Euro 2024 LIVE: Build-up to England vs Spain as Rice makes bold pledge ahead of final

It was a revealing admission from Gareth Southgate in the immediate aftermath of semi-final triumph as he led England into another European Championship final. Gemma Abbott argues that the England manager has been subjected to unfair treatment:

Gareth Southgate responded to the criticism he has faced as England manager throughout Euro 2024 after the Three Lions dramatically booked their place in the final, admitting that “we all want to be loved”.

Ollie Watkins scored in the 90th minute to secure a 2-1 win against the Netherlands, combining with fellow substitute Cole Palmer before firing in the winner.

The goal – and England’s performance on the night – silenced some of Southgate’s doubters, and the manager emotionally reflected on reaching another major final at full-time.

A major supermarket will close its Express stores in England early on Sunday for the Euro 2024 final following the Three Lions win in their semi-final against the Netherlands on Wednesday.

Earlier, the UK’s biggest grocer Tesco said its more than 1,800 Express stores will close at 7.30pm instead of the usual 10pm or 11pm to allow employees to watch a final involving England.

Tesco said the move would allow thousands of colleagues to get home or to the pub in time for kick-off, while still receiving their normal pay for those hours.

Those employees who do not want to watch the match will be also paid as normal.

Sir Keir previously supported calls for a bank holiday when England’s women’s football team made it to the World Cup final last year.

Asked whether he would back a bank holiday if Southgate’s team is victorious, the prime minister told broadcasters in Washington DC: “We should certainly mark the occasion, I don’t want to jinx it. I went to the last Euros final, I don’t want to go through that again.”

Southgate said that experience will help preparation due to the knowledge of how “different” a final is. He played down the idea that would give England any advantage, stating that Spain rightly go into the game as favourites.

Southgate, you’re the one. The one manager in England’s century and a half of playing men’s international football to take them to two finals. The only one to reach a final on foreign soil. The one who, if Spain are beaten in Berlin on Sunday, will have a claim to dislodge Sir Alf Ramsey from the top of the list of England managers.

Declan Rice says that England know “not to sit back” in order to win Sunday’s Euro 2024 final against Spain at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, having learned from the painful memory of Euro 2020.

The midfielder said the squad are “desperate” to “rewrite history”, as he admitted that “seeing Italy lift that trophy” will haunt him forever. That may also involve learning from history, as Rice said that experience has shown them “how we can win this final”.

There was a delightedly simple statement from Gareth Southgate, having got over so many complications and questions. “I am a proud Englishman.” That is why he took the job in the first place but it obviously had a greater feeling after delivering the national team to a second final in three years and just a third in history. It also has a greater meaning.

Lots of things are late in Germany this month. The trains would be the first and most obvious one, and perhaps the most consistent option too.

But soon after the creaking public transport system – which went beyond bent and firmly into broken territory in Dortmund in the hours following the Euro 2024 semi-final – on the list of oft-repeated late occurrences would be England goals.

More than 21 million viewers tuned in to watch England’s dramatic Euro 2024 semi-victory over the Netherlands – the highest peak television audience on a single channel since the 2022 World Cup.

Ollie Watkins’ 90th-minute strike in Dortmund earned a 2-1 victory to send Gareth Southgate‘s side through to Sunday evening’s final against Spain.

ITV’s coverage attracted a peak audience of 21.6 million viewers across television and streaming.

The figure is the highest on one channel since December 2022 when the nation tuned in to watch England’s 2-1 quarter-final loss to France at the World Cup in Qatar.

An average audience of 19.6 million watched Wednesday evening’s match as substitute Watkins claimed the late winner after a penalty from captain Harry Kane penalty cancelled out Xavi Simons’ early opener for the Dutch.

Overall coverage of the semi-final, between 6.30pm and 10.45pm, was watched by 12.7 million people, a 64 per cent share of viewing.

Sunday’s final in Berlin – England’s second in succession at the European Championships following a penalty shoot-out loss to Italy at Euro 2020 – will be broadcast by both ITV and the BBC, with kick-off at 8pm.