Fernando Torres won the Golden Boot as Euro 2012 top-scorer thanks to a goal and an assist in the final eight minutes of Spain’s 4-0 victory over Italy in Sunday’s final.
Torres finished with three goals and an assist along with Germany striker Mario Gomez, but played less minutes than his rival, which is the tiebreak criteria of the ruling body UEFA.
The Chelsea striker Torres scored in the 84th minute of the final and fed Juan Mata in the 88th. His earlier two goals came in the other 4-0 win over Ireland in the group stage.
Torres succeeds injured teammate David Villa, who was top scorer at Euro 2008 with four goals.
Apart from Torres and Gomez, Italy’s Mario Balotelli, Alan Dzagoev of Russia, Mario Mandzukic of Croatia and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal also scored three goals at Euro 2012.