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Louise Thomas

Editor

Carlos Alcaraz has said he could not leave his taxi to the Wimbledon champions’ dinner before being sure that Spain’s Euro 2024-winning goal was onside.

Alcaraz beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the Wimbledon final on Sunday, before watching his national team defeat England in the Euro 2024 final.

Alcaraz’s victory over Djokovic was much more straightforward than his epic against the Serb in the 2023 final, while Spain overcame England 2-1 with an 86th-minute winner.

However, there was a brief wait for confirmation that goalscorer Mikel Oyarzabal was onside, and Alcaraz did not want to take it for granted.

“It started on the phone,” said the Spaniard, 21. “Then it switched to the TV at home and then coming [to the dinner] on the iPad, so it was kind of mixed.

“Just before getting out of the car, I saw the [winning] goal so I thought it was offside. I couldn’t get out of the car until I made sure it was a goal. So, it was a few minutes where the nerves were so high!”

Oyarzabal’s late goal broke English hearts, after Cole Palmer had equalised for the Three Lions in the 72nd minute. The Chelsea youngster’s goal followed Nico Williams’s opener for Spain in the first minute of the second half.

With their victory, Spain became record four-time European Championship winners, while England’s wait for a first major men’s trophy since 1966 continues.

Meanwhile, Alcaraz’s victory on Sunday was his fourth grand-slam triumph. The Spaniard claimed the 2022 US Open trophy before winning the past two Wimbledon titles and this year’s French Open.

“I know a few of them,” Alcaraz said of the Spain team. “I spoke to them before I started the match.

“When I finished, one of the first FaceTimes I did was with [captain] Alvaro Morata just to wish them the best of luck. I tried to give them all my strength to try to do a good match.”

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