Gareth Southgate has said he wants to lead England to victory against Spain in the Euro 2024 final “so much it hurts”.
The men’s team are through to just a third ever major final – just three years after losing out on being crowned kings of the continent after defeat to Italy in a penalty shootout.
Few know the highs and lows that come with representing England better than Southgate, who saw his penalty saved in the Euro 96 semi-final shootout loss to Germany.
“As a player and an athlete, you view those failures in a different sort of way,” he said.
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“As a coach, manager, leader, you recognise what you’re doing well,” he added.
“Had we gone out in the first knockout round here, I know I’ve managed this period better than I did in Russia (at the 2018 World Cup), but that wouldn’t be how it was viewed and it would sound like nonsense to the man in the street.
“I completely understand that, but I know the job now and I’m really clear on being my own biggest critic, reviewing everything clearly.
“I want to win so much on Sunday it hurts, don’t get me wrong, but I can handle whatever comes and I know it’s not going to change what the dog thinks when I walk back through the door.”
Southgate is now hoping to “bring some temporary happiness” to what has been an “angry country” by making history on Sunday.
Such rage was clear on social media and also in the stands during the early stages of these Euros, with boos greeting the end of the group draws against Denmark and Slovenia.
He also had beer cups aimed at him after the latter stalemate in Cologne, but he was unflinching in the face of negativity.
“There was a danger (things unravelled) but I was determined to confront it,” he said.
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“When the beer came over I was going to go and walk towards it because we fought too hard to change the environment for the players.
“We’ve got players here who are in their first tournament. They’ve actually come into it.
“We’ve got players who have learnt how to win with us and have been with us all the way through.”
“We’ve got some who’ve got no fear anyway. But if we’d suddenly had this environment where it’s ‘I’m not so sure I did enjoy that’ that would have undone the progress we’ve made,” he added
“So, I felt it important to fight for that in that moment. I was the only who was going to be able to do that really.
“And I have no problem if I’m the lightning conductor – to take that for the players. Because in the end that’s the job. The job is to allow them to perform at their best.”