Euro 2024: What to know about the European Championship final in Germany

After a month of group stage and knockout matches, the European Championship, also known as Euro 2024, has arrived at the title match. Here's what to know about the final and the finalists:

The finalists are Spain and England. England also reached the final of the previous edition of the tournament, in 2021, but lost to Italy in a penalty shootout. Spain hasn't gotten this far in the European Championship since it won the tournament in 2012.

Spain has won the tournament three times, including back-to-back trophies in 2008 and 2012. Many regard the Spanish as the favorites to win this year after they defeated host nation Germany in the quarterfinals and 2022 World Cup finalist France in the semifinals.

England has never won the European Championship. Its only major title is the 1966 World Cup.

U.S. viewers can watch Euro 2024 on Fox.

The Euro 2024 final will be played in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin at 9 p.m. local time (3 p.m. ET) on Sunday.

Lamine Yamal — the youngest player ever to appear at the European Championship — has been instrumental to Spain's success. Yamal, who turns 17 on Saturday, scored a brilliant goal in the semifinal against France, which Spain went on to win 2-1. He also has three assists. Yamal and 21-year-old winger Nico Williams have given Spain more direct offensive qualities the team lacked in previous tournaments.

With three goals, England striker Harry Kane is among the top scorers of the tournament. He converted a penalty to level the semifinal against Netherlands before Ollie Watkins, who replaced Kane in the second half, scored the winner in stoppage time. England's other big star, Jude Bellingham, has scored two goals so far, including a spectacular overhead kick that saved the team from being eliminated by Slovakia in the round of 16.

Spain was the only team to win all games in the group stage, with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Croatia followed by 1-0 wins over defending champion Italy and Albania. It recovered from a goal down to defeat Georgia 4-1 in the round of 16 before a hard-fought 2-1 win over Germany in the quarterfinals, where substitute Mikel Merino scored the decisive goal deep into extra time. It again came back from a one-goal deficit to win the semifinal against France 2-1 on Tuesday.

England finished first in Group C after a 1-0 win against Serbia and draws against Denmark (1-1) and Slovenia (0-0). In the round of 16, England beat Slovakia 2-1 with Kane scoring the winner in extra time. The team played a 1-1 draw against Switzerland in the quarterfinals, but went on to win the penalty shootout without missing a single penalty kick. England beat the Netherlands 2-1 in the semifinals on Wednesday.

AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024

FILE - In this Sunday, July 10, 2016 file photo, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo kisses the trophy at the end of the Euro 2016 final soccer match between Portugal and France at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris. The Euros kick off in Munich, Friday June 14, when host country Germany plays Scotland at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. The tournament begins with six groups of four teams. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File)

FILE - Inside view of the 'Allianz Arena' stadium prior to the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt in Munich, Germany, April 27, 2024. The Euros kick off in Munich, Friday June 14, when host country Germany plays Scotland at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. The tournament begins with six groups of four teams. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)

FILE - Aerial view of the Munich Euro 2024 stadium in Munich, Germany, Friday, June 7, 2024. Munich will host six matches at the European soccer Championships. The Euros kick off in Munich, Friday June 14, when host country Germany plays Scotland at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. The tournament begins with six groups of four teams. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)

FILE - The trophy is on display during the presentation of the European soccer championship 'EURO 2024' trophy at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The Euros kick off in Munich, Friday June 14, when host country Germany plays Scotland at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. The tournament begins with six groups of four teams. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

FILE - Tournament mascot 'Albaert' poses for the media during the presentation of the European soccer championship 'EURO 2024' trophy at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The Euros kick off in Munich, Friday June 14, when host country Germany plays Scotland at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. The tournament begins with six groups of four teams. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

FILE - Italy's coach Roberto Mancini, front second left, celebrates with players in Rome, Monday, July 12, 2021, their victory at the Euro 2020 soccer championships in a final played at Wembley stadium in London on Sunday. The Euros kick off in Munich, Friday June 14, when host country Germany plays Scotland at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. The tournament begins with six groups of four teams. (Roberto Monaldo/ Lapresse via AP, File)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Devin Neal ran for 207 yards and three touchdowns, caught four passes for 80 yards and another score, and led Kansas to a 37-21 victory over No. 16 Colorado on Saturday that dealt a big blow to the Buffaloes' hopes of playing for the Big 12 title.

Jalon Daniels threw for 189 yards and a touchdown, and the Jayhawks (5-6, 4-4) scored on every offensive possession but their last, keeping Colorado stars Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy candidate Travis Hunter standing on the sideline.

“We controlled our own destiny,” Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders said afterward, “and we fumbled it.”

Now, the Buffaloes (8-3, 6-2 Big 12, No. 16 CFP) need to beat Oklahoma State next week and get some help to play for a title in their return to the Big 12, and ultimately earn the league’s guaranteed spot in the College Football Playoff.

Shedeur Sanders finished with 266 yards passing and three TDs, setting the Colorado single-season record with 30 of them, and Hunter had eight catches for 125 yards and two scores as the two-way standout continued his Heisman campaign.

Problem is Hunter did little on defense, nor did anyone else in an all-white uniform. Kansas controlled the ball for more than 40 minutes, piled up 331 yards rushing and finished with 520 yards of total offense.

“There was a lot of negativity hanging around about what was wrong with this program and what should be done, and all of that,” said Kansas coach Lance Leipold, whose team became the first in FBS history with a losing record to beat three straight teams in the AP Top 25. “They owned it, they kept working, they stuck together and you can see the results of that.”

The Jayhawks, whose back-to-back wins over Iowa State and BYU had given them newfound confidence, suddenly resemble the team expected to challenge for a Big 12 title, before a series of late-game collapses resulted in a 1-5 start.

“We've just played with an extra edge, just in general these last three weeks. We have a different motivation,” said Neal, who also became the first player in Kansas history with three 1,000-yard rushing seasons. “Eventually we were just tired of losing — tired of losing the close ones. We knew what we had to do. It was a matter of doing it.”

The Jayhawks sure did it Saturday, opening the scoring with Neal's 51-yard touchdown catch. They forced a three-and-out and scored again for a 10-0 lead. And when they got the ball back yet again, taking advantage of a misfiring Colorado offense, Kansas churned down field and Neal scampered into the end zone for another score.

It was 17-0 before Hunter, who has emerged as the Heisman front-runner, took a short pass from Sanders and cut up field, deftly slipping between several Kansas defenders and going untouched 51 yards for a touchdown.

The teams traded scores into the break, the Jayhawks holding tight to a 23-14 advantage. The question became whether Leipold and the Jayhawks would rue kicking field goals of 24, 23 and 25 yards rather than going for those first-half touchdowns.

Nope.

After the Buffaloes closed within 23-21 on Hunter's second TD catch, the Jayhawks marched 80 yards with Neal answering the score. Kansas immediately forced a three-and-out, sacking Sanders on third down — he appeared to shove an official in the back after the play — and the Neal scored again to cap an 8-plus minute drive and give the Jayhawks a 37-21 lead.

Colorado's comeback chances ended when Cobee Bryant broke up a pass in the end zone on fourth down late in the game.

“It was fun in the locker room, man,” Bryant said, "just to see the whole team smiling, having fun, jumping around.”

Colorado will lament a defense that was simply incapable of stopping the Jayhawks. Defensive back Shilo Sanders was flagged twice and gave up several big plays, while the Buffaloes were bullied up front by the Kansas offensive line.

Kansas could improbably make a bowl game for a third straight season for the first time in school history. The Jayhawks merely need to beat Baylor in their regular-season finale to earn an invitation.

Colorado plays Oklahoma State on Friday.

Kansas visits Baylor on Saturday.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 all season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Kansas linebacker Taiwan Berryhill Jr. (6) tries to tackle Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)