The City winger was joined by three of his team-mates in the Young Lions squad who beat Spain 1-0 to be crowned European U21 champions for the first time since 1984.
His deflected free-kick would prove the only goal of the game, while James Trafford’s stoppage time penalty save preserved the victory and England’s remarkable record of having not conceded throughout the tournament.
For Palmer, the Young Lions reaped the rewards for their efforts behind the scenes before and during the Euros.
“It means a lot,” he reflected on being named UEFA Euro U21 champions.
“Obviously, we’ve been working hard over the past few years for this moment, and it’s come, so we’re buzzing.
“We’ll go back to the hotel now with our friends and family, then fly home later in the morning, so it should be good.”
While Trafford’s late heroics will grab the headlines, Palmer had a huge hand in what would prove the game’s decisive moment.
Brought down on the edge of the box by City team-mate Sergio Gomez, the winger’s free-kick took a heavy deflection off Liverpool’s Curtis Jones to nestle into the Spain goal on the stroke of half-time.
And while the winger admits there was a hint of fortune about the strike, he was still proud to play his part in a memorable evening for the Young Lions.
He said: “When I got the free-kick I was just thinking I wanted to score.
“It was very lucky, but you create your own luck, don’t you?
“When I scored, the celebration might have been a little over the top but I was just happy.”
