Kashvi Cox
England fans had been here before. It was time to face another football final, and this time, Southgate could not afford another loss.
England made it to a Men’s European Football Final for the first time on July 11, 2021. Italy was ranked seventh before the tournament, whereas England was a respectable fourth. The dream began to seem real for England fans when Luke Shaw bagged the first goal just two minutes in.
However, after scoring early, the England team could not build on this momentum, and Italy equalised after halftime. The match ended 1-1, and so it was taken to penalties. Italy’s team was full of experience, with an average age of 27.7 years compared to England’s 25.2, and they took the victory.
“A stunning strike from Watkins in the 90th minute was just enough to book them a place in the final”
It was heartbreaking for the England camp, but after a few seasons of club football, it was time to go again. Euro 2024 was about to begin.
Euro 2024: Early Stages
Despite fielding an impressive team on paper, England looked shaky in the group stages, with two draws and only one win. In the round of 16, the team took on Slovakia, which was another nervy match for England fans. Ultimately, England triumphed with Bellingham’s bicycle kick winner in the 95th minute.
Spain had already secured their place in the final by beating France. The following night, it was England’s turn to face the Netherlands. This was their chance to put themselves one step closer towards a first-ever European victory.
“Then, just two minutes after halftime, Spain delivered the first blow”
The game was 1-1 at halftime. However, after a crucial substitution in the 81st minute (Ollie Watkins on for Harry Kane), the English team looked more threatening. A stunning strike from Watkins in the 90th minute was just enough to book them a place in the final.
Euro 2024: The Final
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Like last time, England was ranked fourth going into the final, whereas Spain was below them at number eight. As far as stats go, England fans had reason to be optimistic and were hoping their team would be able to fix the football final blues from 2021 with a victory this time around.
The first 45 minutes were goalless. Then, just two minutes after halftime, Spain delivered the first blow. Nico Williams launched the ball into the bottom-righthand corner to put Spain 1-0 up.
It took an agonising 26 minutes for more goals to come, but it went England’s way this time. Southgate’s substitutions gave the game a new lease of life, and Cole Palmer etched his name into English Football history. It was 1-1, and there were only 17 minutes left; the clock was ticking.
The goal gave England a boost, and they took control of the ball. However, a goal from Mikel Oyarzabal in the final few minutes of normal time put Spain ahead. This time, England couldn’t stage a comeback. The dreams of so many England fans were shattered, and it was heartbreak all over again.
The Reaction
“As a proud Englishman, it has been the honour of my life to play for England and to manage England”
Since the loss, Gareth Southgate stepped down as England manager. He had overseen 102 games for the team and taken the team to two European Finals. In a message to fans, he quickly addressed those who supported him along his journey, including his fellow coaching team, backroom staff and the fans themselves. He said: “As a proud Englishman, it has been the honour of my life to play for England and to manage England. It has meant everything to me, and I have given it my all. But it’s time for change and for a new chapter.”
Southgate did not get a fairy-tale ending, but his diligence paved the way for the English men’s team to become a real force in Europe and the world. There are plenty of managers who could lead England now—Thomas Tuchel, Jurgen Klopp, and Mauricio Pochettino are all out of work this summer. The next job for England fans will be to welcome in a fresh face.
The English team has plenty of talent, and with new management, there is every chance that they could go one step further. In the meantime, England fans can hope that the European dream will become a reality next time around.
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Image courtesy of Peri Stojnic on Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image licence found here.
