Gary Linekerformer striker for the English national team, spoke to the microphones of BBC.com ahead of the Euro 2024 final between Southgate’s team and Spain: “I think it means a lot to English football. They were in the final, they were in the last Euro final: obviously, and it was at Wembley and it ended in a huge disappointment (losing to Italy on penalties ed.). It will be tough, it will be difficult, but they are on the brink of history. No English football team has ever won a major tournament abroad.”
The Three Lions’ fourth-highest scorer, with 48 goals in 80 games, continued: “They have that never-give-up attitude, which is extremely important. Even when they weren’t playing great, they were getting results. And it’s an old football cliché that if you can win when you’re playing badly, then things aren’t that bad. I don’t think I’m surprised that we’ve done that because we’ve got world-class players on the pitch. Yes, they started slowly and there were some things that weren’t right, but they sorted it out and gradually got better as the tournament went on. It’s much better that way.”
In closing: “So, football is coming home? I am banning that statement. It has been unfortunate for so long.”