Gareth Southgate says England will have to be “perfect” to beat Spain in Sunday’s Euro 2024 final in Berlin.
The manager stressed that the resilient manner of the squad’s progress through the tournament has created a “togetherness” and “spirit” but that will be essential as the team “will have to find everything that we have got from within”.
England have a chance to make up for their Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy at Wembley, as they prepare to compete in their first tournament final on foreign soil.
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.
Luis De La Fuentes’ side have won all six games so far, most of them in convincing fashion.
“They would be rightly favourites for what they have done this tournament,” Southgate said. “They have been the best team. They have got a day longer and in the last three finals, maybe more, 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.”
Southgate elaborated: “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.”
He nevertheless pointed to the emotional momentum that England had developed.
“But, we are in there and there is no question, the big nights, that a lot of this group have been together and this new group, that has formed so well and have learned so much from these six games already. And we have got players who have played lots of big matches so they will know what is required on the night but in the next couple of days, we have got to get perfectly prepared as it is such a quick turnaround.
“You know, we are here. And it is a game we can prepare for, so no matter what the players have shown… the togetherness and the spirit.”
That will be required due to how complicated a fixture like this can be.
“You don’t know, for me as a coach, until you have coached a European final, there is so much around it that is different. You cannot help but learn from those experiences.”
Southgate felt that the 2-1 victory over the Netherlands offered England’s best football of Euro 2024 so far.
“The players, the way they played, was outstanding. You felt that we would be able to use the ball better and there would be more space. I think we exploited that early in the game but there were so many changes that had to happen.”