The 2021 UEFA Nations League final was a football match that determined the winners of the final tournament of the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League. It was the second final of the international football competition involving the men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA. The match was held on 10 October 2021 at the San Siro in Milan, Italy, and was contested by Spain and France.[5]
France won the match 2–1 for their first UEFA Nations League title.
Englishman Anthony Taylor was selected as the referee for the final.
On 8 October 2021, the UEFA Referees Committee announced the officiating team for the final, led by 42-year-old English referee Anthony Taylor of the Football Association. He was joined by seven of his compatriots, including assistant referees Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn. Craig Pawson served as the fourth official, while Stuart Burt was selected as the reserve assistant referee. At UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, Stuart Attwell worked as the video assistant referee (VAR) for the match. Chris Kavanagh and Lee Betts were appointed as assistant VAR officials, along with Dutchman Pol van Boekel.[2]
Spain had all their players available for selection.[4] However, Ferran Torres was a doubt with an ankle issue which required him to be substituted out of Spain's semi-final against Italy and miss Spain's final training session.[10] France had two players missing, after left-back Lucas Digne left the squad due to a muscle injury,[11] while midfielder Adrien Rabiot testing positive for SARS‑CoV‑2.[12]
After a goalless first half, Mikel Oyarzabal put Spain into the lead after 64 minutes with a low finish from the left to the bottom right corner of the net after a pass from Sergio Busquets which French defender Dayot Upamecano failed to cut out.[13]
This goal came seconds after Théo Hernandez shot against the underside of the crossbar for France. Two minutes later Karim Benzema scored to make it 1–1, cutting in from the left to the edge of the penalty area before shooting to the top right corner of the net past Unai Simón who managed to get a touch on the ball but could not prevent it going into the net.[14]
With ten minutes remaining Kylian Mbappé got the winning goal when he received the ball from Théo Hernandez before shooting low under the advancing goalkeeper Simón from the left. Mbappé was initially in an offside position from the pass but as the ball was deflected into his path by Eric García he became onside and so the goal was given.[15][16]
^Each team was given only three opportunities to make substitutions, with a fourth opportunity in extra time, excluding substitutions made at half-time, before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time.
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