Euro 2024: De la Fuente’s Spain emulate 2008 iteration after beating Albania

Spain secured a 1-0 success over Albania on Monday night to end atop Group C at Euro 2024. 

Ferran Torres scored in the 13th minute for a heavily rotated La Roja side, and it stayed that way for Luis de la Fuente’s men who ended the group without blemish after defeating Croatia (3-0), Italy (1-0) and Albania (1-0). 

Monday’s events in Dusseldorf mean Spain are the only side at the ongoing European Championship with nine points from nine, even if Portugal could match De La Fuente’s team with maximum points against Georgia on June 25. 

La Roja’s win over Albania means Spain have notched maximum points from the group stage since the 2008 side under the late Luis Aragones, defeating Russia, Sweden and Greece en route to winning the finals undefeated. 

Spain securing seven points in the 2012 competition meant Vicente del Bosque's men could not emulate the group-stage tally of the 2008 side from four years despite retaining the title, while sides from Euros 2016 and 2020 accrued six and five points, respectively. 

Spain will meet the third-placed side from Group D, E or F in the round of 16 and they could face tournament hosts Germany in the last eight.