ENGLAND fans at home and in Germany are gearing up for the Three Lions’ crunch Euros quarter-final with Switzerland – with kick-off less than an hour away.
Supporters are packing out the streets of Dusseldorf ahead of this afternoon’s knock-out game.
Three Lions supporters are gathering outside O’Reilly’s Irish pub in the centre of the German city.
Many fans were seen brandishing St George’s flags or wearing patriotic bucket hats.
One group of supporters has come to Dusseldorf all the way from Middlesbrough.
They posed for a snap with their England flag emblazoned with the Boro crest.
Read More Football
The youngest generation of England fans are also well-represented – sporting fresh face paint and full match kit.
And fan Claratte Goodhead, 34, has forked up £1,400 to fly all the way from Australia for the game, the Mail reports.
At home, tennis ace Emma Raducanu was seen wearing an England top as she trains for the next round of her Wimbledon campaign.
Uni students in Leeds are taking on the Otley Run pub crawl before settling down with a more leisurely drink for the game.
Most read in Euro 2024
Fans have also been spotted out and about this afternoon in Newcastle city centre.
It comes after The Sun revealed Gareth Southgate will switch to a back-three for England’s quarter-final showdown with Switzerland.
With Marc Guehi suspended, Sun Sport understands the Three Lions boss is set to change formation for the first time at the Euros.
Ezri Konsa replaces Guehi and will make his full tournament debut alongside Manchester City pair John Stones and Kyle Walker.
Kieran Trippier will keep his place despite recent injury concerns, but will move over to right wing-back.
The switch-up means Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold once again misses out.
Elsewhere, Bukayo Saka will provide width at left wing-back after finishing the 2-1 over victory Slovakia there.
In midfield, Red Devils star Kobbie Mainoo will once again partner Declan Rice following his impressive showing in the last-16.
Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham, whose stunning overhead kick forced extra-time last Sunday, will support Harry Kane in attack.
Bellingham has been cleared to play after picking up a suspended one-match ban by Uefa.
He was penalised for a crude gesture he made while celebrating his goal against Slovakia.
Jude appeared to feign grabbing his crotch in a move that signalled he has what it takes in a crisis.
Match officials made no mention of the gesture in their match reports but Uefa still intervened.
The 21-year-old was also hit with a £25,000 fine, while the ban is suspended for 12 months.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The Real Madrid star defended his gesture, stating it was aimed at close friends at the game and not towards the opposition.
He added: “Nothing but respect for how that Slovakia team played tonight.”
Southgate needs Mainoo to help cure England’s fear, says Jack Wilshere
KOBBIE MAINOO has shown he is the player that England need to build their midfield — and their team — around, writes Jack Wilshere.
That’s what I felt as it looked like we were slipping to defeat against Slovakia.
I know he was not on the pitch when our goals went in.
But until that unbelievable comeback, Mainoo was our best player.
He has a fearlessness and an instinct to do the right things at the right times that seemed to be lacking for so much of the game.
Mainoo alongside Declan Rice gives England better structure. In theory, at least, because for so long it didn’t look like that.
You can have any structure you like but if a team, individually and collectively, lacks confidence, you cannot use that structure effectively.
A fear can creep in. A fear of failing. A fear of losing the ball.
It is partly because of his age that Mainoo does not have that, or appears not to have it.
This was his first start in a major tournament. He does not know what it is like to have a bad one.
If we want to win this tournament, starting with the quarter-final against Switzerland, we will need to control games better.
Mainoo is the kind of midfielder England have been crying out for for a long time.
He can be the glue that holds together this team for the rest of the tournament and well into the future.
Read Jack Wilshere’s column in full.
Or check out all of Jack’s Euro 2024 opinions.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
