Stylish goals from Marc Recasens and Nicolas Alvarez saw Spain win their sixth men’s EuroHockey Championship medal, denying France their first with an impressive performance in front of a packed and loud SparkassenPark.

The first quarter was a firecracker with chances at both ends with each team throwing everything into the contest.

Corentin Saunier and Luis Calzado were both stretched to the fullest as Gerard Clapes, Joaquin Menini, José Basterra and Victor Charlet were all denied in athletic fashion.

The opening goal finally came 90 seconds into the second half, coming at the third attempt from Recasens after two prior efforts were scrambled away by the French defence – he did so with a technically excellent reverse-stick hit.

Spain turned the screw from there on and gave France little room to manoeuvre. The red sticks were denied a second goal for a back-stick touch with 11 minutes to go.

But they did get their clinching goal in quite simply stunning fashion with Pol Cabré-Verdiell a pivotal part with several interventions, the last of which was saw him cross for Alvarez to tip in with three minutes to go.

It made it four Euro bronzes for Spain to go with two silvers in their rich history.