The nation holds its breath this evening as the hopes that football finally comes home remain firmly in the balance.
England will take on Spain in the final of Euro 2024 on Sunday (14 July) as the men's national football team become the first to play a second successive European Championship final.
Unfortunately, we have to bring up the heartbreak of losing out to Italy on penalties in 2021.
Gareth Southgate's tactics were criticised by some sections and, as always, some thought he could have selected a better lineup.
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But tonight, he gets another chance at glory.
Southgate wants to give fans a 'special night again tomorrow'
On what it would mean to win a trophy for the national team, Southgate told England Football, the team’s official website: “We’d be bringing happiness to our nation, bringing credibility.”
And during a press conference on Saturday evening (13 July), he said: “We know what it would mean to everybody at home.
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“We know what it would mean to us as a squad, the hard work that’s gone in, not just this group of players, but players that have been with us for the last six or seven years who’ve played a massive part in this journey with us and all of the staff that have been involved.
“It’s really been a huge team effort. All of those people have helped create the culture that we have, and we would love to give everybody a special night again tomorrow.”
Team news
Ahead of the all-important tie, it appears that the team news has been 'leaked', according to Mail Sport.
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"Gareth Southgate set to name unchanged England team for Spain final," Daily Telegraph Football News Correspondent Matt Law added.
The unchanged lineup would mean Kieran Trippier's inclusion at left-back.
England Predicted Lineup vs Spain
Pickford, Guéhi, Stones, Walker, Shaw, Rice, Mainoo, Saka, Bellingham, Foden, Kane
Spain Predicted Lineup vs England
Simón, Cucurella, Laporte, Normand, Carvajal, Olmo, Rodri, Ruiz, Williams, Morata, Yamal
The left-back issue
Fans have been crying out for a natural left-footer in that position, but the Newcastle fullback has kept his place in the team throughout the tournament amid Luke Shaw's lack of fitness.
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In the dramatic 2-1 semi-final win against the Netherlands, the manager said he was forced to take off Trippier at half time and replace him with Shaw.
He said: “We didn’t want to take any chances and we had it in our minds that bringing Luke into the game with that balance at some point.
“We’re still deciding how long he could play for, but we felt to be able to bring him into the game and finish with that balance was better than to start it and then have to take him off.
“We’ll have to see how our Tripps is but, I mean, he’s been an absolute soldier for us.
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“To fill in the way he has and produce the level of performance on the wrong side of the pitch with the injuries he came into the tournament with as well has been absolutely phenomenal.”
Meanwhile, England captain Harry Kane told a press conference that winning for England would mean 'everything'.
He said: “It would be the most incredible feeling as a professional footballer and I’m sure also for the fans to have that moment in history and to be able to celebrate that would be something very special.”
Topics: Football, Gareth Southgate, Euro 2024
Anish Vij