Euro 2020

BORIS Johnson today hinted Gareth Southgate could get a knighthood if England win the historic Euros final.The PM lavished praise on the England boss after he took the Three Lions to their first final in 55 years last night.
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Gareth Southgate may be in line for a knighthoodCredit: The Sun
Boris lavished praise on Southgate and the team todayCredit: PA
England beat Denmark 2-1 on Wednesday night in an historic victory as skipper Harry Kane scored the winner in extra time.
After a tense 90 minutes finished 1-1, Three Lions fans were forced to endure the familiar pain of extra time in a semi-final.
Twitter erupted with people calling for the England boss to get given a gong to celebrate getting so far.
And the PM was grilled over whether he agreed this morning.
He replied: “I obviously wouldn’t want to anticipate anything that the honours people may decide.
“But clearly I think Gareth Southgate has done an absolutely outstanding job.
“What seems so amazing to me is how he varies it, he mixes it up, and plays a different series of options depending on the match in question.
“So best of luck for Sunday.”
He said it was “an extraordinary… euphoric game”, adding: “I don’t think I have ever seen an England team play like that, with such versatility and flair”.
He heaped praise on Raheem Sterling and Captain Harry Kane for their energy throughout the lengthy match, and admitted he was gripped to the “nail biter” of a game.
“It could have gone wrong at any stage, but it didn’t!”

The team celebrate after their incredible win last nightCredit: Getty
Boris and Carrie were in the crowds with David BeckenhamCredit: AFP
The England manager has directed them to the finalCredit: AP

Brits are also demanding a bank holiday on Monday if England make it all the way. But Boris refused to get into it, and would only say: “I think that would be tempting fate, let’s see what happens!”
England fans joined the players in singing the iconic Sweet Caroline as the team celebrated their monumental win after a nail-biting finish in extra time.
And many sang football chants to the tune of Atomic Kitten’s ‘Whole Again’ late into the night as they cheered on England’s boys.
The boys after their historic win last nightCredit: Getty
Kane scored for England bringing the team to the finalCredit: AP
Fans went mad as they watched England smash the gameCredit: PA
Fans partied into the nightCredit: AFP

Fans sang: “Southgate you’re the one, you still turn me on, football’s coming home again.”
Downing Street has said it would set out any celebrations such as a victory parade for the England team “in due course” if they win the Euro 2020 final on Sunday.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “I don’t want to pre-empt the outcome of Sunday’s match. Clearly we want England to go all the way and win the final and then we will set out our plans in due course.
“We will hopefully, when England go on to win, then go on to set out our plans.”
He ruled out increasing the number of fans allowed to attend Wembley, saying: “There are no plans to extend the capacity.”
England will now take on Italy in the Euros final on Sunday at 8pm.
England manager Gareth Southgate explains ’embarrassing’ Jack Grealish sub against Denmark More

ENGLAND’S stunning win over Denmark at Wembley on Wednesday night was watched by more than 27 MILLION people in the country.Some 27.6 million people were on the edge of their seat as Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions booked a spot in the Euro 2020 final.
More than 27 million people watched England beat Denmark on WednesdayCredit: Getty
Confirmed TV figures just in for England v Denmark last night: A peak of 26.3 million & including Hub non-TV devices the peak increases to 27.6 million, making it the biggest peak football audience ever for a single channel. Thankyou for being there . #ITVFootball #ENG #EURO2020— Mark Pougatch (@markpougatch) July 8, 2021

It shattered the record for the most watched show in 2021 – beating the number that watched England thrash Ukraine 4-0 in the quarter-final.
20.9m people saw that Rome thrashing while 20.6m tuned in the previous Tuesday to see the Three Lions beat Germany.
Presenter Mark Pougatch tweeted: “Confirmed TV figures just in for England v Denmark last night.
“A peak of 26.3 million & including Hub non-TV devices the peak increases to 27.6 million, making it the biggest peak football audience ever for a single channel. Thankyou for being there.”
It beat the 26.5million that tuned in to watch England’s 2018 World Cup semi-final loss to Croatia.
Sunday’s final at Wembley could beat that mark with the Three Lions in a major final for the first time in 55 years.
England will take on Italy back at the home of football in their first ever European Championship final.
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Speaking after the tense semi-final, Southgate said: “I’m so proud of the players. It was an incredible occasion to be a part of – the fans were incredible all night.
“We knew it wouldn’t be straight forward and we knew at some point we were going to have to show some resilience and we did that tonight.
“The most pleasing thing is we’ve given our fans and nation a great night and the journey carries on for another four days.”

He added: “We’re in the final and we’ve got to enjoy that fact, but we’ve got one more massive hurdle.
“Italy are a very good side. They’re showing outstanding form and have defensive warriors at the back. It’s a great game to look forward to.
“Finals are to be won. We’ve got to regroup and prepare properly. Tonight has taken a lot physically and emotionally. We’ll think about that on the way back to Burton.”

England manager Gareth Southgate explains ’embarrassing’ Jack Grealish sub against Denmark More

KIERAN TRIPPIER says England learned three years of hard lessons to put together the performance that beat Denmark.Trippier scored the opening goal in the World Cup semi-final that the Three Lions lost 2-1 to Croatia in extra time at Russia 2018.
Kieran Trippier celebrates reaching the Euro 2020 finalCredit: PA
Gareth Southgate’s men changed the story against the Danes, coming from behind themselves to win 2-1.
Trippier said: “We’ve learnt so much over the years, with the experiences we’ve had, we’ve been in two penalty shootouts since Russia, we’ve been to extra time. 
“Going through that moment against Croatia was about learning. 
“It’s all about experience and game management. 
“Make no mistake, Denmark were very good, they’re a fantastic team. 
“We’ve come a long way since the semi-final in Russia.  
“We’ve got so many good players now, different players from back then. It’s about progressing, and I think we’ve made big steps since the World Cup. 
“As you’ve seen from the start of the tournament to now, we give everything, we don’t stop, we don’t panic, we’re calm.

Gareth Southgate sent Kieran Trippier on in extra timeCredit: Getty
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“We’ve shown that against Denmark. We stuck together and the togetherness in the team is incredible.”
Southgate used the depth of his squad to ramp up the pressure on Denmark until they conceded the crucial penalty – and then to control the game until the final whistle.
Jack Grealish, despite being subbed himself, Phil Foden, Jordan Henderson and Trippier himself all played important roles in taking England into their first major final for 55 years.
Trippier said: I thought we dictated the game. 
“It was a thrilling game, it doesn’t matter how we win it, if it was extra time, but we’ve got so much quality to come off the bench and impact the game. 
“We had players today that certainly did that and we’re all just absolutely delighted and so proud of how far we’ve come as a team, and the support was absolutely incredible.”
The Wembley crowd was loud, proud and supportive throughout the 120 minutes.
Kieran Trippier is embraced by old Spurs pal Harry KaneCredit: Getty

The energy and positivity trumped even the Germany game as England’s players revelled once more in having the chance to play in front of tens of thousands of fans, after the soulless silence of the pandemic.
Trippier said: “All the players have been playing without supporters over the past year and a half. 
“Even with the Germany game and the fans since the start of the tournament, tonight was like something I’ve never experienced before in football. 
“The fans were unbelievable: the atmosphere, the national anthem, everything. 
“They never stopped. The good thing about this team and these players is we never give up. We try to play good football, exciting football to put a smile on our nation’s faces.
The fans and everybody in this nation absolutely deserve itKieran Trippier
“We’re in a final, and it’s something for the fans to be happy about and proud of and enjoy the moment. 
“The fans and everybody in this nation absolutely deserve it.”
The final obstacle to glory is Roberto Mancini’s formidable Italy team on Sunday.
Trippier said: “They’ve had a fantastic tournament. 
“Under Mancini they’ve been unbelievable, I think it’s like 33 games now they’re unbeaten. They’ve got great experience in the team, quality players. You can’t hide away from the fact that they’re a good side. 
“But we need to focus on ourselves…and recover well because there’s a game only around the corner.
“Just get back on the training field and focus on Italy now.”

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England manager Gareth Southgate explains ’embarrassing’ Jack Grealish sub against Denmark More

FORMER England striker Daniel Sturridge has been training in a £200 hi-tech sports bra as he continues to search for a new club.The ex-Liverpool uploaded footage of himself training in the stats vest and captioned the post: “Putting in work babbbyyyyy.”
Daniel Sturridge has been training in a high-tech stats vest
Sturridge, 31, has been without a club since his Trabzonspor contract was terminated by mutual consent in March 2020.
England’s forgotten man claims he wants a return to professional football.
And if the video clips he posted on his Instagram on Wednesday are anything to go by, he could still cut it.
The clips show the topless goalscorer dribbling through cones dressed in black shorts, black socks and Nike boots.
And his bare chiseled torso is only covered by the black data top.
The vest donned the logo of STATSports, a GPS monitoring and analysis company.
The devices are popular in the world of elite sport and allow coaches and analysts to track performance.
It measures distance covered, speed, acceleration, deceleration and heart rate and provides coaches with valuable information on each individual.
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Sturridge had his Trabzonspor contract terminated in March 2020 and was banned for four months for breaching betting rules

The data that is collected can be then streamed to a phone, tablet or smartwatch for further analysis and studied by team officials.
The technology isn’t just used to push players to their limits, it also ensures they aren’t at risk of injury without burning them out.
The highly-sophisticated device costs around £200 and is worn by Premier League players with Arsenal and Liverpool among the clubs wearing them.
And they hit headlines earlier this month when fans were left baffled when Ukraine star Artem Dovbyk revealed one after scoring a dramatic Euro 2020 win over Sweden.
Sturridge’s last game came on February 22, 2020, for Trabzonspor in a 2-2 draw with Besiktas in Turkey.
But the foolish decision to advise his brother to bet on him potentially moving to Sevilla cost him.
Sturridge was banned for four months for breaching betting rules and saw his Trabzonspor contract ripped up.
Since then, he has spent a fair amount of time in Los Angeles.
He is reportedly being sued for allegedly not paying a £26,000 reward after his stolen dog was found.
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Watch Ian Wright and Emma Hayes’ wild celebrations after England goal vs Denmark.. and Three Lions stars ‘love’ it More

ENGLAND and Italy will face off in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley on Sunday with history on the line.And SunSport reckons that the Three Lions have the edge over the Azzurri.

Bonucci and Chiellini get into our combined XICredit: Reuters
Roberto Mancini’s suave Italians have been a revelation at the Euros, impressing fans with their remarkable improvements since their 2018 qualifying flop.
But we think that England are stronger, man for man.
But the Italians certainly have some danger men.
Jordan Pickford is already guaranteed to win the Golden Glove with five clean sheets out of six games.
But Gianluigi Donnarumma is an almighty presence and gets the nod for us between the sticks in our combined XI.
Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini are iconic pillars of the Italian defence, and plonking Manchester United defender Harry Maguire between them would certainly do no harm.
Who Gareth Southgate would pick at right-back was a saga going into the tournament, but the experienced head and versatility of Kyle Walker has generally got him the nod.
Leonardo Spinazzola would have been hard to resist at left wing-back before his horrifying injury suffered against Belgium.

Man United duo Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire have been amazing for EnglandCredit: Getty
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been a pillar for ItalyCredit: EPA

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But Luke Shaw has been outstanding in his own right and deserves his spot in this team.
Midfield is a tough one, with Declan Rice, Jorginho and Manuel Locatelli having all had excellent tournaments.
But Leeds sensation Kalvin Phillips, who paid tribute to his late ‘Granny Val’ after last night’s win, simply has to make our team for his immense performances.
Kyle Walker has won the battle of the right-backsCredit: EPA
Kalvin Phillips has been immense for EnglandCredit: PA
And we’re pairing him with wily PSG star Marco Verratti at the heart of the team.
There is a further embarrassment of riches up front, particularly in the England squad – with the likes of Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford NOT making the team.
We’ve picked Raheem Sterling, arguably the player of the tournament, and Lorenzo Insigne to buzz off front-man Harry Kane – who has shrugged off his group stage struggles to get in ahead of Ciro Immobile.
Raheem Sterling is almost certainly the player of the tournamentCredit: EPA
Lorenzo Insigne has given Italian fans plenty to smile aboutCredit: AP

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Saka and Grealish do hilarious Maguire impression as they chat to friends after England reach Euro 2020 final More

ENGLAND take on Italy in the Euro 2020 final after sneaking past Denmark 2-1 in extra-time on Wednesday night.But if history is anything to go by, the Three Lions will need a miracle to finally break their 55-year major tournament drought.
Italy beat England 2-1 in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup as the Three Lions were sent packing earlyCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Gareth Southgate’s squad have won all but one of their games this summer – the 0-0 group stage draw against Scotland.
England have beaten Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Ukraine and Denmark to reach the final.
But they take on a well-drilled Italy squad who have won EVERY match this tournament – including their penalty shootout win over Spain in the semi-final.
And despite England having home advantage, the Italians could be considered favourites to lift the trophy come Sunday evening.
After all, their record against the Three Lions is spectacular – particularly in major tournament showdowns.
In fact, England have won just EIGHT of their 27 meetings with Italy and are yet to record a victory in World Cup of European Championship games.
Italy have won 11 times against the Three Lions, most-recently in the 2-1 group stage win at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
In major tournaments, England have won none, drawn won and lost THREE of their four meetings.

Peter Shilton is left dismayed as England lose the 1990 third-place play-offCredit: PA:Empics Sport

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Ashley Cole misses his penalty as England crash out of the 2012 EurosCredit: EPA
England were knocked out of Euro 2012 at the quarter-final stage by Italy on penaltiesCredit: Reuters

Marco Tardelli scored the only goal to decide the 1980 European Championships eliminator which saw Ron Greenwood’s England knocked out of their first major finals in ten years.
While some would question how competitive the next clash in a major tournament was, England then lost 2-1 to Italy at the 1990 World Cup third-placed play-off.
A rare mistake by veteran keeper Peter Shilton, in his 125th and final game for his country, allowed Roberto Baggio to score.

England’s new star David Platt did equalise but Toto Schillachi scored his sixth goal of the tournament to snatch a 2-1 win for the hosts.
It would be another 22 years before the The Three Lions also lost again to the Azzurri in a major tournament, this time in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals on penalties.
Ashley Cole and Ashley Young were the unfortunate villains this time as England came undone in a shootout again.
And the most recent big loss was that 2-1 defeat in Brazil in 2014, when two Mario Balotelli strikes paved the way for a disastrous campaign that saw England crash out in the group stage.
The two nations have shared the spoils in their last two meetings – both friendlies, in 2015 and 2018.
England last beat the 2006 World Cup winners in August 2012 – less than two months after their Euros heartbreak – in a 2-1 friendly win.
Nearly nine years on, Southgate will hope another tactical masterclass can lead England to their most famous win since 1966.
And all of those previous defeats will immediately be forgotten…
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England fans get on the beers as Three Lions face Denmark in Euro 2020 semi-final More