ENGLAND’S historic day is here as they take on Italy in the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley Stadium in front of 65,000 fans.
The Three Lions have been brilliant up until now but will face a tough Azzurri side, who lost their last Euros final in 2012.
- Start time: 8pm GMT
- TV/Live stream: BBC One/ITV1
- Live stream FREE: BBC iPlayer/ITV Hub
- England XI: To follow
- Italy XI: To follow
Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
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What time does England vs Italy kick-off?
- England’s monumental clash with Italy will kick-off at 8pm UK time.
- There will be between 60,000-70,000 spectators in attendance at the game.
What channel is England vs Italy on and can I live stream it?
- England vs Italy will be shown live on BBC One and ITV1.
- You can live stream the action from the BBC iPlayer, which is available for download onto your mobile, tablet device or Smart TV.
- And the same can be said for ITV’s streaming service the ITV Hub.
LONG WAIT
England have ended their 55-year wait for a major international final…. but can they go all the way and win it?
The last time England were in a final, they won it convincingly at WEMBLEY!
THREE HOURS TO GO
England fans have flooded Trafalgar Square ahead of tonight’s game against Italy.
Still three hours to go until kick-off!
INSPIRED SCHEDULING
ITV are showing The Italian Job in the build-up to tonight’s game, starring Michael Caine and Noel Coward!
British humour at its best.
England and Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand is hit with a Heineken canCredit: GETTY IMAGES
BITTER
Scotland are cheering Italy on today.
Scottish newspaper The National has called on Italy boss Roberto Mancini to save Scotland from years of English gloating.
Mancini is their “final hope”, likening the former Man City boss to Braveheart.
The paper conducted their own poll, and it found that a whopping 83 per cent of Scots will be supporting Italy.
HAMMER TIME
England midfielder Declan Rice is looking to emulate the boys of 66.
Famously, Hammers trio Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters played a pivotal role in winning England the World Cup.
Moore captained the team, Hurst scored a hat-trick – the only hat-trick scored in a World Cup final, and Peters got the fourth goal of the final.
Rice said: “Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters actually won the World Cup, obviously I’ve only just got to the final so you feel like maybe your name can be put up in that light if you win the tournament.
“Obviously it’s a great achievement to get to the final. The first time since 1966 is history for England, but Sunday is my first chance to win a trophy in football and you’re not going to get a better chance to do it.
“It’s at Wembley and I doubt I’ll get that again in my career so you need to grab that with both hands and give everything.
“We’re ready to run, ready to go to places we’ve never gone before. This is a chance to make history and there’s no way we’re not going to go out there and give it everything.”
Credit: GETTY IMAGES Credit: GETTY IMAGES Credit: GETTY IMAGES FIFTY-FIVE YEARS OF HURT
England captain Harry Kane has urged his team to make their own history, to add to the 1966 World Cup win.
Speaking ahead of tonight’s Euro 2020 final clash against Italy, he said: “In 1966, obviously, England won the World Cup and it was such an amazing achievement as a team and as a country.
“The fans are so behind us, every tournament they’re pushing us and willing us to get far and this has been no different.
“Now we have that opportunity to create even more history, and [for] our parents and family members who’ve never seen England in a final before – and I know that goes across the whole country.
“It’s a special moment to be in and if we can finish the job and win, then obviously we’ll be remembered in history for the rest of our lives. That’s the challenge we have, so we’ll have to go and take it.”
Fans are flooding the capitalCredit: GETTY IMAGES THROWBACK
David Beckham has wished England captain Harry Kane good luck ahead of tonight’s Euro 2020 final.
Kane had a picture with Beckham years ago alongside his childhood sweetheart, and wife Kate.
HOME SOIL
This will be England’s first ever appearance in a European Championship final, and their first in the final of a major tournament since winning the 1966 World Cup.
It’s the longest gap between major finals (World Cup/EUROs) for any European nation (55 years).
Credit: GETTY IMAGES WEMBLEY WAY
Best fans in the world.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES
ALL-WHITE STRIP ⬜️
England will be in all white this evening, despite wearing navy shorts in their games with Ukraine and Denmark.
CHIELLINI ON ENGLAND 🗣
“Kane and Sterling aren’t that young, they are no spring chickens. (Phil) Foden, (Bukayo) Saka and (Jadon) Sancho, that’s different,” the Italian defender said.
“Everyone has their own attributes. If you match me against Sterling in a foot race, I don’t think I ever beat him to the punch,”
“Maybe in situations where there is a ball to be won in a 50-50 or there is a long ball from the goalkeeper, I might be more likely to win the header.
“I need to limit their attributes, it also depends on who plays. Kane and Sterling are different, the others have their own qualities.
“England’s bench could have made it to the final themselves because they have extraordinary players.
“Thankfully it is a team game, it’s not Chiellini and Bonucci versus Kane and Sterling, ultimately it is Italy versus England.”
Chiellini will start in defence for Italy tonight against EnglandCredit: Reuters SWEET CAROLINE 🎶
Unbelievable scenes at Wembley already. England fans in full flow.
PREDICTED TEAM
It’s looking like England will be going with a back five for their clash with Italy tonight.
Kieran Trippier is set to replace Bukayo Saka.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Fair to say it hasn’t been easy for English sides against the Italians whenever they’ve met in major competitions.
Most recently, England lost 2-1 to Italy in the group stages of the World Cup back in 2014.
And two years before that, Italy knocked England out of Euro 2012 on penalties.
SOUTHGATE SPEAKS 🗣
“When we started, three or four years ago we had people throwing paper aeroplanes, they weren’t behind the team and there was an apathy,” he said.
“Now the energy in the stadium is fantastic. That is so important.”
The players need to feel that warmth and support. It has definitely helped inspire us,” he added.
“Over the last four years the players have knocked down so many barriers, they’ve come through so many different challenges.”
ROYAL MESSAGE 👑
Prince William has wished the England players good luck ahead of their clash with Italy tonight.
He’s expected to be in attendance alongside his wife the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.
ITALY’S ROUTE SO FAR
And it hasn’t been plain-sailing for the Italians either, as they’ve endured the odd extra-time song and dance themselves. But here they are.
ENGLAND’S ROUTE SO FAR
It’s been tough at times, and it hasn’t come without its fair share of criticism, but England’s run to the final has been a memorable one.
TEAM NEWS
Phil Foden is set for heartbreak as he looks certain to miss tomorrow’s Euro 2020 final.
The Manchester City forward did not train today after picking up a foot injury in training yesterday.
It was expected that Bukayo Saka would start the game anyway, but Foden will likely be unavailable for the bench too.
Southgate is expected to stick with a back four, with his biggest decision potentially coming in midfield, as Jordan Henderson pushes for a start.
Italy will start with Emerson Palmieri at left-back as Leonardo Spinazzola has a ruptured Achilles.
Federico Chiesa is likely to start in a front three with Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne.
GOOD AFTERNOON! 🏴🇮🇹
Hello and welcome to SunSport’s coverage of England, yes that’s right – England!… vs Italy in the final of Euro 2020.
It’s an absolutely huge day for football fans all over the country as Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions look to claim their first major trophy since the World Cup in 1966.
We know it won’t be easy against a tough Italian side, who have been imperious throughout the tournament so far.
England overcame Germany in the last-16, before cruising past Ukraine in the quarters and scraping past Denmark in the semis.
Italy, on the other hand, have beaten Austria, Belgium and Spain to book their spot at Wembley Stadium tonight.
England are likely to stick with their usual line-up but Southgate could decide to switch to a back three, as he did against the Germans 10 days ago.
Italy will no doubt come out firing , so England need to be defensively careful, as they have been throughout the entire tournament.
Either way, tonight will be a cracker.
So if you’re not on Wembley Way, or in the stadium or standing on top of a bus in Piccadilly, then do join us… we’ve got you covered the whole way.
It can’t finally be coming home…. can it?
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
