For yet another major tournament England fans have been left feeling crushed, as once again, it did not come home.
England reached the final (Sunday 14 July) after beating the likes of Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Netherlands.
Spain, on the other hand, had a much harder route. Winning the Group of Death easily ahead of Italy and Croatia then overcoming host nation Germany and World Cup finalist France to get to this stage.
But that form clearly persisted, as they overcame England in the final.
Goal. 2-1 to Spain.
— England (@England) July 14, 2024
After a goalless first half, it was Spain who scored first in the second half, closely followed by a goal from England’s Cole Palmer.
He replaced Mainoo and he soon made a name for himself as he finished brilliantly from Bellingham’s lay-off to equalise for Southgate’s side.
But Spain struck in the closing stages in Berlin, substitute Mikel Oyarzabal turning home Marc Cucurella’s low cross with four minutes remaining.
Although England lost, many feel each player should hold their heads high.
It was Gareth Southgate's second major final, reaching the final of the same tournament back in 2021, when Italy prevailed on penalties.
Recommended reading:
Rare King Charles III £20 banknote sells at auction for £7k
Steve Backshall warns dangerous animals are coming to UK
Jeremy Clarkson inspires supporters style at Euro 2024
It is rumoured to be Southgate's last tournament as manager of England, where he leaves as arguably one of it's most successful managers.
Despite coming under fire from fans and pundits throughout the tournament, many feel that he deserves to hold his head high after reaching a second successive final.
England had never reached a Euro's final before Southgate's arrival.
England's 2024 tournament run
The 58-year wait for major silverware goes on.
England kickstarted their campaign with a win against Serbia but then they drew against Denmark and Slovenia.
This was followed by a win against Slovakia and a draw against Switzerland which went to penalties.
There had been criticism of manager Gareth Southgate's tactics and player selection, but England continued to find a way.
The semi-final against the Netherlands looked like it was heading to extra time until substitutes Ollie Watkins and Cole Palmer came on in a double change.
It was seen as a bold move by the England manager, who took off Phil Foden and captain Harry Kane.
The risk paid off as Palmer set up Watkins who scored a goal in the final minute, taking England through to the final, where they lost.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel