Mitchell Weiser’s looping header was enough to condemn Hector Bellerin’s Spain to defeat in the final of the UEFA under-21 European Championships in Poland.
Spain, who had won two of the last three tournaments, had been tipped as favourites in many quarters but couldn’t find an equaliser after going behind on 40 minutes.
Speaking after the game, Bellerin made clear that he was proud of his compatriots and that he’d take stock of an emotional night ahead of rejoining his Arsenal teammates for pre-season.
“I feel we played against a very good team,” Bellerin told Sky Sports.
“They knew how to play from the first minute of the game. I think weren’t as confident as the other games because we couldn’t play the ball the way we wanted.
“In the second half the team reacted but it was a bit late for us. You can’t always win in football. Credit to Germany they played a great game, they created a lot of chances, they deserved their goal.
“We must reflect on the game, learn and take the taste of defeat. It can make us hungrier for the future.
“Our qualifiers through the two years was one of the toughest things we’ve ever played. We had to very difficult countries to play very difficult games in very difficult conditions.
“We’ve played like ten games in a row where we couldn’t lose because if we lost we knew we’d be out. After all of that the team got itself to the final.
“Sometimes it’s not meant to be and it wasn’t meant to be today but the team is proud of the work, we have great staff and a lot of people in Spain supporting us and all over the world. This is just going to make us hungrier.
“Obviously, when you come to these kind of tournaments, you want to win. We knew we had a great team, we knew that it could happen. Obviously, we’re disappointed.
“We’ve just got to be proud of the team, we’re a generation with a lot of football in them. There are people who have another opportunity to play this tournament and I’m sure that after this experience they are going to do really well. It’s about enjoying the next couple of hours because we’ve been together since under-15s, under-16s, it’s our last chance to be together. I’m very proud of everyone and it was a good tournament for us.”
The right-back also touched on his plans for the summer saying: “I have a contract over there [in London], I have to report back at Arsenal.
“Now’s the time to enjoy myself with my teammates in Spain for a few days, enjoy myself with the family, have a little break, enjoy the time and then we’ll see each other next season.”
Did they send him to do the interview because he learnt a thing or two from Walcott’s book? Just kidding, no hit.
From Walcott’s Book? He didn’t say : From the beginning, you feel Germany wanted it more than us.
“I have a contract over there ” ” I have to report back to Arsenal” . Sounds like someone’s already removed in a sence… ah shucks– maybe reading too much into it. But loosing Beilerin, who represents the most promising “young” talent , coupled with a possible loss of Alexsis would send out a very sinking ship message, hard to balance with inbound transfers.
I read his comments a little negatively too. Hope it’s just the translation and he comes back raring to go.
‘I have a contract over there [in London], I have to report back at Arsenal.’ well that does not sound over-optimistic, does it?
Yeah you’d swear he was enslaved rather than being on tens of thousands of pounds a week!
Well that is one of the very few contract situations Arsenal handled flawlessly and in advance.
Yeah, he should just hang his boots up and go work in a chicken factory. This kind of slavery is just not worth the financial freedom and plethora of women that comes along with it.
Actually I think he has been 100% on point. Of all our outgoing transfer targets of recent years no one has spoken up more than him. He has said he doesn’t want to go back to Barca. He has said he doesn’t want to leave. Now he clearly says he is going back and has a contract to honour in a way that doesn’t leave an open ended “maybe” about if he will be there or not. It’s a far sight better than Sanchez (think also recently van persie, nasri etc…) all keeping quiet, agents handling everything, the “i don’t… Read more »
Thing is, Bellerin also represents a rare situation in a footballer. To be loved by a giant team at such a young age with a competitive contract compared to established professionals a decade senior–why would he complain? He’s 19 and making more than 52 middle-class Londoners per year combined, and he has a good enough head on his shoulders to recognize that even compared to the footballing world, he has been both fortunate and perhaps well-rewarded by this lucrative era for players. He has the talent, has delivered as fairly much of it to deserve his contract, and he’s keeping… Read more »
Bellerin is 22 years old by the way.
Seriously I think we may be over reading into this, I genuinely think he will stay on board. Never really been worried about him leaving.
How does “…then we’ll see each other next season” sound?
I’m not worried bout him leaving. Yet.
Fully deserved for the Germans! A real team playing football and not an addition of over rated so called stars! Bravo to Gnabry! Hector was the only one doing his thing with class for Spain. I would not like one Spanish lil whining boy at Arsenal!
I saw a video of all the Spain players taking off their runners up medals. Does anyone else find it weird that in football, everyone is expected to disdain their runner-up medals, and are applauded for throwing them away?
I mean, I get that winning is better, and it’d be weird to brag about a bunch of runner’s up medals. But at the same time, it’s not like they should be ashamed of getting to a final and losing. It just seems like this strange expectation that everyone has.
I was not aware of this. So they donate the medals or just refuse to wear them cuz they feel emotional? Or is it out of disrespect? Or is there some other reasoning?
They’re to melt them into a pimps chalice.
Of course you’ve only won the top winners medals as the GSTEL and wouldn’t understand the feelings of not winning.
Probably a bit pissed at the fact that a good few of the Germany under 21’s are playing in another comp and realise they’ve probably been overhyped.
His tone of voice reminds me of that one mate who has to call his girlfriend every night when you all go off to Prague for a boys weekend
Lad just lost a final.
He signed a new 6 year contract this year.
Don’t take his words to seriously, he’s in pain.
I hope he gets a good rest. I have a feeling he will absolutely smash it next season. Looked a bit heavy and slow at Times this season but picked up towards the end. Full Pre season and and full Fitness will mean a better Hector
Except he won’t get a full pre-season.
Yes he will. Arsene Wenger will allow him to rest.
He deserves a rest. And hats off to him for donating money to Grenfell Appeal for every minute he played in that tournament. A substantial sum.
That’s the point. Because he’s going to be given time to rest, he won’t get the benefit of a full pre-season working out with the rest of the team.
Please is it only me or is anyone else seeing this guy Asensio is getting better as I watch. I won’t mind having in the team ahead of Lemar
Just you.
as good as he may be, that’s definitely one transfer that we have no chance of completing. he’s seen as the future of real madrid, and there’s no way that they would sell him, let alone him wanting to leave.
A little off topic but Germany have a very good team for the future don’t they?
Won the finals of the U-21 competition, in the finals of the Confederation Cup (even with their younger players/2nd string squad) and their best players (Ozil Neuer) are at rest!
They’re a powerhouse at producing good players and other teams should take note.
I am a bit worried about Bellerin’s form. I thought he had a very average U21 championships for his standards and his second half of the season has been quite poor. I know he is young so hopefully his form will pick up next season
He looks so much like Kylo Ren