RIO FERDINAND was in exclusive company as he celebrated England’s win over the Netherlands.
The pundit shared a video of the aftermath of Ollie Watkins’ late winner.
And fans spotted several famous faces in the footage.
The pundit was sat next to fellow former Three Lions centre-back Sol Campbell.
Ferdinand, 45, exclaimed: ” What did I say? What did I say.”
He then gets a tap on the shoulder from legendary Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who unsurprisingly seemed to want to talk tactics.
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Former England manager Fabio Capello was in the row behind.
But the best was saved for last as Ferdinand’s Instagram video showed superstar songstress Adele in high spirits in front of him.
Ed Sheeran was also in the stadium, while Olly Murs watched at BoxPark Wembley.
BBC pundit Ferdinand was free to enjoy the game in the stands as ITV were showing the semi-final.
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But Rio will be back on your screens with both broadcasters granted rights to the final.
That ratings battle will take place at 8pm as England face Spain looking to end a 58-year trophy drought.
Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions started the tournament slowly but have begun to improve in the knockout phase.
They are now one game from writing themselves into the history books.
But in their way are Spain, who have been the best team at the tournament and go into the weekend as favourites.
You can say it hasn’t been pretty, but England are in the final… and we’re peaking at just the right time, says Jack Wilshere
AFTER what has been a tough tournament of times, what an opportunity Gareth Southgate and his team will have to end in the best possible way, writes Jack Wilshere.
We might like a team that played better football. But it’s a results business.
Germany, Italy, France, Portugal and of course Holland would love to be where we are.
People will say we’re lucky because we’re on this side of the draw.
But we won the group. France didn’t and then ran into Spain.
You can say it wasn’t that pretty, but we’re there.
Gareth and his coaches won’t have been happy with some of the performances.
But I did like the way Gareth and his team have dealt with it.
There was no panic coming out of the camp.
Everyone gave the same message: ‘We know we can better, but we’re here still.’
And on Sunday they will be in Berlin to play Spain.
They will probably have to produce two halves of football as good as the first against Holland to beat them.
We have improved as the tournament has gone on and that is how you win things.
You want to peak in the final.
If Gareth can lead England to that major trophy we’ve all been waiting for, it will be the perfect answer to the critics and a brilliant day for us all.
Read Jack Wilshere’s England vs Holland verdict in full.
Or check out all of SunSport columnist Jack’s Euros 2024 opinions…
Watkins earned the plaudits last night as he fired home the winning goal in the 90th minute.
However, Jude Bellingham starred after the final whistle as he made a classy gesture to the heartbroken Dutch stars.
He initially fell to his knees and was congratulated by Anthony Gordon and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The Real Madrid man was then spotted shaking hands and hugging each of his opponents.
Inside humble Ollie Watkins’ remarkable rise from non-league to England’s Euro 2024 hero
NINE summers ago Ollie Watkins went on a lads’ holiday after helping to save Conference South side Weston-Super-Mare from relegation, writes Dan King.
Now he’s just fired England into the Euro 2024 final with a sensational 90th-minute winner.
And even helped Aston Villa qualify for the Champions League last season.
Watkins arrived on the Somerset coast as a teenaged striker on loan from League Two Exeter in December 2014.
His 10 goals in 24 league games were a big factor in stopping Weston from slipping into the sixth tier for the first time in their history – and in giving them something to celebrate on a post-season trip to Spain.
But it was also his workrate and attitude that earned him the respect of the dressing room, and helped him take the first significant steps on the road to stardom.
Ryan Northmore, boss of Weston at the time, said: “His goals saved the club from relegation. But he contributed much more than his goals, which is really important when you’re scrapping away for your lives.
“He wasn’t just sat at the top of the pitch waiting for the ball to come. He would roll his sleeves up and get involved in all aspects of the game.”
Days after joining, Watkins made an instant impact with an equaliser against Farnborough.
Team-mate Tom Jordan said: “He always struck me as the kind of lad who had his eyes wide open to different aspects of the game.
“Sometimes you would have loan lads come in from a League club to non-League and they would be looking at you like they were doing you a favour.
“His attitude was very different. He was coming in thinking, ‘I’m going to learn from this experience’.”
It was during Watkins’ spell at Weston that the then Walsall boss Dean Smith spotted him.
Smith would later take the striker to Brentford and bring him to Villa, where he has reached new levels under current boss Unai Emery.
But Watkins has never forgotten the part that Weston played in his rise to the top.
One of his Villa shirts is on display there, he has spoken to young players coming through and happily tells the local press how important and enjoyable his time at the club was.
And he even helped fund an end-of-season boys’ trip to Spain due to his fines for being late – although he was allowed to join the rest of the squad.
Read all about Ollie Watkins’ incredible rise in full…
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
