The summer of 2024 promised to be a thrilling period for soccer fans worldwide, with some of the biggest competitions taking center stage. From the UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany to the thrilling Copa America taking place in the United States, the season was packed with excitement. As nations strived for glory and players reached peak form, this summer will undoubtedly leave a mark in the history of soccer. This article dives into the key moments, tournaments, and players that marked a difference during this action-packed summer of soccer in 2024.
This summer, countries in Europe gathered in Germany to play the UEFA’s Euro Cup. Although the home country was the favorite to win, Spain ended up taking the glory back home.
Beginning with their first game against Croatia, people began to notice that Spain came to go all the way, beating a historically-good Croatia 3-0. After this, they never lost momentum. Spain cruised through the group stage and took the world by surprise after beating Germany in the knockout round, the favorite of the tournament and host country. Midfielder Pedri went down in the eighth minute during the game from what was a terrible tackle by Toni Kroos, raising concerns began on whether the team would be strong enough to overcome not just Germany, but the remaining competition and reach the finals. The team clutched and was able to beat both Germany and France by 2-1, leaving Toni Kroos to retire this year without ever winning a Euro trophy with his national team.
After beating France, another fan-favorite and finalist of the 2022 World Cup, Spain was ready for the next challenge: England. After a goal from Nico Williams, Spain pivoted to primarily defending while maintaining an offensive balance. When Cole Palmer came in and scored in the 73rd minute, it would only take nine minutes for Spain substitute Mikel Oyarzabal to score Spain’s second goal, sealing their fate as champions of Europe for the fourth time.
Spain’s Under-23 team also had an impressive year. On his first call-up to play for the team in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Fermín Lopez proved to the world that he was more than ready to play his part, scoring six goals across the competition (while playing midfield) and becoming one of the most integral players in the team
Similarly, the spotlight was on these special young players: Lamine Yamal (Spain; FC Barcelona), Nico Williams (Spain; Athletic Club), Jude Bellingham (England; Real Madrid), Fermin Lopez (Spain; FC Barcelona), Arda Guler (Turkey; Real Madrid), and Xavi Simons (Netherlands; RB Leipzig). Williams and Yamal’s combined efforts brought Spain many goals and assists for the team, leading them to victory. The Barcelona player proved to the world that even as a sixteen year old he was worthy of the title and the gold. Bellingham also had the world in a trance with his game, with his time at Madrid boosting his confidence and improving his style of play. Simons, Guler, and Lopez again proved to the world that age is not of importance when the talent is there. The world is lucky to be witnessing the future generation of soccer.

More locally, the Copa America was simultaneously played on American soil. This time, the final would be played in Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium.Every American, Latin American, and followers of the sport would turn on the Copa America after watching Euros, tuning in every night to witness some of the best games in history.
Although Argentina is one of the most beloved teams in the world, the spotlight was on Colombia with the return of James Rodriguez and their newly shaped team. When the teams of Colombia and Uruguay faced each other in the semi-finals, fans were torn to see either one go because of their joint popularity amongst their fans. Colombia beat Uruguay 1-0 and moved on to the final against Argentina, who had beaten Canada 2-0 in order to advance to the final.
A not-so-fan-favorite team was Brazil. Soccer legend Ronaldinho publicly announced that he would not be supporting his own country due to their lack of sportsmanship and spirit when it came to the game. He stated that this Brazil team was one of the worst in the history of soccer, and their performance and the tournament showed.
The final took place in Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. Although the final was delayed almost three hours due to the influx of fans who either sneaked in without a ticket or were hurt in the process of trying to reach their seat, the kickoff had everyone at the edge of their seats. In the 64th minute, Lionel Messi went down with a terrible ankle injury. He was forced to leave the field with tears in his eyes that he later expressed came from the sense of importance that he felt at the moment. It would take 112 minutes for the winning goal to be scored, and it would be the one to cause Argentina to win the Copa America for the second year in a row. This magisterial moment made Lionel Messi the most decorated player of all time and allowed Angel Di Maria to retire on a good note.
Ultimately, the summer of 2024 was one for the books and one of the most unforgettable in the history of this sport. While the summer season has come and gone, no one will forget the legendary moments it created and can only hope for even greater ones as this sport continues to progress.