made all the running so far.

08:27 PM BST

25 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Lovely save by Donnarumma! Fabian Ruiz finds space 25 yards out and hits a left-footed heatseeker that is superbly tipped over by Donnarumma, leaping to his left. That was such a pure strike from Fabian Ruiz.

08:26 PM BST

24 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Chance for Spain! Gorgeous play from Yamal, who beats two players through sleight of hip before being crowded out on the edge of the area. The ball runs through to Morata, whose shot from a tight angle is well blocked by Donnarumma.

08:23 PM BST

22 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

This could be a long night for Giovanni Di Lorenzo the way things are shaping up. Nico Williams has been superb and has the Italy right back on toast at the moment.

08:23 PM BST

21 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Dimarco finds space on the left, only to pull his cross behind the four Italian players in the middle. That was half a chance, and unusually poor from Dimarco.

08:22 PM BST

20 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Williams nutmegs Di Lorenzo on the left edge of the area, but this time Jorginho comes across to sweep up. Nico Williams’s dribbling has been sensational.

08:20 PM BST

18 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Spain continue to dominate. Yamal has also made a bright start - not quite as coruscating as Williams on the other side, but still a constant threat to Federico Dimarco. It boggles the mind that he’s 16 years old.

08:17 PM BST

14 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Morata has a shot blocked just inside the area, then Donnarumma is booked for dissent. He was unhappy that the referee didn’t stop play before Morata’s shot because Di Lorenzo was down with a head injury.

08:12 PM BST

10 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Another great chance for Spain! This is thrilling stuff. Spain break at pace - no tiki-taka here - and Morata pulls left before whipping a magnificent early cross to the far post. Williams is unmarked, seven yards out, but his header flashes just wide.

That was a terrific chance, probably even better than Pedri’s.

08:11 PM BST

9 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Pellegrini’s clever stooping header almost releases Scamacca, but he doesn’t fancy a race with Le Normand and his backheel goes astray.

08:09 PM BST

6 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

A foul by Pedri on Pellegrini gives Italy the chance to get their bearings while Pellegrini receives treatment. Spain have made a blistering start.

08:05 PM BST

3 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Another scintillating run from Williams, who nutmegs Barella - and puts him on the floor - then cuts away from Jorginho in the area. That touch is slightly heavy, which allows another Italian defender to make a vital challenge. Some start this from Spain.

08:04 PM BST

2 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

Great chance for Spain! Nico Williams dizzies Di Lorenzo with a stepover or three and stands up a lovely cross into the six-yard box. Pedri meets it with a slightly sheepish header that still requires a fine save from Donnarumma, leaping to push it over the bar.

08:02 PM BST

1 min: Spain 0 Italy 0

And action. Italy, in their white change strip, kick off from right to left as we watch.

08:01 PM BST

The anthems

Good to see Donnarumma belting out the Italian national anthem Chiellini style. Okay, maybe not quite as intensely as that but he’s giving it a good go. Luciano Spalletti too. Feeling every word that man.

07:57 PM BST

An intriguing tactical battle

It’s something of a war of attrition to get to the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen so let’s hope the game is less of a grind. There was some colourful talk from the Italy coach Luciano Spalletti before the game. “We wear Giorgio Armani and Giorgio Armani is known around the whole world,” he said. “We will be there, well dressed but ready to get our clothes dirty if needed.” So Spain have been warned.

It will be interesting to see how both sides approach it. Spain were more direct in their 3-0 win over Croatia but they do press aggressively and Italy - who did well bypassing Albania’s press - may feel there is space in behind to exploit. Nacho is injured but Aymeric Laporte has come into the left centre-half position for Spain after missing the opening game. Spain are otherwise unchanged while Italy field the same starting XI from their 2-1 win over Albania.

07:39 PM BST

What’s at stake tonight

A win for either team would clinch their place in the last 16 – and as group winners, which would mean a match against one of the third-place qualifiers.

A draw would leave both teams needing a draw in their final game to be sure of going through.

07:32 PM BST

Fancy a flutter?

Spain made Croatia look docile in the first-half on Saturday, whilst Italy were made to work for their 3 points against Albania. Back your predictions for the game with these Euros betting offers.

07:26 PM BST

Spain team news: Laporte in for Nacho

07:25 PM BST

Italy team news: No changes from Albania game

07:25 PM BST

Good evening

Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Spain v Italy in Gelsenkirchen. This, with a respectful nod to the previous 17 games, is the first heavyweight clash of Euro 2024. It’s also a familiar one, the sixth meeting between Spain and Italy in the last five European Championships. Usually they cross paths in the knockout stages, which may happen again this year, but tonight is about qualifying with a game to spare and making a statement of tournament-winning intent.

It’s probably a bigger game for the reigning champions Italy, who have a tougher final match (against Croatia) and will be vulnerable if they lose tonight. They started with a 2-1 win over Albania that was both impressive and nervy, while Spain were slightly flattered by their 3-0 win over Croatia. Even so there was plenty to catch the eye, most notably the performance of the astonishing 16-year-old Lamine Yamal.

“Spain vs Italy is a classic game, it could very easily be the final,” said the Spain coach Luis de La Fuente. “They have great players, a great coach, and a real football culture. They’re one of the great national teams.”

As are Spain after their unprecedented success between 2008 and 2012. A key rite of passage was their penalty shootout victory over Italy, who had been their nemesis at major tournaments, in the quarter-final of Euro 2008.

“This is one of the most important matches of my career; I’ve already been through some important games but this is right up there,” says Luciano Spalletti. “This is one of those matches that could give the players a tale to tell in the future.”

Kick off 8pm.