The Sun Newspaper

ENGLAND fans yesterday called for boss Gareth Southgate to be knighted if his Three Lions side win the Euro 2020 final.Mounting pleas for the honour came as millions of bleary supporters woke with their biggest hangover in 55 years after our historic semi-final victory over Denmark.
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Gareth Southgate should be knighted if England wins Euro 2020, fans sayCredit: The Sun
The Prime Minister was among those heaping praise on team boss Southgate for masterminding Wednesday’s 2-1 win at Wembley.
Honours are decided twice a year by the Cabinet Office and announced at New Year and on The Queen’s official birthday in June.
In a major hint he would put the manager forward, Boris Johnson said yesterday: “I obviously wouldn’t want to anticipate anything the honours people may decide. But, clearly, I think Gareth Southgate has done an absolutely outstanding job.”
MPs and the public also joined calls for the 50-year-old England chief to be given a gong.
Julian Knight, Tory MP and chairman of the sports select committee, told The Sun that Southgate has “inspired a nation”
Wembley crowds celebrate the Three Lions’ win against DenmarkCredit: PA
He said: “His contribution to football has been amazing. He definitely deserves a knighthood.” Meanwhile, fans nursed sore heads after sinking ten million pints. 
During Wednesday’s game, nearly 60,000 a minute were pulled with a total of 6.8million downed.
Throughout the whole day, fans bought 9.7million pints. But the British Beer & Pub Association said that would have been nearer 12million with no Covid restrictions.
Chief executive Emma McClarkin said the Three Lions reaching the final was a huge boost to boozers.
England fans pack London’s Piccadilly Circus and even scale a double-decker bus topCredit: Reuters
Industry analysis shows that over England’s six games in the Euros, we have downed 21.1million pints, 1.2million gin and tonics, and three million glasses of wine.
The amount of boozing done yesterday no doubt added to emotions as celebrating fans poured into the streets from pubs and homes.
In Leeds, one man shed all his clothes and streaked along the A64 as cars drivers beeped their horns.
And in Headingley, a fan was caught by his mates after leaping off the roof of a Sainsbury’s store.
A footie fan seen walking on the roof of a bus shelter in ManchesterCredit: LNP
Traffic ground to a halt in central London as crowds blocked routes around Piccadilly Circus.
People clambered on to phone boxes and scaled the outside of Leicester Square Tube station. The Met Police made 23 arrests.
In Newcastle, traffic was also reduced to a crawl as supporters climbed on top of a bus while others banged on passing police cars, jumped up and down on bus shelters and leapt over taxis. One onlooker said: “I have lived in Newcastle all my life and never seen it like this. It was mental.”
In Leicester, crowds hurled plastic street bollards at each other.
And in Majorca, Spanish police used pepper spray and batons to try and clear streets in Magaluf.

Some went even further in showing their support. Courtney Harrison, 22, has had “It’s Coming Home” tattooed on her ankle.
The carer, of Workington, Cumbria, said: “I don’t even like football. My friends think I’m mad, although a few are thinking of doing the same before the final.”
Mum-of-three Lyndzi Harding, 35, of Diss, Norfolk, had her body painted in England colours with number ten on her back.
Boris Johnson hints Gareth Southgate could get a knighthood for taking England to historic Euros final More

IT was never really in doubt, was it? Well, maybe a bit.Gareth Southgate’s fantastic England team have made history.
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We’ve done it: Our first major final since 1966Credit: Getty
They have done the nation proud yet again.
What courage it took. What spirit. What skill and talent.
Going behind to that sensational ­free-kick.
Then fighting right back and piling wave after wave of pressure on the brilliant, battling Danes.
This is the mental strength and character Gareth has instilled in our boys, along with so much else.
They’ve done it!

We’ve done it: Our first major final since 1966.
Surely not even the Italians can stop us now.
Harry, Raheem and the rest of England’s heroes . . . let’s finally bring football home on Sunday.
England fans celebrate making history at Euro 2020 semi-finals as they beat Denmark More

FOR the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Argentina were managed by Diego Maradona.Before and during most matches he could be seen crossing himself furiously, more than most priests do in a month of Sundays.
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England will beat Denmark if I eat three pies and wear my pants back to front, says Adrian ChilesCredit: Getty
With the help of slow motion in our TV truck, I think the most we counted was 14 crossings of himself in one go. His right hand was a blur of frantic devotion.
Here was a man who had let superstition run out of control.
I knew this was the case because I was the same — it’s about all I had in common with Maradona.
There are so many examples from my own football-supporting life, I plain don’t know where to start.
How about in the gents’ at West Brom? Just before kick-off in one game I went for a wee and found myself struggling because it turned out I’d put my boxer shorts on the wrong way around.
The gap was at the back instead of the front. I managed, but it was tricky.
Players of England stand for the national anthemCredit: Getty
When I got to my seat, I told my friends what I’d gone and done.
Upon winning that particular match one of them suggested I should do the back-to-front boxer shorts trick at the next home game.
This I did, and we won again. And the same for the following match.
Before kick-off at the game after that, someone checked with me that I’d gone back-to-front again.
When I confessed that I’d forgotten to do so, I was sent back to the gents’ to remove my trousers and don the boxers the right — or rather wrong — way around. We won again.
The next match, I made sure the boxers were back to front beforehand, but we lost.
Gareth Southgate speaks to the media during an England press conferenceCredit: Getty
And so, finally, this boxer nonsense could stop. But something else would soon come along. Ahead of one match, I ate two pies instead of one. And we won 2-0.
The god of football had obviously spotted something. Before the next game I downed three pies. Result? 3-0.
I spent the following game in a state of some digestive discomfort having downed four pies.
Needless to say, we didn’t score four goals and neither did we win. That was the end of the pie superstition.
When my daughter was too little to refuse to attend matches, I took her to The Hawthorns a few times. Every time I did so, we seemed to win.
Word of this must have got around because at one game a friend of mine was asked, anxiously, by someone I’d never even met if I’d brought my daughter to the match.
TEAM TALK
This was too much for me. I couldn’t be dragging a four-year-old girl into the hopes and dreams of random football fans.
I resolved to call a halt to this superstition business and I’ve been a lot happier for it.
But as a special favour to our boys, I’m bringing all my old favourites out of retirement on Wednesday evening.
My boxers will be on back to front, I’ll eat three pies and I’ll force my daughter to watch with me.
Nothing can go wrong. And if Gareth wants to use that in his team talk, then he’s more than welcome.
Of course, players also have pre-game superstitions. Below are some of the England stars’ rituals.
Jack Grealish
The attacking midfielder, 25, likes to roll down his socks so far that his shin pads are visible and says: “Obviously, your socks are supposed to go above your calves.
“But one year the socks shrunk in the wash, so they wouldn’t go higher.
The attacking midfielder likes to roll down his socks so far that his shin pads are visibleCredit: Getty
“That season, I ended up playing really well. So it became a superstitious thing for me. I thought, ‘I’m going to keep doing this because I’ve done well’.”
Harry Kane
The captain and striker, 27, has previously attributed a goal streak at Spurs to ditching his razor.
In 2014, after scoring in three consecutive games, he said: “I have not had a shave since my first goal.
The captain and striker has previously attributed a goal streak at Spurs to ditching his razorCredit: Getty
“It is the first time I have gone for the bearded look, and the missus might not be too happy if I score the next couple of weeks but it is a superstition I am keeping.”
Luke Shaw
Left-back Luke, 25, was once given a pair of socks by his girlfriend Anouska Santos, adorned with the face of his baby boy.
Now he believes his customised socks, bearing the image of little Reign London, brings him good fortune in crunch matches.
Luke was given a pair of socks by his girlfriend Anouska Santos with the face of his baby boyCredit: AFP
He says: “I will always make sure I have them on. They are kind of like my lucky socks.”
Tyrone Mings
The centre-back, 28, revealed he speaks to his psychologist for a few minutes before every game, to put himself into a hyper-competitive state.
He says: “We talk about settling down the inner child, and any feelings he might have, in what I’m about to do.
The centre-back revealed he speaks to his psychologist for a few minutes before every gameCredit: Getty
“Then we talk to the best version of myself and what he looks like, how he’s stood, how he feels, how he competes.”
Marcus Rashford
Striker Marcus, 23, always points to the sky, remembering his Nana Cillian, who imparted valuable wisdom to him when he was a boy.
In his book, he wrote about the pain of losing her when he was 11.
Striker Marcus always points to the sky, remembering his Nana CillianCredit: Getty Images – Getty
He says: “Check out what I do before I get on the pitch – I do the sign of the cross then I point up to my nana. That’s my way of trying to share what big moments I can with her.”
Kyle Walker
Defender Kyle, 31, will do anything to avoid a rotten performance – including wearing rotting shin pads.
He’s worn the same pair for 14 years, saying: “They’re hanging together a bit but are doing OK. I will never change them. I’ve never lost them.
Defender Kyle will do anything to avoid a rotten performanceCredit: EPA
“They have to be there. It’s impossible not to have them. I’d rather lose my boots.”
He also eats spag bol every night before a game.
Dean Henderson

Keeper Dean, 24, always has a quick chat with his lost loved ones, looking up at the sky to them.
He says: “I do it for my grandad and Pops. They’re always looking down on me, so I like to talk to them before the game. It’s just a weird thing I’ve always done, asking for their support in the games.
Keeper Dean always has a quick chat with his lost loved onesCredit: Getty
“I ask them to get behind me . . . and tell them it’s my time to shine.”
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ENGLAND striker Harry Kane roared out a warning to Denmark before tomorrow’s Euro 2020 semi-final: “I’m probably unstoppable.”About 34 million fans — more than half of the nation’s population — are expected to watch ITV as the Three Lions try to reach their first final in 55 years.
⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
England striker Harry Kane roared out a warning to Denmark before tomorrow’s Euro 2020 semi-finalCredit: Getty
And the viewers will be urging skipper Harry, 27 — who has three goals in the tournament so far — to run rampant.
Asked whether he could be stopped, he replied: “To be honest, probably not.
“If you try and stop me then that’s OK because you have got other players who are just as good, who are going to cause problems.
“I feel like when I’m playing at my best — I feel I can score goals or provide assists against anyone.
“Hopefully, that will be the case against Denmark.”
‘CAN SCORE GOALS AGAINST ANYONE’
England are favourites to clinch a place in their first tournament final since the 1966 World Cup when they march out at Wembley tomorrow in front of 60,000 home fans.
And The Sun can reveal that pubs will be allowed to open until 11.15pm on Sunday night — in case the Euros final goes to extra time and penalties.
Before then, industry data suggests 28 million pints will be downed tomorrow — ten million in pubs and 18 million at home — more than at New Year’s Eve.
The Denmark clash is set to beat England’s 2018 World Cup semi-final TV audience as research suggests non-sports fans have more interest in games played on home soil.
That night ended in heartbreak as the Three Lions lost 2-1 to Croatia in Moscow.

About 34 million fans — more than half of the nation’s population — are expected to watch ITV as the Three Lions (pictured) try to reach their first final in 55 yearsCredit: Getty
Players of Denmark stand for the national anthem prior to the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship quarter-final match against Czech RepublicCredit: Getty
But Kane feels sure his men will keep their cool and be better prepared tomorrow after learning from that defeat.
He said: “It’s now looking forward to a tough game and hopefully keep on knocking down barriers which have been there in the past.
“As a striker it would be great to win it — I would trade all my individual trophies for a team trophy any day and that’s the opportunity we have.”
The Danes go into the game galvanised after the near-death of Harry’s former Spurs teammate Christian Eriksen.
The 29-year-old midfielder, who survived a cardiac arrest during their opening game, has claimed his team-mates know how to thwart Kane.
ENGLAND FIRED UP
But Harry plans to prove him wrong and insisted his side will also be fired up — by the roar of the home fans.
Harry said: “We try to use that energy — being at Wembley — to our advantage and it helped us against Germany. It’s a great opportunity for us.”
He revealed he prefers playing in the nerve-shredding knock-out games to watching them.
And he said: “I definitely feel for the fans a little bit, my family, my wife, for having to go through it and watch it — they will be really nervous and ex- cited at the same time. But I 100 per cent prefer to be playing.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged the nation to support England’s young lions “enthusiastically but sensibly”.
Kane scored two showstoppers during the quarter-final match against UkraineCredit: Getty
Boris Johnson shows his support for the England team with a custom shirtCredit: Andrew Parsons / No10 Downing St
He showed his backing for them by holding up an aptly-numbered England shirt outside 10 Downing Street.
He said: “Gareth Southgate and the England squad have done the nation proud in the Euros, and we will all be wishing them the best of luck in getting to the final. Bring it home!”
The PM today signed off the extra drinking time plan for this weekend, regardless of whether England reach the final.
An emergency tweak to the law was ordered to allow boozers to continue serving for an additional 45 minutes in case the football drama is prolonged.
The move was to prevent disorder from millions watching in pubs where landlords would have been obliged to switch off.
‘DONE THE NATION PROUD’
A No10 source said: “As the entire nation comes together to enjoy the Euros final on Sunday, we’re putting extra time on licenses so fans can watch the whole game without fear of being kicked out before it’s over.
“And we’re backing England to make it there.”
The National Grid is braced for a monster 1.4 gigawatt power surge at half-time — as almost every fridge is opened for more beers and kettles are put on.
Tomorrow’s match will be worth £500million to pubs and supermarkets.
It is estimated we will tuck into seven million burgers, 13 million packets of crisps and 20,000 Danish bacon rashers in sandwiches.
Kane scored after just four minutes
The PM said: ‘Gareth Southgate and the England squad have done the nation proud in the Euros’Credit: Getty
The British Beer and Pub Association, said: “The feelgood factor among fans is increasing with more pints to be drunk during the semi-final than the Ukraine win on Saturday.”
Many big screens showing the game sold out in minutes. Black-market tickets for Wembley hit £6,000-a-pair today.
Fans celebrate England beating Ukraine in Euro 2020 quarter-final More