Soccer

Euro 2024 day 30: Decision day looms as England seek to end 58 years of hurt

Gareth Southgate is bidding to end the nation’s long wait for the men’s side to win a major international tournament.

England’s team pose for the photographers prior to a semifinal against Netherlands at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
England’s team pose for the photographers prior to a semifinal against Netherlands at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)
By PA Sport Staff

England are one match away from ending a 58-year wait for the men’s side to win a major international tournament.

Here, the PA news agency looks at preparations ahead of the Euro 2024 final against Spain.

A fabulous opportunity

Gareth Southgate said England are in a “different moment” to when they lost the Euro 2020 final to Italy three years ago
Gareth Southgate said England are in a “different moment” to when they lost the Euro 2020 final to Italy three years ago (UEFA Handout/PA)

Gareth Southgate called on England to seize a “fabulous opportunity” and fulfil pre-tournament expectations on Sunday.

Despite struggling in the early stages of Euro 2024 the team has recovered to rekindle hopes that were generated by narrowly finishing runners-up – losing to Italy in the final at Wembley – three years ago.

Defeat to France in the World Cup quarter-final in 2022, said Southgate, has been the springboard for possible success against Spain in Berlin.

“We’re excited for the challenge,” said Southgate. “Clearly the team have improved over the last few weeks, showing tremendous character and resilience.

“I have to say they’ve been a privilege to work with every day on the training pitch, the whole squad fully committed to every session, so it’s been a great environment to work in.

“Now we have a fabulous opportunity tomorrow to achieve what we set out (to), really, from the moment we left Qatar a bit earlier than we’d have liked to (by losing to France).”

A proud captain

Harry Kane said he is “proud to be English” as he affirmed he would happily swap individual accomplishments accrued during his career for victory against Spain.

The 30-year-old broke goalscoring records during his debut season with Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and is Euro 2024’s joint-top marksman with three goals ahead of the final.

However, the captain revealed he would trade it all it if meant lifting the Henri Delaunay Trophy in the Olympiastadion.

“Every year that goes by you’re more motivated and you’re more determined to change that and tomorrow I have the opportunity to win one of the biggest trophies you could ever win and to make history with my nation,” he said. “I’m extremely proud to be English.

“So yeah, no question. I’d swap everything in my career to have a special night by winning tomorrow.

“So it’s a lot of hard work from now until that moment and I’m pretty determined to make tomorrow night special.”

No favourites

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente rejected the idea that his team are favourites to beat the Three Lions to the European crown, insisting his side are “serene” ahead of what he predicted will be an “equal” game.

“We are serene, we have never lost perspective,” he said. “We know the kind of analysis that people do on the outside but we think our own way.

“We know there is no favourite tomorrow, it is a very, very equal game. Favourites? We will leave that for betting houses and stuff like that.”

Picture of the day

Gareth Southgate and Harry Kane survey the arena for Sunday’s final at the Olympiastadion
Gareth Southgate and Harry Kane survey the arena for Sunday’s final at the Olympiastadion (UEFA Handout/PA)

Post of the day

What’s next?

Sunday – final: Spain v England, 8pm (BBC & ITV)