Kieran Trippier refuses to accept ‘excuse’ for England’s heartbreaking Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain, as the Newcastle star defends the Three Lions’ record in Germany

Kieran Trippier refuses to blame fatigue for England’s defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, insisting the squad is among the fittest in the competition.

The Three Lions suffered a painful 2-1 defeat on Sunday evening thanks to goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal.

Berlin’s showpiece was the first game of the English season in which Trippier did not start, after Gareth Southgate opted to use Luke Shaw, who only recently returned to full fitness, at left-back.

After the clash, Southgate himself concluded that a ‘lack of energy’ was the main reason for the Three Lions’ defeat. But the Newcastle defender pushed back against that claim, pointing to the fine margins of international football.

“The team we have is fit,” the 33-year-old said. “If you look at the running stats, I think we are probably the highest in the whole tournament. So that’s no excuse.

‘She [Spain] to score the second goal and that is always difficult when you have to win the match against a team like Spain.

‘Football is all about small margins. It’s one of those games where the boys gave it their all.’

Having failed to achieve their ultimate goal, England’s campaign will undoubtedly be looked back on with some regret, as the early stages of their campaign were marked by lacklustre performances.

Trippier was heavily criticised for replacing the injured Shaw on the left side of defence as the team struggled to mount a coherent attack.

England continued to develop during the tournament in Germany and will look back with nostalgia on the unforgettable moments and impressive contributions of the players making their debut at a major tournament.

Trippier, who was part of the squad for every major tournament under Southgate, believes players like Kobbie (Manchester United), Cole Palmer (Chelsea) and Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) learned a lot from their experience in Germany.

And he praised the efforts of all the players in the team, even those who did not take to the field.

“They will have learned a lot from his tournament,” he added. “The young players stepped up for us at key moments, Cole (Palmer) came in and scored, assisted Ollie (Watkins) in the last game.

Players like Ollie Watkins (left) and Cole Palmer (right) made telling contributions for the Three Lions in Germany

“Everyone has to be ready. I’ve been in this situation before. The young players can learn a lot from this. It will make them grow. But we are disappointed that we didn’t win.

‘Spain are a top team with top players. Every player gave absolutely everything, even the players who deserve a mention who were not on the pitch a second time for what they brought to the team in the whole six, seven weeks that we were away. Everyone deserves a big compliment.’