The crowd were on their feet for the semi-final watch along in Southampton, hosted at St Marys, where England took on Netherlands.

After previously playing just 20 minutes in the Euros 2024, Ollie Watkins, scored from an almost impossible angle at 89 minutes and 59 seconds securing England a spot in the final against Spain.

This will be the second time England plays in a Euro final after losing to Italy in the Euro 2020 by way of penalty shootout.

Fans watching at St Mary's sang ‘it’s coming home’ as they flooded out the ground and one group of enthusiastic fans told the Echo they were ‘over the moon’ England had come this far.

Simon Welcome, 50, Robert Adams, 43, and Marley Adams, 11, said that they were proud of Gareth Southgate’s team despite having a rocky journey to the final.

Marley Adams, Robert Adams and Simon Welcome (Image: NQ) Life-long England fan, Simon, said: “I think Southgate has been getting a lot of flack, but he has really changed it around tonight – what a goal and we had a great first half as well.

“We were all over Netherlands tonight. Foden’s positioning and work rate have been great.”

Robert said that he also thought that the criticism that Gareth Southgate had received was unnecessary.

He added: “He has got us to the semi-final of the World Cup in 2018, the final of the last Euros and the final of this one – people need to give him the credit that he deserves.

“It feels like we saw a different England tonight – and they arrived just in time. I think Mainoo and Saka have also been key players.”

Marley, 11, added: “I think we have been really unlucky this tournament as we have played well through a lot of it.

“I cried when Bellingham scored that bicycle kick to keep us in the tournament.”