- England take on Spain in the final of Euro 2024 on Sunday night in Berlin
The German press have blasted England for ‘cheating their way to the final of Euro 2024′ after Gareth Southgate‘s side secured a dramatic late victory against the Netherlands in their semi-final on Wednesday night.
It comes as one Dutch pundit has also appeared to turn on several of the Netherlands’ own players, while also slamming Bukayo Saka‘s apparent ‘handball’ in the run-up to Denzel Dumfries’ foul on Harry Kane.
The England captain was subsequently awarded a contentious penalty, with Gary Neville blasting the decision as an ‘absolute disgrace’, with Kane Slotting the spot kick past Bart Verbruggen in goal to pull his side level after Xavi Simons had fired Ronald Koeman‘s side ahead in the opening seven minutes.
Ollie Watkins‘ 90th minute winner would set up a clash between England and Spain in the Euro 2024 final, with the Aston Villa striker sending fans inside the Signal Iduna Park into delirium with his last-gasp goal.
Yet German outfit, BILD, who watched their national side crash out of the tournament in the quarter-finals, have lambasted England for reaching the showpiece event, claiming that Spain have ‘impressed’ while Southgate’s side have ‘cheated’.
They wrote: ‘Only two days left until the 17th European Championship final between Spain and England will take place in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
‘The signs on Sunday are clear: While the British cheated their way into the final, the Spanish impressed throughout the entire tournament.
‘They are the clear favorites and are keen to win their fourth European Championship trophy in history.
‘An exciting statistic does not exactly make England, who are in the Euro final for the second time in a row and want to finally win a title again after the 1966 World Cup, any more confident.’
Dutch fans have insisted they were ‘robbed’ by England’s controversial penalty, noting Saka had handled the ball before Kane was fouled by Dumfries. Referee Felix Zwayer – who has previously served a six-month ban for betting breaches – and his VAR team failed to spot the infringement.
Another fan claimed England were ‘lucky’ to get through, while Ronald Koeman, delivred his assessment of the infringement, claiming that VAR has ‘broken football’.
‘As a former defender myself, what could he do in that position?’ Koeman said, speaking on the Dumfries foul. ‘He tried to block the ball … To penalise that is to tell him we cannot play properly football.’
‘I think that we cannot play properly football and this is due to VAR. It really breaks football.’
Germany, though, similarly were on the recieving end of a contentious hand ball decision, during their quarter-final clash against Spain.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side were knocked out of the tournament during that match, after Mikel Merino scored an agonising 119th minute winner after neither side could be separated in extra-time.
The hosts, though, were left incensed at referee Anthony Taylor and Spain defender Marc Cucurella, after Jamal Musiala’s goal-bound effort was blocked by the Chelsea full back’s arm inside the penalty area.
Germany had been awarded a penalty for a similar incident by fellow English referee Michael Oliver during their lround of 16 victory against Denmark, after a close-range cross from David Raum deflected off his arm inside the penalty area, with Kai Havertz stepping up to convert the resulting penalty.
Nagelsmann had vented his fury at the decision after the game, claiming: ‘It wasn’t deserved today and the referee blew in favour of Spain a little.
‘It was a clear penalty.’
‘If Jamal Musiala shoots the ball towards the city centre of Stuttgart and Cucurella touches it, I would never want a penalty.
‘(But the ball) goes towards the goal and he stops it clearly with his hand.
‘We have 50 robots that bring us coffee, so there must be an AI that calculates where the ball will go.’
Dutch pundit Johan Derksen has meanwhile, launched a scathing rant about Simons, claiming the 21-year-old is ‘too big for his boots’.
‘That brat doesn’t want to talk to the media anymore,’ Derksen said to Dutch TV show, Vandaag Inside Oranje. ‘Little prince, crybaby. He hasn’t achieved anything.’
‘He kicks a ball in and immediately gets too big for his boots. Who does he think he is?’
The pundit has also hit out at Dutch holding midfielder Jerdy Schouten who has stepped up to replace Frenkie de Jong in Koeman’s midfield at Euro 2024, with the Barcelona star currently sidelined with an injury.
Schouten, though, has received rave reviews for his performances at Euro 2024, having been an unsung hero in the Netherlands’ midfield.
Ruud Gullit likening the 27-year-old to how Sergio Busquets played for Barcelona, but Derksen conversely refused to praise the Dutch star.
He said to Vandaag Inside Oranje: ‘You don’t become a European champion with that, with Schoutens. But we don’t have anything better.’
His brutal assessment of the midfielder’s performance came after De Telegraaf sports journalist Valentijn Driessen, claimed ‘Schouten had done well’.
Derksen hit back, saying: ‘But he remains a simple worker, a water carrier, that is not a supporting player.’
The 75-year-old said: ‘But he simply does his job well.’
More to follow…