Spain top Croatia in Nations League final

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP)

Spain’s 11-year trophy drought is over. Croatia and their veteran captain, Luka Modric, are still waiting for their first international title.

Goalkeeper Unai Simon saved two shots as Spain beat Croatia in a penalty shoot-out after their tense Nations League final had finished 0-0 yesterday.

The Bilbao goalkeeper used his feet to save a penalty by Lovro Majer when the shoot-out was level at 3-3 and then dived full-length to tip Bruno Petković’s spot kick around the post.

Dani Carvajal converted his penalty – with a “Panenka” chip – to seal the victory.

Spain coach Luis De La Fuente said Carvajal had taken penalties well in practice ahead of the final.

“He has a fantastic personality, and that’s the way he decided to take it,” he said. “We have total confidence in his ability to take penalties.”

Spain’s other previous titles came in the 2010 World Cup and the European Championships in 1964, 2008, and 2012.

Midfielder Rodri, who punched the air after scoring his penalty, has four titles this season after also winning a historic treble with his club, Manchester City. He was named the player of the Nations League tournament to cap his memorable year.

Spain did not manage a shot on target until the 84th minute of the match and when substitute Ansu Fati finally looked like breaking the stalemate, Ivan Perišić was on the goal line to block his effort. It was Spain’s only goal-bound attempt, compared to five by Croatia.

In the first period of extra time, Majer broke through and fell in the penalty area under a challenge by Nacho, but German referee Felix Zwayer ruled that the Spain defender had played the ball and waved off Croatia’s appeals for a penalty.

Croatia’s fans – many wearing shirts with Modric’s name and No. 10 on the back – far outnumbered their Spanish counterparts at De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam.

But they were forced to leave disappointed as their nation and the 37-year-old Modric continued their wait for a first international title.

Croatia finished second at the World Cup in 2018 and third in Qatar last year. Modric, meanwhile, has won the Champions League five times with Real Madrid and was named FIFA’s world player of the year in 2018, breaking the decade-long dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on the title. But he has not been able to cap his glittering career with international honours.

Spain went a step better than the last Nations League final in 2021, when they lost to France. Not bad for a team with a coach, Luis De La Fuente, who only took charge after the World Cup in Qatar and came in for criticism when his team lost 2-0 to Scotland in European Championship qualifying.

Italy third

Federico Dimarco scored in the sixth minute and Davide Frattesi poked home a rebound to double the lead in the 20th to put Italy on course to beating the Netherlands 3-2 to secure third place in the Nations League for the second time in two attempts.