Hosts Germany kissed the Euro Championship goodbye after Mikel Merino scored a dramatic header in extra time to ease Spain into the semi-final with a 2-1 victory.
The La Roja rattled the Germans after Lamine Yamal set up Dani Olmo to score the opening goal in six minutes into the second half.
Germany pressed late into the game before they were rewarded with equalising goal scored Florian Wirtz in 89th-minute. That awakened the German fans who had been on the edge of their seats and were confident their team will find the winning goal.
But it was Spain who roared to victory in the 119th minute, when substitute Merino popped up to head in from a cross.
Germany international Toni Kroos who came in the second half couldn’t help his team, it was his last game for the ‘German Machine’ and he said Germans can be proud of the players despite the exit.
“We can all be proud,” said the former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder.
“I’m happy if I could help a little to ensure that we have this standard again in German football.
“At the moment, the tournament exit is a bigger concern than my retirement. We all had a big goal together. That dream has now been shattered to some extent, even though we will realise that we played a good tournament.
“It was a game where we all gave it our all. We were very close. That makes it all the more bitter.”
