Key events
What are Southgate’s thoughts on all this? Well, he’s likely more focused on Sunday. The England manager says his side must be “tactically perfect” against the “favourites” Spain.
They have won a few trophies. They are a bloody good side. Let’s pitch it right. We have got to be perfect to win this game and we will have to find everything that we have got from within us.
They would rightly be favourites for what they have done this tournament. They have been the best team. They have got a day longer and in the last three finals it has been quite significant, so we have got to get our recovery spot on. Tactically, we will have to be perfect as they are such a good side.
In the last three European Championships, the side that have played their semi-final first, have gone on to won the tournament (Italy, Portugal and Spain).
The Football Association will attempt to convince Gareth Southgate to remain as England manager regardless of the outcome of Sunday’s final against Spain, the Telegraph reports.
It was expected Southgate would leave after the Euros in Germany, his fourth major international tournament as England manager. But the FA have been impressed with the way Southgate has changed perceptions of the England team since he took charge in 2016.
The manager’s current contract ends in December. Before the Euros, the FA’s chief executive officer, Mark Bullingham, confirmed that no one had been approached to take over from Southgate.
Good morning all and happy Friday! We are just under 60 hours before England kick-off their Euro 2024 final against Spain in Berlin. Sixty hours (and 90 minutes plus added extra-time and penalties) before England’s men’s side are possibly European champions for the first time in their history. It really does not get much better than this.
Join me for all the buildup before the showpiece and event and for the latest news coming out of Germany, including a possible new deal for Gareth Southgate regardless what happens come Sunday.
If you have any questions, musings, complaints and pre-European Championship final rituals you would like to share, send them to me via email which you can find at the top of this blog.