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    Desperate England fans hunting everywhere for ‘sold out’ shirts ahead of crunch Euro 2020 semi-final with Denmark

    ENGLAND fans are struggling to buy an official Three Lions shirt ahead of Wednesday’s big semi-final clash with Denmark at Wembley.Gareth Southgate’s men made it to Euro 2020’s final four after eliminating Ukraine in the quarter-finals thanks to a decisive 4-0 thrashing.
    England’s shirts are selling out ahead of the Euro 2020 semi-finals – Handout
    England have made it to the Euro 2020 semi-finals where they will face DenmarkCredit: AP
    Harry Kane scored twice with Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson also on target.
    Hopes of a first international trophy since the 1966 World Cup are high and English supporters want to enjoy the ride in style.
    But frustrated fans are finding it difficult to obtain the team’s jerseys, which are selling out.
    Nike’s official £70 tops are extremely hard to find and some of the England faithful took to Twitter to vent their frustrations.
    One fan tweeted: “I’ve been trying to get the new England shirt for weeks and EVERYWHERE is sold out.”
    Another posted: “England shirts completely sold out everywhere… if anyone knows anywhere with stock help me out.”
    And a third said: “Cannot find anywhere to buy the England away shirt.”
    It seems only children’s home shirts and some 3XL tops are available on the official England store.

    EURO 2020 FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS

    Sports Direct only have large shirts in stock online whereas the children’s away kit is available online at JD Sports but is selling fast.
    According to Birmingham Live, however, there is still some good news as unofficial merch is available for £12.99.
    England are on a roll in the competition as they have scored a whopping eight goals in all of their five matches and haven’t conceded once.
    The Three Lions also beat their old nemesis Germany for the first time in a major competition’s knockout stages after 55 years.
    ⚽ Follow ALL of the latest news and updates from Euro 2020 with our live blog
    England take the knee before kick-off against Ukraine in Rome More

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    Euro 2020 LIVE: England into semi-finals, fans party into night, Three Lions to face Denmark – latest updates

    EURO 2020 has reached the semi-final stage – and England are there! The Three Lions stormed into the semis on Saturday, crashing FOUR past Ukraine to set up a showdown with Denmark at Wembley.
    And fans across the country went wild, with millions celebrating in the streets.
    Meanwhile Leonardo Spinazzola is reportedly out for months after being stretchered off in Italy’s win against Belgium, meaning he will miss the clash with Spain.
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    Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
    BEST ENG SHOW
    SunSport readers have voted England’s Euro 2020 drubbing of Ukraine as their THIRD best match of the last 25 years.
    But the 4-0 demolition job in Rome is still MILES off readers’ favourite game.
    Gareth Southgate produced yet another tactical masterclass as England booked their place in the semi-finals.
    Harry Kane scored twice – with Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson also finding the net – as the Three Lions recorded their biggest-ever margin of victory in a major tournament knockout game.
    The 4-0 victory eclipsed 3-0 wins over Denmark and Paraguay at the 2002 and 1986 World Cups respectively.
    The Roman battering was also the first time England have scored four goals in a knockout game since the 1966 World Cup final win over West Germany.

    ZIZOU ARE YOU?
    Luke Shaw delivered two assists for England in the space of three minutes and 51 seconds at Euro 2020
    And that was more than French legend Zinedine Zidane managed in 14 appearances at the European Championships.
    Shaw set up the second goal for Harry Maguire before crossing for Harry Kane to make it 3-0 in the 4-0 win over Ukraine in the quarter-finals.
    Told about his achievement of overtaking Zidane’s contributions at a Euro, Shaw said: “A very strange stat! A nice one, I think.
    “Obviously, Zidane was one of the best midfielders ever and I can’t compare to him.
    “But the most important thing for me was reaching the semi-final, getting another game at Wembley in front of our own crowd and hopefully making them happy again.”
    SOUTHGATE YOU’RE THE ONE
    Stuart Pearce, former England international and team-mate of Gareth Southgate, has praised his pal for his decision making so far at Euro 2020.
    Pearce cleared up a common misconception about Southgate.
    Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “There was a misconception, potentially, and I’m talking from a footballing aspect, that he’s a soft touch, or whatever.
    “I don’t think there is now because people in the game have [recognised] he’ll make the tough judgement calls and I’ll give you one or two real examples.
    “He put Henderson in the group where a lot of people were saying he shouldn’t be, he’s not good enough for one reason, not fit enough. You can’t take injured players.
    “He knew the worth of Henderson [and Harry Maguire], you saw that last night. Both on the score sheet. I’m absolutely delighted for both of them.
    “But, because he knows what they both give the group he was prepared to wait. Not a popular choice in some quarters.
    “Going into the first game, by the way, there was a lot of people shouting and hollering and rattling about Sterling shouldn’t be playing. Gareth knew his worth.
    “All those people have pulled their necks in now because Sterling has probably carried this team, by the way.
    “He [Southgate] has made judgement calls.
    “Everyone wants Grealish and Foden in, popular choices, they are the sexy choices, but he hasn’t done that all the time. They have played their part as a group member but he picked the team he though was right and credit to him.”
    Credit: GETTY IMAGES
    SAK BACK, NO JACK
    Gary Neville has picked his England XI for the Euro 2020 semi-final clash with Denmark – with Jack Grealish yet again missing out, writes DAVE FRASER.
    The Three Lions demolished Ukraine 4-0 in their quarter-final clash in Rome with Jadon Sancho given his first start of the tournament.
    The new Manchester United star, 21, looked lively throughout the game and gave England a new dimension in attack – despite being given a bizarrely low 4/10 match rating by L’Equipe.
    Fans have been crying out for Gareth Southgate to utilise Grealish more having played just 115 minutes across England’s five games.
    But Neville reckons the Three Lions boss should turn back to Bukayo Saka over Grealish or Sancho for the semi-final showdown against Denmark.
    The Arsenal whiz, 19, starred in wins over Czech Republic and Germany but missed the Ukraine demolition job with a minor knock.
    And Neville wants him back on the right-wing for the last-four clash at Wembley on Wednesday night.

    UKRAINE FEEL ENGLAND’S FURY
    Tyson Fury’s reaction to England’s win!
    iv not seen a beat down over Ukraine 🇺🇦 like this since Düsseldorf 28 November 2015. 😘— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) July 3, 2021

    ROAD TO WEMBLEY
    England are one game away from the Euros final at Wembley!

    SANTASTIC
    Rio Ferdinand has made a bold prediction for Jadon Sancho’s first season at Man Utd.
    Sancho started his first game a major international tournament for England last night in a 4-0 win.
    And his dazzling footwork left United fans in awe.
    Club legend Ferdinand spoke highly of Sancho on the BBC’s coverage of the game.
    He said: “I’ll tell you one thing, next season at Man United, he’ll have people off their seats.
    “There’s moments in this game where he draws your breath and you think, ‘Oh, wow, that’s different’ — and he’s a fabulous talent, we know that, but mentally he’s very strong and he’s got a desire to be as good as he can be.
    “Players that can up the potential of the game are different and they bring something different to your team in the way that he does. 
    “This is his first game, by the way, in the tournament, and he comes in and plays the way he did and creates moments, it shows you the talent that is there.”

    BACK OF THE NET
    Morata has his fair share of goals for Spain, but can he guess who these infamous Spanish goal-scorers are?

    LAMPARD ON SHAW
    England and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard has praised Man Utd left-back Luke Shaw for his fantastic form.
    Shaw registered two more assists last night against Ukraine in England’s 4-0 win.
    Speaking after the game, Lampard said: “Something has clicked with him in the last 18 months.
    “Sometimes you can’t control injury stuff, he wasn’t in the best of shape. Now he can do what you want from him.”
    HAMMER TIME
    After England beat Ukraine last night, Declan Rice is the last West Ham player standing at Euro 2020.
    Andriy Yarmolenko (Ukraine), Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal (Czech Republic) were knocked out of the competition yesterday.

    TOP PICK
    England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has matched Iker Casillas’ clean sheet record at the European Championships, writes THOMAS BLOW.
    The Everton stopper hasn’t conceded in his five matches at this summer’s tournament, matching the record Casillas set in 2012.
    Although he didn’t have his best game against Ukraine in their quarter-final clash, Pickford is enjoying an impressive Euros campaign.
    The 27-year-old has looked assured in net for England and made a couple of excellent saves against Germany at Wembley.
    Legendary goalkeeper Casillas kept five clean sheets at Euro 2012 – including in the final against Italy – as Spain won the tournament.
    If Pickford manages to keep Denmark at bay in London on Wednesday he will become the first stopper to record six clean sheets in the competition’s 61-year history.

    ON THIS DAY
    On this day 17 years ago, Greece shocked Europe and won Euro 2004.

    CAPTAIN KANE
    Harry Kane got off to a poor start at Euro 2020, but has since scored three in his last two.
    And left-back Luke Shaw has registered three assists.

    ‘LONG TIME COMING’ 
    England midfielder Jordan Henderson finally scored his first international goal after 62 appearances.
    And Henderson couldn’t hide his excitement. 
    He said: “It’s about time, it’s been a long time coming.
    “I have felt one coming and thankfully I’ve managed to get on the scoresheet.
    “I’m delighted for the lads because overall the performance was fantastic and will give us good momentum going into the next game.
    “I always felt it would come eventually, but I always try to contribute the best I can on the pitch, I never really think about that I need to score goals.
    “There are a lot of other players to do that. I need to concentrate on my job on the pitch, what I need to do, what the coaching staff and payers need me to do.
    “Of course I would have liked to have scored more goals but I can’t complain. I’m here, contributing and managed to get on the scoresheet.”
    Credit: GETTY IMAGES
    FINAL FOUR
    Italy, Spain, England and Denmark are the last four teams in the competition.
    Italy play Spain at Wembley on Tuesday night.
    And England return to Wembley to face Denmark in the second semi-final on Wednesday.

    KANTE THE KEY TO UNLOCKING POGBA
    Man Utd and England legend Wayne Rooney believes that Paul Pogba having N’Golo Kante next to him, allowed him to express himself.
    Pogba played in a slightly deeper role for France at Euro 2020 and played some wonderful balls into Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema. 
    Speaking in his Times column, Rooney said: “Like a lot of people, I fancied the French to be champions and as a team they were a massive disappointment.
    “That was a particular shame for Paul Pogba. He had been the player of the tournament until they went out.
    “Some of the passes Paul played for Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe were incredible. 
    “It helped him to have N’Golo Kante as his midfield partner but I think the biggest reason that Paul’s performances were so good was his positioning.
    “In all France’s games, he was playing deeper than we normally see him for Manchester United and this meant that he was able to pick the ball up in areas of the pitch where he had the time and room to pick a pass.”
    Wayne Rooney is now boss of Derby CountyCredit: Getty
    ‘ONE OF THE PLAYERS’ OF EURO 2020
    Arsenal legend Ian Wright has praised potential Arsenal target Raheem Sterling as “one of the players” of Euro 2020.
    Sterling has scored three goals for England and set up Harry Kane’s opener yesterday night.
    Wright said: “Raheem Sterling is one of the players of the tournament.
    “He finds Harry Kane with a brilliant pass (for the opening goal).
    “He comes inside. We need players who can run with the ball, progress the ball, into Harry Kane who can take our half-chances. That’s a half-chance.”
    ‘MAN MOUNTAIN’
    England and Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand heaped praise on Man Utd club captain Harry Maguire.
    Speaking after the game, he said: “He (Maguire) brings composure and sometimes the team looks different when someone wants the ball. 
    “He wants to get on the ball and take pressure off the other players. The team breathes more when he’s in the team.
    “They are a stronger team and a better when he’s there. He’s so comfortable in international football, some players prefer club level or playing for their country.
    “In an England shirt he looks like a man mountain. He comes out and just picks the right passes.
    “You saw in his first game back he was threading balls in the lines. He brings someone in and then plays it through.
    “That’s the difference between him and other centre-backs.”
    YOU SHALL NOT PASS
    England have kept several clean sheets in a row, and five at Euro 2020!
    Some unsung heroes have helped the Three Lions get the job done. Massive achievement.
    History-makers. The #ThreeLions have kept 7️⃣ consecutive clean sheets for the first time in our history, becoming the only team not to concede a goal in the first 5️⃣ games of a European Championship finals. pic.twitter.com/btS9sh1b7x— England (@England) July 4, 2021

    WON IN ROME
    England fans were in dreamland last night after the Three Lions scored FOUR times to set up a historic semi-final.
    Millions partied deep into the night in packed pubs, parks and streets across the country – while 5,000 Three Lions fans roared on the team in Rome.
    Jubilant fans sprayed booze and danced on tables as Gareth Southgate’s side cruised to their first Euro’s semi-final in 25 years.
    The win set up a titanic clash with Denmark at Wembley in front of a boosted home crowd of 60,000 on Wednesday night – and PM Boris Johnson hailed an “outstanding performance”.

    GOOD MORNING EUROS FANS
    Harry Kane has set his sights on reaching the final after his two goals helped England beat Ukraine 4-0 in the Euro 2020 quarter-finals.
    He said on BBC One: “What a great performance in a big game.
    “We were favourites; there was a lot of pressure and a lot of expectations. The performance was top-drawer. Another clean sheet, four goals, it was a perfect night for us.
    “We’re building on [clean sheets]. We have a great unit here from front to back. It’s a vital part of winning games and tournaments.
    “We’ve got a big semi-final coming up. We’re on the right path.
    “It’s where we wanted to be. We set out a vision before the World Cup of what we want to achieve. We are knocking it off step by step.
    “The World Cup was great but we fell short; we had a good run in the Nations League. We’re in another semi-final.
    “Now it’s about getting over the line, the next step that we have got to do on Wednesday.”
    Meanwhile, Jadon Sancho is on his way to Manchester United but right now he is only focusing on England.
    Sancho told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I’m feeling over the moon. Today was must-win and I’m just happy to have got an opportunity to play. This is a special moment for me.
    “Every time I haven’t been playing I’ve been going back to training and been giving it everything.
    “I’ve just been focusing on myself while I’ve been at England. I’ve always been ready if I needed to come on.
    “We knew today was going to be a big game, Ukraine are a very good side. I’m delighted.
    “To be fair, I don’t want to talk about Manchester United. Right now I just want to focus on England.”
    England will now face Denmark on Wednesday after they beat the Czech Republic 2-1 and manager Gareth Southgate paid tribute to all of his players, including the substitutes.
    Southgate told BBC One: “The players have been fantastic. To play as well as they did in a game with so much resting on it was impressive.
    “It’s a strange feeling. I’m thinking of the lads we didn’t get on the pitch – Conor Coady, Ben Chilwell, Sam Johnstone, Aaron Ramsdale, they’re the ones making this team successful. The spirit in the group is phenomenal.
    “Whoever comes in does the job, whoever isn’t in – it is really difficult to leave three out of the matchday squad – the squad mentality is fantastic. That’s uppermost in my mind, looking after those guys.
    “I’m spending more energy worrying about the three I have to leave out because they’re all good players. None of them deserve to be left out.
    “They’re all giving everything in training. None of it is because I don’t think they’re up to the level but we have to make the decisions.”
    BAE-DON
    Jadon Sancho was praised by BBC pundits after an impressive first half display against Ukraine.
    During the half-time break, Match of the Day host Gary Lineker said: “He’s a player that obviously a lot of people at home wouldn’t have seen too frequently because he’s been playing at Dortmund.
    “But I think it’s quite clear to see Manchester United have got something special.”
    And ex-United captain Rio Ferdinand responded: “Yes, they have.
    “This isn’t a surprise, this isn’t something that I would just think, ‘This is what he does, is it?’
    “This is what German fans have been seeing for three years in the Bundesliga.”
    ENGLAND 4 UKRAINE 0
    Three years ago, England fell back in love with its football team in a joyous, but ultimately doomed, summer romance.
    Yet this march to a major tournament has been far more impressive than that Russian odyssey at the 2018 World Cup.
    Read more HERE.

    BALLON SHAW
    Luke Shaw has the second most assists in the delayed European Championships and matched a knockout game record.
    The Manchester United left-back has been an instrumental part of Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions during the tournament.
    And after setting up United team-mate Harry Maguire and captain Harry Kane, he took his Euros assists tally up to three.
    He also helped Raheem Sterling open the scoring against Germany in the 2-0, last 16 win.
    Only Switzerland’s Steven Zuber is ahead of him with one more assist.
    TO BE FRANK
    Frank Lampard hailed Kalvin Phillips ‘the machine’ and said the Leeds man must be ‘so thankful’ to Marcelo Bielsa.
    After watching a montage of him and Declan Rice shutting Germany out, the Chelsea legend said: “You can always improve but you could take those clips Rio’s shown there and tell any young midfield player ‘if you’re playing in a two, this is how you do it’.
    “Because there’s a lot of unselfish work that maybe you don’t see. There’s a lot of miles in there.
    “Phillips must be so thankful to Bielsa for what he’s done to him at Leeds.
    “He’s turned into this machine who can play as a No6 with discipline, he can play higher up the pitch and it’s not a problem for him.
    “And Rice is pretty similar and they’re both comfortable on the ball.”
    Load more entries… More

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    England 4-0 Ukraine LIVE REACTION: Rampant Three Lions storm into last-four after goals from Kane, Henderson and Maguire

    ENGLAND are into the semi-finals of Euro 2020 after a sensational performance against Ukraine. It was a night to remember for the Three Lions in Rome, as Harry Kane netted twice to send them roaring into the semi-finals.
    England will now take on Denmark this coming Wednesday after the Danes edged out the Czech Republic.
    Follow ALL the latest reaction with our live blog below…
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    BEST ENG SHOW
    SunSport readers have voted England’s Euro 2020 drubbing of Ukraine as their THIRD best match of the last 25 years.
    But the 4-0 demolition job in Rome is still MILES off readers’ favourite game.
    Gareth Southgate produced yet another tactical masterclass as England booked their place in the semi-finals.
    Harry Kane scored twice – with Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson also finding the net – as the Three Lions recorded their biggest-ever margin of victory in a major tournament knockout game.
    The 4-0 victory eclipsed 3-0 wins over Denmark and Paraguay at the 2002 and 1986 World Cups respectively.
    The Roman battering was also the first time England have scored four goals in a knockout game since the 1966 World Cup final win over West Germany.

    ZIZOU ARE YOU?
    Luke Shaw delivered two assists for England in the space of three minutes and 51 seconds at Euro 2020
    And that was more than French legend Zinedine Zidane managed in 14 appearances at the European Championships.
    Shaw set up the second goal for Harry Maguire before crossing for Harry Kane to make it 3-0 in the 4-0 win over Ukraine in the quarter-finals.
    Told about his achievement of overtaking Zidane’s contributions at a Euro, Shaw said: “A very strange stat! A nice one, I think.
    “Obviously, Zidane was one of the best midfielders ever and I can’t compare to him.
    “But the most important thing for me was reaching the semi-final, getting another game at Wembley in front of our own crowd and hopefully making them happy again.”
    SOUTHGATE YOU’RE THE ONE
    Stuart Pearce, former England international and team-mate of Gareth Southgate, has praised his pal for his decision making so far at Euro 2020.
    Pearce cleared up a common misconception about Southgate.
    Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “There was a misconception, potentially, and I’m talking from a footballing aspect, that he’s a soft touch, or whatever.
    “I don’t think there is now because people in the game have [recognised] he’ll make the tough judgement calls and I’ll give you one or two real examples.
    “He put Henderson in the group where a lot of people were saying he shouldn’t be, he’s not good enough for one reason, not fit enough. You can’t take injured players.
    “He knew the worth of Henderson [and Harry Maguire], you saw that last night. Both on the score sheet. I’m absolutely delighted for both of them.
    “But, because he knows what they both give the group he was prepared to wait. Not a popular choice in some quarters.
    “Going into the first game, by the way, there was a lot of people shouting and hollering and rattling about Sterling shouldn’t be playing. Gareth knew his worth.
    “All those people have pulled their necks in now because Sterling has probably carried this team, by the way.
    “He [Southgate] has made judgement calls.
    “Everyone wants Grealish and Foden in, popular choices, they are the sexy choices, but he hasn’t done that all the time. They have played their part as a group member but he picked the team he though was right and credit to him.”
    Credit: GETTY IMAGES
    SAK BACK, NO JACK
    Gary Neville has picked his England XI for the Euro 2020 semi-final clash with Denmark – with Jack Grealish yet again missing out, writes DAVE FRASER.
    The Three Lions demolished Ukraine 4-0 in their quarter-final clash in Rome with Jadon Sancho given his first start of the tournament.
    The new Manchester United star, 21, looked lively throughout the game and gave England a new dimension in attack – despite being given a bizarrely low 4/10 match rating by L’Equipe.
    Fans have been crying out for Gareth Southgate to utilise Grealish more having played just 115 minutes across England’s five games.
    But Neville reckons the Three Lions boss should turn back to Bukayo Saka over Grealish or Sancho for the semi-final showdown against Denmark.
    The Arsenal whiz, 19, starred in wins over Czech Republic and Germany but missed the Ukraine demolition job with a minor knock.
    And Neville wants him back on the right-wing for the last-four clash at Wembley on Wednesday night.

    LONDON CALLING
    Hundreds of England fans took to the streets after last night’s thumping win over Ukraine.
    Will the Three Lions reach the final next Wednesday?
    Credit: GETTY IMAGES
    Credit: GETTY IMAGES
    SANTASTIC
    Rio Ferdinand has made a bold prediction for Jadon Sancho’s first season at Man Utd.
    Sancho started his first game a major international tournament for England last night in a 4-0 win.
    And his dazzling footwork left United fans in awe.
    Club legend Ferdinand spoke highly of Sancho on the BBC’s coverage of the game.
    He said: “I’ll tell you one thing, next season at Man United, he’ll have people off their seats.
    “There’s moments in this game where he draws your breath and you think, ‘Oh, wow, that’s different’ — and he’s a fabulous talent, we know that, but mentally he’s very strong and he’s got a desire to be as good as he can be.
    “Players that can up the potential of the game are different and they bring something different to your team in the way that he does. 
    “This is his first game, by the way, in the tournament, and he comes in and plays the way he did and creates moments, it shows you the talent that is there.”

    THREE YEARS LATER
    Harry Maguire has scored at back-to-back major international tournaments for England.

    LAMPARD ON SHAW
    England and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard has praised Man Utd left-back Luke Shaw for his fantastic form.
    Shaw registered two more assists last night against Ukraine in England’s 4-0 win.
    Speaking after the game, Lampard said: “Something has clicked with him in the last 18 months.
    “Sometimes you can’t control injury stuff, he wasn’t in the best of shape. Now he can do what you want from him.”
    THREE LIONS RUN RIOT
    Goals from captain Kane, Maguire and Henderson seed a 4-0 win in Rome against Ukraine.
    England will now face Denmark next Wednesday at Wembley in the semi-final.

    FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
    Jordan Henderson got his first England goal in 62 appearances.

    CAPTAIN KANE
    Harry Kane got off to a poor start at Euro 2020, but has since scored three in his last two.
    And left-back Luke Shaw has registered three assists.

    ‘LONG TIME COMING’
    England midfielder Jordan Henderson finally scored his first international goal after 62 appearances.
    And Henderson couldn’t hide his excitement.
    He said: “It’s about time, it’s been a long time coming.
    “I have felt one coming and thankfully I’ve managed to get on the scoresheet.
    “I’m delighted for the lads because overall the performance was fantastic and will give us good momentum going into the next game.
    “I always felt it would come eventually, but I always try to contribute the best I can on the pitch, I never really think about that I need to score goals.
    “There are a lot of other players to do that. I need to concentrate on my job on the pitch, what I need to do, what the coaching staff and payers need me to do.
    “Of course I would have liked to have scored more goals but I can’t complain. I’m here, contributing and managed to get on the scoresheet.”
    Credit: GETTY IMAGES
    CHOKEHOLD
    Kane had Rice gasping for air!

    ‘ONE OF THE PLAYERS’ OF EURO 2020
    Arsenal legend Ian Wright has praised potential Arsenal target Raheem Sterling as “one of the players” of Euro 2020.
    Sterling has scored three goals for England and set up Harry Kane’s opener yesterday night.
    Wright said: “Raheem Sterling is one of the players of the tournament.
    “He finds Harry Kane with a brilliant pass (for the opening goal).
    “He comes inside. We need players who can run with the ball, progress the ball, into Harry Kane who can take our half-chances. That’s a half-chance.”
    ‘MAN MOUNTAIN’
    England and Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand heaped praise on Man Utd club captain Harry Maguire. 
    Speaking after the game, he said: “He (Maguire) brings composure and sometimes the team looks different when someone wants the ball. 
    “He wants to get on the ball and take pressure off the other players. The team breathes more when he’s in the team. 
    “They are a stronger team and a better when he’s there. He’s so comfortable in international football, some players prefer club level or playing for their country.
    “In an England shirt he looks like a man mountain. He comes out and just picks the right passes. 
    “You saw in his first game back he was threading balls in the lines. He brings someone in and then plays it through. 
    “That’s the difference between him and other centre-backs.”
    ARE YOU SHAW?
    Luke Shaw is finally showing the promise that earned him the big move from Southampton to Man Utd.
    And he’s replicating it well for England, proving to be one of the Three Lions’ most important players.
    Luke Shaw at #EURO2020 [#ENG rank]:21 passes into the box [🥇]8 chances created [🥇]5 chances created from open play [🥇]4 big chances created [🥇]3 assists [🥇]1.57 xA [🥇]Outstanding. 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/S2KCjb3mCE— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) July 3, 2021

    WON IN ROME
    England fans were in dreamland last night after the Three Lions scored FOUR times to set up a historic semi-final.
    Millions partied deep into the night in packed pubs, parks and streets across the country – while 5,000 Three Lions fans roared on the team in Rome.
    Jubilant fans sprayed booze and danced on tables as Gareth Southgate’s side cruised to their first Euro’s semi-final in 25 years.
    The win set up a titanic clash with Denmark at Wembley in front of a boosted home crowd of 60,000 on Wednesday night – and PM Boris Johnson hailed an “outstanding performance”.

    UNSUNG HEROES
    Gareth Southgate has paid tribute to the England stars who have yet to feature at Euro 2020.
    He said: “It’s enjoyable but immediately I’m thinking about the players that I didn’t get on the pitch because the likes of Conor Coady, Ben Chilwell, Aaron Ramsdale, Sam Johnstone, Ben White.
    “We’ve had 21 on the pitch but those guys have been as important. The spirit that they’ve created, the togetherness.
    “I regret not getting them on the field and I hate this thing of having to leave three out every match.
    “It takes more energy from me than anything else because none of them deserve to be out of the 26.
    “The fact that the guys have shown the respect that they’ve shown is why we’re in the position that we’re in.”
    NOT DANE YET
    England will need to be at their best to get past Denmark in the Euro 2020 semi-final, Gareth Southgate has said.
    The Three Lions boss commented:
    “They beat us in the autumn, we only drew to them in Copenhagen [in the Nations League]. They’re a very underestimated team.
    “As a football nation they’ve done incredibly well, they’ve produced so many good players considering their population.
    “This is going to be a really tough test and we’ll have to be at our best to get through it.”

    SOUTHGATE PRAISE
    England manager Gareth Southgate paid tribute to all of his players, including the substitutes.
    Southgate told BBC One: “The players have been fantastic. To play as well as they did in a game with so much resting on it was impressive.
    “It’s a strange feeling. I’m thinking of the lads we didn’t get on the pitch – Conor Coady, Ben Chilwell, Sam Johnstone, Aaron Ramsdale, they’re the ones making this team successful. The spirit in the group is phenomenal.
    “Whoever comes in does the job, wheoever isn’t in – it is really difficult to leave three out of the matchday squad – the squad mentality is fantastic. That’s uppermost in my mind, looking after those guys.
    “I’m spending more energy worrying about the three I have to leave out because they’re all good players. None of them deserve to be left out. They’re all giving everything in training. None of it is because I don’t think they’re up to the level but we have to make the decisions. We have to make the right call for the right game with the right system. All of the players have been brilliant, tonight all the way through the group they’ve been fantastic”
    GETTY IMAGES
    SANCHO REACTS
    Jadon Sancho is on his way to Manchester United but right now he is only focusing on England.
    Sancho told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I’m feeling over the moon. Today was must-win and I’m just happy to have got an opportunity to play. This is a special moment for me.
    “Every time I haven’t been playing I’ve been going back to training and been giving it everything.
    “I’ve just been focusing on myself while I’ve been at England. I’ve always been ready if I needed to come on.
    “We knew today was going to be a big game, Ukraine are a very good side. I’m delighted.
    “To be fair, I don’t want to talk about Manchester United. Right now I just want to focus on England”
    GETTY IMAGES
    KANE SPEAKS
    England superstar Harry Kane admits the team is on the right path but insists the job is not yet done.
    Kane told BBC One: “What a great performance in a big game.
    “We were favourites, there was a lot of pressure and a lot of expectations. The performance was top-drawer. Another clean sheet, four goals, it was a perfect night for us.
    “We’re building on [clean sheets]. We have a great unit here from front to back. It’s a vital part of winning games and tournaments.
    “We’ve got a big semi-final coming up. We’re on the right path.
    “It’s where we wanted to be. We set out a vision before the World Cup of what we want to achieve. We are knocking it off step by step. The World Cup was great but we fell short, we had a good run in the Nations League. We’re in another semi-final.
    “Now it’s about getting over the line, the next step that we have got to do on Wednesday.
    “We have more experience [than 2018]. We’ve been playing for our clubs in big games – Champions League finals, Premier League title races. We’re looking confident. Hopefully we can continue that.
    “The job is not done yet. There’s a lot more football to play.
    “It’s always nice to score early in a game. It’s a great feeling to help the team. There was a lot of talk about me and my performances. But I’m just ready for the next game and try to lead this team to the European final”
    GETTY IMAGES
    SHEAR THING
    Alan Shearer praised Harry Kane, who equalled him on international goals in major tournaments after scoring his ninth cracker.
    Shearer is also impressed with England manager Gareth Southgate’s decisions.
    The Premier League Hall of Famer told BBC: “It is incredible the difference in Harry Kane. You can see he has a spring in his step.
    “In the first minute of this game he picked up the ball 40 or 50 yards and pinged it and you thought, yes that will do. Then he scored soon after.
    “Another tick for Gareth Southgate – he has come up with another formation, he has put in Jadon Sancho and all his decisions again have worked perfectly.
    “He is not influenced by what goes on outside the camp. He is making all of the decision and he is making all of the right decisions”
    HENDERSON BUZZ
    England star Jordan Henderson is ecstatic with the big win over Ukraine that sent the Three Lions through to the semi-finals.
    But Henderson is also over the moon with the fact that he finally scored his first ever international goal after 62 attempts.
    The midfielder netted the fourth goal of the night and had no doubt it would ultimately happen one day.
    Find out what the Liverpool ace had to say:

    FERDINAND REACTION
    Rio Ferdinand hailed Manchester United star Harry Maguire’s performance and claimed he is a special centre-back.
    Ferdinand told BBC: “Harry Maguire looks so comfortable at international football.
    “In an England shirt he looks like a man mountain to me. He comes out with the ball and picks the right passes.
    “He always tries to come out, bring someone to him and then play the ball and that is the difference, he wants to commit someone and that is the difference between him and other centre-backs”
    Load more entries… More

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    Tottenham and Barcelona ‘contact Lorenzo Insigne’s agent over transfer and to exploit contract stand-off’ with Napoli

    TOTTENHAM and Barcelona are interested in signing Napoli skipper Lorenzo Insigne, according to reports.Both clubs are believed to have contacted the player’s agent as he’s yet to agree a long-term deal at the Serie A club.
    Lorenzo Insigne, 30, scored a stunning goal in Italy’s Euro 2020 victory against BelgiumCredit: Getty
    According to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is struggling to persuade Insigne to commit his future to the club.
    The 30-year-old was born in Naples and came through the ranks at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, recieving the captaincy in February 2019.
    He’s played more than 300 league games for the club, winning two Italian Cups and helping the team finish fifth in Serie A last term.
    Insigne has always remained loyal to the Italian side but has just a year left on his existing deal and reportedly wants a pay rise.
    He is believed to currently earn around £82,000-a-week, with dozens of top Premier League players earning at least twice as much.
    The Italy international has been one of the stars of Euro 2020, scoring two goals so far to inspire his country to the semi-finals.

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    If Napoli can’t agree a new contract with Insigne, plenty of top clubs in Europe would be willing to offer him a lucrative gig.
    Tottenham and Barcelona are believed to have contacted the player’s agent, with both clubs desperate to challenge domestically again.
    Barca endured a tricky campaign last term, finishing third in LaLiga – their lowest league position since 2008.

    The Catalan giants are still to persuade Lionel Messi to sign a new deal at the Nou Camp – and Insigne could be drafted in to replace the irreplaceable Argentine if he moves on.
    Spurs, meanwhile, finished seventh in the Premier League – TWENTY-FOUR points behind champions Manchester City.
    New manager Nuno Espirito Santo will be keen to improve his squad – and Insigne would definitely add some much-needed flare to their ranks.
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
    Napoli star Insigne kicks advertising board and shouts ‘s*** squad’ after his side concedes last-minute equaliser More

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    Chelsea & Germany ace Werner backs England for Euro 2020 after awkwardly being called a ‘goalkeeper’ at F1 Austrian GP

    CHELSEA star Timo Werner has backed England to go all the way at Euro 2020 after dumping Germany out. Werner threw his support behind Gareth Southgate’s side after being awkwardly labelled Germany’s goalkeeper in an interview with Sky Sports’ Natalie Pinkham at the Austrian F1 GP.
    Timo Werner was described as a goalkeeper by Natalie PinkhamCredit: Sky Sports

    Werner was left gutted after Germany’s second round defeat to EnglandCredit: Reuters
    Werner told Sky Sports: “Yesterday for sure was a brilliant game from them and they were the better team in the game on Tuesday [against Germany] so they have it all, what you need to win the Euros and I wish them all the best.”
    Werner’s Germany were no match for the Three Lions last week with England winning their second round tie at Wembley.
    But England stepped up another level on Saturday as they demolished Ukraine 4-0 in Rome to romp into the semi-finals.
    And Southgate’s stars are just one win away from their first European Championship final with Denmark standing in their way on Wednesday night.
    Werner shrugged off being described as Germany’s keeper by giving his backing to England to win Euro 2020.

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    And the striker will be following his Chelsea team-mates with interest as England bid for glory.
    Werner watched Max Verstappen storm to victory at the Austrian GP.
    But he will have his eyes back on England’s huge semi-final showdown this week after Germany’s early exit from the tournament.

    Harry Kane vows to avoid repeat of World Cup heartbreak as England face Denmark in Euro 2020 semis More

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    England vs Denmark football results: Head-to-head record between the Euro 2020 semi-finalists

    ENGLAND reached the semi-finals of the European Championship for the first time since 1996 with a 4-0 win against Ukraine in Rome.Standing between the Three Lions and the final is an inspired Denmark side, who have a good record against Gareth Southgate’s team.
    Harry Kane and his England team-mates hammered Ukraine 4-0 in RomeCredit: AP
    Denmark have won their last three games at Euro 2020, including a 2-1 win against Czech RepublicCredit: Getty
    Here, SunSport takes a look at England’s record against the Scandinavian nation since the two first met in September 1948.
    England vs Denmark head-to-head
    England have beaten the Danes in 12 of their 17 encounters, although they haven’t recorded a competitive win since 2002.
    And Southgate’s team failed to beat their semi-final opponents in the Nations League last autumn, drawing 0-0 in Copenhagen and losing 1-0 at Wembley.
    The two teams last met at a major tournament in 2002, with England hammering Denmark 3-0 on the Japanese island of Niigata in the last 16 of the World Cup.
    Gareth Southgate is yet to beat Denmark as England manager
    Here are the highlights of their previous encounters:
    England 5 Denmark 2 – Molineux (1956)
    Their first competitive match between the two nations was 59 years ago at Wolves’ stadium.
    Walter Winterbottom’s England side eased to victory in the West Midlands, with Manchester United icon Duncan Edwards scoring twice.
    Preston legend Tom Finney, inaugural Ballon d’Or winner Stanley Matthews and 105-cap international Billy Wright also played for England in the drubbing.
    Denmark 0 England 0 – Malmo (1992)
    England have played Denmark just once before at the European Championships – 29 years ago in Sweden.
    The game finished 0-0 as Gary Lineker, Paul Merson and Co failed to beat Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.
    If you’re an England fan looking for a bad omen, Denmark went on to win Euro ’92 – and Schmeichel’s son Kasper will be in goal for the semi-final.

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    England 3 Denmark 0 – Niigata (2002)
    The two teams last met at a major tournament 19 years ago and it was a fairly comfortable game for Sven Goran Eriksson’s team.
    An own goal from ex-Premier League goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen and one each for Liverpool pair Michael Owen and Emile Heskey sealed victory in the last 16 of the World Cup.
    England went on to lose to eventual winners Brazil in the next round, with Ronaldinho famously lobbing Arsenal stopper David Seaman to win the game.

    England 1 Denmark 0 – Wembley (2014)
    England’s last victory against Denmark came seven years ago as Roy Hodgson’s team sealed an uninspiring 1-0 win at Wembley.
    Current squad members Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Luke Shaw all played in the forgettable match.
    A late goal from Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge secured victory, although both teams have changed significantly since that game.

    England 0 Denmark 1 – Wembley (2020)
    Denmark were victorious in the last meeting between the two teams, with Christian Eriksen scoring a first-half penalty in their Nations League clash.
    Perhaps most concerning for England is the strength of the team manager Southgate played that day, with seven of the 11 also starting against Ukraine in the quarter-final.
    But Sterling, Shaw, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish did NOT play in that defeat – and England fans will be hoping one of those stars can unpick the stubborn Danish defence at Wembley on Wednesday, July 7.
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
    Harry Kane vows to avoid repeat of World Cup heartbreak as England face Denmark in Euro 2020 semis More

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    Euro 2020 – Italian police barred 52 FANS from entering England vs Ukraine tie in Rome due to strict Covid rules

    ITALIAN police barred 52 fans from entering last night’s England game in Rome due to strict Covid rules.Cops prevented the supporters from attending the quarter final against Ukraine at Stadio Olimpico amid fears of the contagious Delta variant of the virus.
    ⚽ Follow ALL of the latest news and updates from Euro 2020 with our live blog
    England still managed to have a strong cohort of supports in RomeCredit: PA
    Three Lions fans saw their heroes take an incredible win over UkraineCredit: PA
    England fans had already been warned that a five day quarantine was in place for anyone coming to Italy who had been to Britain in the previous two weeks.
    Detectives cross checked names of travellers who had arrived in Italy from England and Ukraine with Euro 2020 ticket holders.
    Non-essential travel is also currently banned between Ukraine and Italy.
    Italian cops found some 52 fans who had not compiled with quarantine rules and arranged to have their tickets cancelled.
    Warnings had previously been issued which told fans not to try and use loopholes to try and attend the game – even if they had already bought tickets.
    England fans banned from attended missed out a historic win as the Three Lions roared home with a 4-0 victory to send themselves into the semi final against Denmark.
    Millions of supporters partied the night away as England advanced to the semis for the first time since 1996.
    And now Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and the rest of the squad are just one step away from the glory of competing in the final at Wembley on July 11.
    Three Lions fans did manage to pack out parts of the stadium, with many English expats attending the game – while others instead boozed and cheered at bars around Rome.
    England fans will be pleased as the semi and potential final both take place at Wembley – so they won’t have negotiate any travel rules as they did in Italy.
    England fans gather in Rome to party the night away after the 4-0 winCredit: Getty
    Fans were told not the travel to Italy – but expats were out in force in RomeCredit: Getty
    England are going the furthest in a tournament since 1996Credit: Getty
    Before the game, Italy’s embassy in London warned anyone trying to flout its quarantine rules “will be punished”.
    Those who try to take advantage of exemptions from self-isolation, such as claiming they’re on a business trip, will be rejected, it said.
    Italian officials introduced checkpoints on roads from neighbouring countries and boost security at airports with direct links to try to catch crafty England fans.
    Italy is among the countries hardest hit by the Covid pandemic, and officials are desperate to take all measures necessary to make sure there is not another devastating wave.
    Andrea Costa, undersecretary for the Italian Ministry of Health, told The Sun: “The rules are clear and concise — English fans will not be able to travel to Italy.
    “There are currently five days of obligatory quarantine on arrival, so unless fans arrived before June 28 and completed quarantine, there is no point travelling to Rome.
    “Those that do attempt it and are caught will be fined and punished. Rules have to be obeyed and we cannot afford to be running any risks.”
    Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane have starred from England at Euro 2020Credit: Getty
    Officials said that other measures being considered would include stopping ticket holders and asking them to prove how long they had been in the country — with boarding cards being requested.
    Virologist Fabrizio Pregliasco, who has been advising the Italian government, said: “Allowing fans in from the UK would be a disaster because there is a very high probability that they will spread the virus.”
    And meanwhile fans from the Ukraine actually had it worse than those from the UK as they have to undergo ten days of quarantine and provide a negative Covid test.
    The key win however saw bookies Betfair quickly slash England’s odds of lifting the the cup a week today from 2/1 to 6/4.

    Should the Three Lions manage to best Denmark on Wednesday – they will face a titanic clash with either Spain or Italy to secure themselves a spot in English football folklore.
    It will be the first time England has won a major trophy since claiming the World Cup in 1966 – 55 years ago.
    And the emphatic win over Ukraine – with a double from Spurs striker Kane and goals from Manchester United’s Harry Maguire and Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson – has left fans daring to dream.
    England have had an almost spotless tournament so far – not conceding a single goal, not losing a single game, and banishing the ghosts of the past with a key win over Germany.
    England take the knee before kick-off against Ukraine in Rome More

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    England’s win over Ukraine voted third best match of last 25 years but it’s still miles behind their greatest game

    SUNSPORT readers have voted England’s Euro 2020 drubbing of Ukraine as their THIRD best match of the last 25 years.But the 4-0 demolition job in Rome is still MILES off readers’ favourite game.
    England’s 5-1 win over Germany has been voted England’s best game since 1996 by SunSport readers
    England’s 4-0 mauling of Ukraine ranks just third in the list of the Three Lions’ best games in the last 25 years, according to SunSport readersCredit: AFP
    Gareth Southgate produced yet another tactical masterclass as England booked their place in the semi-finals.
    Harry Kane scored twice – with Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson also finding the net – as the Three Lions recorded their biggest-ever margin of victory in a major tournament knockout game.
    The 4-0 victory eclipsed 3-0 wins over Denmark and Paraguay at the 2002 and 1986 World Cups respectively.
    The Roman battering was also the first time England have scored four goals in a knockout game since the 1966 World Cup final win over West Germany.
    And even that match needed extra-time…
    Despite the incredible win, SunSport readers have voted it as just the THIRD best England game since 1996.
    Leading the way by some distance is England’s 5-1 mauling of Germany in their 2002 World Cup qualifying clash in September 2001.
    Michael Owen grabbed a hat-trick to go with goals from Steven Gerrard and Emile Heskey that famous night.

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    And the Germany rampage topped our poll with a whopping 55.7 per cent of readers’ votes.
    England’s 4-1 win over Holland in the Euro 96 group stage – thanks to two goals apiece from Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham – came in second with just 20.3 per cent.
    And the Ukraine hammering ranks third with 17.9 per cent of the voting.
    Saturday night’s victory ranks above the 1-0 World Cup win over Argentina at the 2002 World Cup, with David Beckham’s penalty and passionate celebration living long in fans’ memories.
    The penalty shootout victory over Colombia in the last-16 of the 2018 World Cup takes the fifth spot with just 1.8 per cent of readers’ votes.
    In sixth place, the thrilling 0-0 draw against Italy in 1997 to qualify for the 1998 World Cup picked up just 0.6 per cent of the voting.
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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