World champions Spain also triumphed at the European Basketball Championships and won their sixth gold medal in major tournaments since 2006 in Berlin.
After the semi-final victory over the German team, the team of successful coach Sergio Scariolo beat France 88:76 (47:37) in the final after a strong performance.
Spain, world champions in 2006 and 2019, celebrated their fourth triumph in the last six EuroBasket editions on Sunday.
Juancho Hernangomez converted seven three-pointers and was the top scorer in the final with 27 points. The French around their best thrower Evan Fournier (23 points) meanwhile missed the second European Championship crown after 2013.
“Both teams were not necessarily considered the top favorites beforehand. In a big tournament, you need a bit of luck,” said basketball idol and EM ambassador Dirk Nowitzki before the final on “MagentaSport”.
Spain meanwhile far ahead
The duel was initially a one-sided affair. With a strong defense, the Spaniards forced the French to throw difficult shots and pulled away by up to 21 points (47:26/18th minute). Juancho Hernangomez, NBA pro from the Toronto Raptors, was already at 18 points at the break.
France, who lost to eventual bronze medal winner Germany (63:76) at the start of the European Championships in Cologne, came back within one run. But Spain responded, pulled away again and brought home their fourth European Championship gold.