ENGLAND and Spain are just hours away from battling in Berlin for the chance to WIN Euro 2024.
The big team news is that Luke Shaw is expected to START the final in place of Kieran Trippier at left wing-back.
Southgate is hoping to guide the Three Lions to their first piece of silverware since 1966, but they’ll have to stop wonderkid Lamine Yamal and Co, to do so.
- Kick-off time: 8pm BST
- Live streams: BBC iPlayer / ITV X
- TV channels: BBC One / ITV 1
- England XI: Team news to follow…
- Spain XI: Team news to follow…
- Explainer: What is the Euro 2024 prize money?
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England’s nemesis in attendance…
Giorgio Chiellini, who helped Italy inflict heartbreak on England in the last Euros final, is at today’s showpiece in Berlin.
He has just been spotted having a chat and warm handshake with former England goalkeeper Joe Hart, who is doing punditry duties for the BBC.
Chiellini, 39, hung up his boots for his country a year after that triumph at Wembley at the delayed Euro 2020.
One of the finest defenders of his generation, he called time on his playing career altogether 12 months later while at LAFC.
He is now a player development coach with the MLS outfit, who previously had Gareth Bale and now have French World Cup winners Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud on their books.
Credit: AFP Good omen for Spain?
Carlos Alcaraz has just beaten Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final with ease.
The Spaniard won 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 and will be hoping Spain can make it two wins from two later on against England.
Having said that, an Italian in Matteo Berrettini lost the Wimbledon final in 2021, when England lost their final with Italy.
A little role reversal this time in favour of England, or a good omen for Spain?
Credit: PA SunSport’s Dave Kidd predicts
There’s no logic to this as Spain have been significantly better, and should be significantly fresher, than England.
But there is something about the way England keep battling back from adversity and snatching dramatic victories, that makes it feel fated.
Goals from Kane (pen) and Kobbie Mainoo.
England 2-1 Spain
Shaw to START
Gareth Southgate has faced a dilemma on the left of defence throughout the tournament.
He took Manchester United’s Shaw despite the defender having not played since February.
Trippier was the one to shift over to his unfavoured side, firstly in a back four and then later a 3-4-3.
Shaw made brief cameos off the bench against Switzerland in the quarter-finals and then in the semis win over Netherlands.
But his fitness will now be tested from the off – three years on from his goal in the delayed Euro 2020 final against Italy.
Luke Shaw expected to START
BIG team news coming out of Berlin as Luke Shaw is set to START tonight’s huge Euro 2024 final against Spain.
It’s the first game Shaw will start in 148 days.
Credit: AFP Spain’s run to the final
Luis de la Fuente’s side have been the best side in the tournament so far.
They had a tough group which contained holders Italy and tournament stalwarts Croatia, but topped it with three wins from three.
They beat Georgia in style in the last 16, winning 4-1 before coming up against Germany in the quarter-finals.
Mikel Merino’s extra-time winner sealed a thrilling 2-1 victory over the hosts before Lamine Yamal lit up their semi-final against France, which they won by the same scoreline.
Credit: AFP Credit: AP Credit: AFP England’s run to the final
England overcame Serbia 1-0 in their opening group game before drawing with both Denmark and Slovenia in their final Group C matches.
Nonetheless, the Three Lions topped their group and came up against Slovakia in the last 16.
Jude Bellingham saved Gareth Southgate’s skin with a 95th-minute bicycle kick (mental, I know) and Harry Kane won it in extra-time.
A penalty shootout win over Switzerland in the quarters was followed by a last-ditch 2-1 win over Holland in the semis.
Credit: AP Credit: Rex Credit: Getty London calling
England fans really setting the scene in the capital right now, just under 700 miles away from tonight’s final in Berlin.
Beer-drinking is in full flow…
Credit: Alamy Credit: Alamy Credit: Alamy Credit: Alamy SunSport’s Tom Barclay picks England
Lamine Yamal and Co are way too good to think we’ll keep them out all game.
But England have won as many knockout games coming from behind in this tournament as they ever have in combine Euros and World Cups from 1950-2024.
The three turnarounds in the previous trio of ties gives plenty of reason to believe the Three Lions can recover from any setbacks.
Phil Foden is finally going to bag one having come so close in recent games and Jude Bellingham will step up too because he was born for this occasion.
After that, it will be repeat of the perfect shootout against the Swiss in the quarters – simple!
Prediction: England 2-2 Spain (England on pens)
Credit: Getty
Southgate on Spain
Gareth Southgate knows the task ahead of him and his players tonight is huge.
The England gaffer said: “It’s not as simple as us having the ball and making them run.
“They press very, very well so we’re going to have to be exceptional with the ball and we’re going to have to be exceptional without it. It’s a final so you expect it to be that way. They’ve been the best team. We’re starting to show a better version of ourselves.
“The extra day [of rest for Spain] is a concern, in the last few tournaments that’s been a problem for finalists. We’ve got to do the very best we can to recover the players as well as we can.
“We’re not going to be on the training ground, that’s simple. We’ll be walking through things or delivering things in meetings, it was the same for this game, but we’re in there and with what we’ve shown to this point, we have as good a chance as they do.”
SunSport’s Charlie Wyett makes his pick
If England don’t win a trophy tonight, they never will.
Spain have obviously been the better of the two teams out here but I believe Gareth Southgate’s side could be about to peak at the right time.
England also have the experience of losing at a major final and have also shown great resilience throughout this tournament.
Those two factors could be crucial. Hopefully, Kane to score the winner.
Prediction: England 2 Spain 1
England fans on the ground
England fans are already making their voices heard in Berlin with the Euro 2024 final just hours away from kick-off.
Gareth Southgate stands on the edge of footballing immortality – but the Spanish stand in the way.
Credit: Alamy Credit: AP Credit: Alamy Welcome to the Euro 2024 final – England vs Spain!
England can make the nation proud TONIGHT when they battle Spain in Berlin with the Euro 2024 trophy up for grabs.
Noise levels were at full volume on Wednesday night when super sub Ollie Watkins fired the Three Lions into the final and sent Holland home.
And it now means that Gareth Southgate’s side are on the verge of ending a 58-year title drought after securing back-to-back Euro final spots.
However, to do that, England will need to beat a Spain side that sent pre-tournament favourites France crashing out of the tournament.
Furthermore, La Roja have won every single match up to this point and are likely to end Euro 2024 as top scorers.
But form goes out the window when it comes to a final, and the Three Lions will be determined to make amends for what happened at Euro 2020.
Both sides have enjoyed some big results, with Spain arguably the more impressive of the two.
Luis de la Fuente’s men are the only team to win every single one of their matches thanks to exciting new stars like Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal.
They have wiped out giants including Italy, Germany and France, with unsung heroes like Marc Cucurella and Fabian Ruiz stepping up to the plate.
On the other hand, England have relied on late strikes to down the likes of Slovakia and the Netherlands.
While they required penalties to get past Switzerland.
But after firing home all five of their spot-kicks, England will not be afraid of going to penalties once again.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
