Euro 2024 final LIVE: England v Spain build-up as Gareth Southgate ...
(The FA via Getty Images)
England face Spain in the Euro 2024 final on Sunday as the Three Lions attempt to win a major trophy for the first time in more than half a century.
Gareth Southgate’s side have endured a rollercoaster ride in Germany this summer, stumbling through the group phase despite an opening match victory over Serbia and going behind in each of their knockout round games so far. A dramatic late overhead kick by Jude Bellingham saved them from a dismal exit in the round of 16 before a perfect penalty shooutout display edged them past Switzerland. Their best performance came last time out versus the Netherlands where they were rewarded by an Ollie Watkins last-minute strike to secure a 2-1 win.
Ahead of the final versus Spain on Sunday evening the manager has been speaking about his feelings during the tournament. He came under fire from pundits and critics for England’s early performances with some fans launching beer cups at him following a dull draw with Slovenia.
Yet, Southgate understands those feelings insisting he is still an England fan at heart. He said: “I’m an England fan in the dug-out, I have more responsibility now, but... I’m desperate for England to win and I was the same as a player. I want to win so much on Sunday that it hurts, don’t get me wrong.”
Follow all the build-up to England v Spain in the Euro 2024 final below:
Euro 2024: England v Spain latest newsEngland take on Spain in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin on Sunday
How Gareth Southgate changed England fortunes and rebranded patriotism
England’s dramatic late goals are not luck – there is a secret ingredient to their success
PREVIEW: England’s fate and a key advantage over Spain can end 58 years of hurt
It’s Coming Home: The history of the England fan chant13:30 , Jack Rathborn
“It’s coming home” is, of course, the central refrain from “Three Lions”, the song penned by stand-up comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel to celebrate England hosting Euro 96 a quarter of a century ago.
The song is laced with nostalgia for our greatest footballing triumph – winning the 1966 World Cup by beating West Germany 4-2 thanks to a hat-trick from Geoff Hurst – and is both a lament for the disappointments and underachievement of the intervening years and a testament to eternal optimism among England fans, unshakeable in their faith that old glories might be revived.
The “it” in question could refer either to a major tournament trophy or, less literally, to the spirit of the sport itself, returning like the Prodigal Son to the British Isles where it was first conceived after adventuring overseas to nations that have proved more adept exponents of its arts in recent decades like Brazil, Argentina, Italy and Germany.
Why do England fans chant ‘It’s Coming Home’?
England’s fate and a key advantage over Spain can end 58 years of hurt13:19 , Jack Rathborn
Gareth Southgate allowed himself a mere three hours sleep after the semi-final win over Netherlands, before delving into analysis of Spain. That’s the scale of the challenge for the Euro 2024 final. That’s the scale of the game, as the England manager has already stated - twice - that his team need to be “perfect” in order to win. There was still no weariness about such exertions, however. There are only “healthy nerves”.
The smiles around the England camp emphasise that, in an atmosphere that is completely different to what it was like even two weeks ago. At that point, there was a risk of a bored disgruntlement taking hold, that could have made this campaign like 2010 or even 2000. It might instead be like 1966, with a chance for a grand redemption of Euro 2020.
While most of the players are just looking ahead to Sunday, some can’t help discussing that defeat to Italy at Wembley. Declan Rice has admitted it will “haunt” him “forever”. That’s only if this is another defeat, and Sunday sees England become the first-ever team to lose consecutive European Championship finals, while Spain become the first to win this trophy four times.
England’s fate and a key advantage over Spain can end 58 years of hurt
Spanish football’s cultural crisis is not over – but Euro 2024 brings hope13:02 , Sonia Twigg
As justified as the praise has been for Luis de la Fuente’s management of a brilliant Spanish team, there was one “severe criticism” from his tenure, which the coach admitted was “totally deserved”.
That was when he applauded the disgraced Luis Rubiales, at the press conference when the disgraced former federation president insisted he would not resign after his unsolicited kiss on Jenni Hermoso. De la Fuente later pleaded for “forgiveness” for “an inexcusable human error” that did not reflect his “values”, but there are those in Spanish football who think it will “haunt him for his career”.
That would admittedly change if his team beat England in the Euro 2024 final, to secure Spain’s fifth men’s trophy and fourth European Championship, but it does add a few layers to this historic match – as well as a twist worth considering.
Spanish football’s cultural crisis is not over – but Euro 2024 brings hope
From Weston-super-Mare to the Euro 2024 final – Ollie Watkins is England’s unlikely hero12:43 , Sonia Twigg
Bobby Charlton, Harry Kane, Ollie Watkins. There is an incongruous presence on the rather short list of players who have scored a semi-final winner for the England football team. Charlton was England’s record goalscorer and Kane is now. Charlton was a knight of the realm and, if England win Euro 2024, Kane may become one in retirement, too. Then there is Watkins; formerly of Weston-super-Mare, a footballer who was playing in the Conference South at the age Kobbie Mainoo was starring in a European Championships semi-final; who, at the age Jude Bellingham is now, was plying his trade in League Two for Exeter.
Watkins may be a perfect product of Gareth Southgate’s England. There are echoes of Kieran Trippier scoring in a World Cup semi-final in 2018, something only Charlton and Gary Lineker had previously done for the country. Southgate’s England have reversed a national trend of underachievement. They have also given some unlikely lads a rare status. Watkins will go from Weston-super-Mare to West Berlin, to the Olympiastadion. Whatever happens – and there is no guarantee he will even get on the pitch – he will remain indelibly associated with Dortmund.
“I never thought I would be playing in the Euros for England,” he said, harking back the best part of a decade to his days on loan in non-league. “You can dream but I am a realist. I was just thinking to get into the team at Exeter.”
From Weston-super-Mare to the Euro 2024 final: Ollie Watkins, England’s unlikely hero
The simple idea that made Spain the most dangerous team in Europe12:17 , Sonia Twigg
In Luis de la Fuente’s first international break with Spain back in March 2023, he stopped a training session at moments that the players didn’t expect. It’s an approach that has become familiar now, but was odd for the squad at the time.
One intervention was for goalkeeper Unai Simon to kick it long. Another was to work on set pieces, since De la Fuente’s predecessor Luis Enrique had insisted he “didn’t have time”. These are rudimentarily pragmatic elements that seem to run against Spain’s ideological purism, the pressing-possession that has dominated the game for 16 years, but that was part of the point.
By contrast, Enrique gave long instructional talks with a giant screen after sessions, which began to contribute to a sense of detachment and drift. This was the great frustration with his regime. It had seemed like a vibrant new era with a new generation, but ended up falling to all of the same old flaws Spain have suffered since 2012.
The simple idea that made Spain the most dangerous team in Europe
12:01 , Sonia Twigg
Here are some photos of the players training ahead of the final:
(The FA via Getty Images)
(The FA via Getty Images)
(The FA via Getty Images)
BBC or ITV: Who should fans choose for the Euro 2024 final?11:39 , Sonia Twigg
England v Spain is a tough match to call on Sunday but there is one contest for which we already know the result. The BBC and ITV will both broadcast the Euro 2024 final live, and the BBC is set to enjoy a significantly larger share of the viewing figures.
Three years ago, a peak of 31 million people tuned into the Euro 2020 final, which England lost to Italy on penalties. It was the UK’s most-watched TV event since Princess Diana’s funeral and the BBC picked up 25 million (81 per cent) of the audience, compared to ITV’s 5.9 million.
That difference is the natural consequence of trying to push Gillette razors at every possible interval, which seems to include the miniscule gap between national anthems and kick-off these days. But might that ratio shift this time around? Could ITV eat into the BBC’s giant share of the pie?
BBC or ITV: Who should fans choose for the Euro 2024 final?
A Spain win at Euro 2024 could deliver a surprise new Ballon d’Or winner11:17 , Sonia Twigg
The Ballon d’Or isn’t exactly an outright popularity contest, but there’s certainly more to who gets the award than a simple conversation of who has been the best player across the year.
Positionally, personality and prizes all seem to take huge standing in the overall podium rank, even now that the long-running era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominance appears to have reached its conclusion, following the former’s move to MLS.
As such, it’s down to performance levels at the elite end, yes, but inevitably also playing for one of the superclubs, achieving something momentous at club level - often several somethings - and then, in years when the calendar allows so, adding success at international level.
A Spain win at Euro 2024 could deliver a surprise new Ballon d’Or winner
The Euros has lost its unique selling point – it is no longer a great tournament10:54 , Sonia Twigg
Having had his finalists lavishly praised in comparison to other sides at the Euros, Spain coach Luis De La Fuente made a point of being respectful to everyone else’s style.
That hasn’t been unanimous within his squad, however. Some in the Spanish camp do naturally feel their football is superior, and haven’t been all that impressed when they’ve sat down to watch the rest of Euro 2024.
It is a fairly widespread feeling, as illustrated by how often the subject has been brought up in press conferences. Didier Deschamps’s constant comments about “changing the channel” if you don’t like it have informed the mood, although many viewers will obviously feel the final will be much better for his dour France team not being in it.
The Euros has lost its unique selling point – it is no longer a great tournament
The dark truth behind England football and the ‘high stakes’ on and off the pitch10:30 , Sonia Twigg
“I was petrified of him coming home and killing me.” For Emma Armstrong, a survivor of domestic abuse, football went from an enjoyable pastime and hobby to something that even 11 years on has left its scars.
Emma went from a season-ticket holder at a Premier League club to someone who actively avoids the game and tries to distance herself from it because of the association between football and what she experienced.
Football is unavoidable, especially when England are in a major tournament, and it has a lasting impact far beyond the reaches of whether Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad succeed or fail.
Solace Women’s Aid cites a document released in 2013, stating reports of domestic abuse rise by 38 per cent when England men’s team loses at a major tournament. While researchers at Warwick Business School discovered in 2022 abuse and violence by partners increased by 47 per cent on the day England won a World Cup or European Championship match.
The dark truth behind England football and the ‘high stakes’ on and off the pitch
England’s dramatic late goals are not luck – there is a secret ingredient to their success10:15 , Jack Rathborn
ots of things are late in Germany this month. The trains would be the first and most obvious one, and perhaps the most consistent option too.
But soon after the creaking public transport system – which went beyond bent and firmly into broken territory in Dortmund in the hours following the Euro 2024 semi-final – on the list of oft-repeated late occurrences would be England goals.
Gareth Southgate’s side have not always thrilled at the tournament this summer, but that hasn’t meant a lack drama – far from it, thanks to those final-minutes efforts.
Without them, they would not have progressed beyond any of their three knockout games: Jude Bellingham’s last-16 bicycle kick, Bukayo Saka’s quarter-final equaliser and now Ollie Watkins’ last-minute winner in the last four.
The secret ingredient that secured England’s Euros final spot
Marc Guehi drawing on past triumph as inspiration for England’s European Championship ‘redemption’10:03 , Sonia Twigg
For many an England player, winning a major final against Spain and scoring in it would represent a perfect day this weekend. For a couple, it has already happened. Not in a senior European Championships either but a World Cup, albeit at Under-17 level.
Phil Foden got the third and fifth goals, sandwiching a strike by Marc Guehi in a 5-2 win in 2017. “Very good memories,” said the centre-back, studying the footage seven years on. “We were playing against a really good team in Spain.”
As England came from 2-0 down in Kolkata and Gareth Southgate’s team now have conceded first in each of the last 16, the quarter-final and the semi-final before eventually prevailing, the similarities may yet continue. “I remember coming down the tunnel and we had scored just before half-time [through Rhian Brewster] and their heads went down,” Guehi recalled. “I think it was just a moment for us to be vocal and to say, ‘we’ve got this. It’s not going to happen again.’ It just showed the resilience of the team at the time to overcome such a tough moment for us.”
Marc Guehi’s past triumph an inspiration for England’s Euros ‘redemption’
How Gareth Southgate turned England’s Euro 2024 campaign around09:42 , Sonia Twigg
Now that Gareth Southgate sits in the Blankenhain base talking about how England might win a European Championship final, he can make an admission. “There was a danger”, as he puts it, that this Euro 2024 campaign and his entire managerial tenure could have unravelled. There was certainly a risk of the “doom and gloom” engulfing the squad.
“But,” Southgate adds, “I was determined to confront it.” That went way beyond walking towards the beer cups being thrown after the 0-0 draw with Slovenia, although he still feels that was crucial “because we fought too hard to change the environment for the players”. More important was to actually work through what was going wrong - “a coaching challenge. That wasn’t necessarily on the training ground.” It involved showing the players what they were actually doing on video, and comparing it to their instructions. There was also just a photo.
Emotions, body language and a photo of ‘defeat’: How Southgate turned England around
Can England beat Spain – and how? Ask our chief football writer your Euro 2024 questions ahead of the final09:31 , Sonia Twigg
England will face Spain in the Euro 2024 final on Sunday as the Three Lions aim to end their more than half-century-long wait for a major trophy.
Gareth Southgate’s squad has experienced a rollercoaster ride in Germany this summer, stumbling through the group stage with two lacklustre draws.
A dramatic overhead kick by Jude Bellingham in the final moments of the round of 16 saved them from a disappointing exit.
Since then, England has found their rhythm, with an improved performance that saw them edge past Switzerland on penalties, followed by another step up to defeat the Netherlands on Wednesday.
Ollie Watkins’ superb last-minute strike secured a 2-1 victory, propelling England into the final – but are they able to step up again to win the tournament?
Can England beat Spain – and how? Ask our chief football writer your questions
Southgate stands firm on juggling England role and social issues09:15 , Sonia Twigg
“If I’ve helped some kids, some adults, who feel they are living through criticism or whatever in the last few weeks, [by showing] there’s a way of trying to come through that and to show the perseverance, and things can change so quickly. For them it won’t be two football matches that make the difference. But hopefully they can find a way through whatever difficulties they might be having.
“I think those values are important. We live in what’s been an angry country. I would love that to be different as we move forward. Hopefully we can bring some temporary happiness. But we’re not going to change our country either. Maybe we can deliver some good examples.”
09:00 , Sonia Twigg
Southgate has been an advocate of taking the knee, criticised racism abroad while admitting there is a problem with it in England and talked about the benefits of diversity, leading to accusations he is “woke” and bringing people telling him he should stick to football.
But he said: “I don’t regret it because I think this is a position of responsibility. You have a chance to make a difference in things that are important. I have my values. I never wanted to impose my values on people. But I think there are some fundamental human values that, if you get the chance to model them, then you should.”
Southgate stands firm on juggling England role and social issues08:48 , Sonia Twigg
Gareth Southgate said he has no regrets about speaking out in defence of the “fundamental human values” in a way that has brought him abuse and unpopularity in some quarters.
The England manager reflected that “we live in an angry country” as he expressed his hope that winning Euro 2024 could bring more unity and happiness.
And the 53-year-old, who has shown a greater willingness to discuss societal issues than his predecessors, said he believes his job means he has a duty to address important subjects.
England v Spain08:46 , Sonia Twigg
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage and build up ahead of the Euro 2024 final on Sunday.
We will be bringing you all the latest updates from the England camp, and any team news and hints of selection from Gareth Southgate.
