What followed was a nerve-shredding shootout that seemed destined to go on forever. Both teams displayed extraordinary composure, repeatedly finding the net and giving the opposing goalkeepers precious little chance of making a save. George Hayward, Joe Brown and Alex Household all converted for Athletico Madridlesborough, while Teddie Hanifan, Henry Hanifan and Joe Garvey kept Colonel Getafe perfectly in touch. Every successful kick increased the pressure, yet neither side appeared willing to blink. It was a remarkable demonstration of penalty-taking quality, with the players showing tremendous nerve under the weight of a Cup Final, and the contest continued until one crucial moment finally separated the two sides.

That moment belonged to Alex Staggs. With the shootout finely balanced, the Colonel Getafe goalkeeper produced the save of the tournament, denying Alex Household and giving his side the opportunity to win the Cup. Suddenly, the pressure shifted entirely onto Teddie Hanifan, who had the chance to settle the final with one kick from twelve yards. Hanifan kept his composure, stepped up and confidently converted, sparking jubilant celebrations among the Colonel Getafe players. After a 2-2 draw and an extraordinary penalty shootout, Colonel Getafe had done it: they were the 2026 Lloret de Mar Sevens Open Age Cup champions!

Commiserations to Athletico Madridlesborough, who came agonisingly close to completing a dream debut by lifting the Cup. They matched the experienced Colonel Getafe throughout a gripping final and showed tremendous character to take the contest all the way to penalties, where the smallest of margins ultimately proved decisive. Although the shootout ended in disappointment, Athletico can look back on a superb tournament in which they scored 21 goals and established themselves as genuine contenders. A special congratulations must go to George Hayward, whose phenomenal 12-goal haul made him the tournament's top scorer.

Congratulations to Colonel Getafe, the 2026 Lloret de Mar Sevens champions! Six wins from six in the group phase and knockout journey had already marked them out as a formidable side, but they saved their most dramatic achievement for the final itself. After being pushed all the way by Athletico Madridlesborough, they held their nerve in a marathon penalty shootout, with Alex Staggs providing the decisive intervention before Teddie Hanifan delivered the winning kick. The victory adds another major honour to the club's history following their 2023 Krakow Trophy triumph (also on penalties), and their unbeaten run continues to underline their quality and resilience.

Thank you to all the teams who competed – it was a fantastic day. We hope to see you all again at another eurofootballfives.com tournament very soon.