- Author, Gary Rose
- Role, BBC Sport journalist in Berlin
Gareth Southgate says he is “not a believer in fairytales but is a believer in dreams” as he prepares to lead England in Sunday’s Euro 2024 final against Spain.
The men’s team are looking to end their wait for a first trophy since winning the 1966 World Cup.
Southgate featured as a player at Euro 1996, which was played in England but won by Germany.
Asked if he felt it was fate the Three Lions now have the chance to win a European Championship in Germany, he said: “I am not a believer in fairytales but I am a believer in dreams.
“We have had big dreams and felt the importance of that, but you have to make those things happen.
“The run we’ve had, the late goals and penalties, doesn’t equate to it being our moment. We have to make it tomorrow and perform.
“It would be a lovely story and it’s in our hands but the performance is the most important thing.”
‘I want the players to be fearless’
Image source, Getty Images
Back in that 1996 tournament, Southgate missed the decisive shootout penalty in the semi-final against Germany.
The current England team have also gone through difficult experiences at recent tournaments, losing on penalties to Italy in the final of Euro 2020 and exiting at the quarter-final stage at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after losing to France.
They were seconds away from going out of the Euros at the last-16 stage against Slovakia until Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick took the game to extra time and Harry Kane’s header sealed victory.
Since then, they have beaten Switzerland on penalties and come from behind to see off the Netherlands to reach the final.
Southgate believes his players should go into Sunday’s final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion against a strong Spain side better for their past experiences.
“I don’t have any fear about what might happen [against Spain] because I’ve been through everything,” he added.
“I want the players to feel that fearlessness. I want them to be able to be the best version of themselves because, whatever happens, we’re so strong as a group.”
England have ‘extra fire and hunger’ after Italy defeat
Image source, Getty Images
England captain Harry Kane says the final defeat to Italy at Wembley has given him and his team-mates that extra motivation to put things right by beating Spain.
Asked what it would mean to lift the European Championship trophy, he added: “It would mean everything. It would be the most incredible feeling.
“For the fans to have that moment in history and celebrate that, it would be special.
“We have been here before, it was a tough finish in the last Euros, there’s extra hunger and fire in our belly to make sure this one goes our way.”
For Kane, victory on Sunday would also see the 30-year-old win a first trophy for club or country.
The Bayern Munich striker is both England and Tottenham’s all-time leading scorer, won the 2018 World Cup golden boot, the 2024 Champions League golden boot and three Premier League top-scorer awards.
Asked if he would swap all of those accolades in an instant for victory against Spain, Kane said: “Of course, it’s no secret that I haven’t won a team trophy.
“Every year that goes by, you’re more motivated and you’re more determined to change that and now I have the opportunity to win one of the biggest trophies you could ever win and to make history with my nation.
“I’m extremely proud to be English. I’d swap everything in my career to have a special night by winning [on Sunday].”
Under Southgate, England have reached back-to-back European Championship finals as well as the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the last eight of the tournament in Qatar four years later.
The Three Lions boss believes his side now have the mentality of being a team that reaches the latter stages of major tournaments – and feels they now need to take that next step by winning Euro 2024.
“I’ve travelled to World Cups, European Championships, watching as an observer and watched highlight reels of matches on the big screens – and we weren’t in any of them,” Southgate said.
“We needed to change that. We had high expectations but they didn’t match where we were performance-wise. Now the high expectations are still there but we’ve had consistent performances, certainly over three of the last four tournaments and a quarter-final in the fourth.
“In the end you have to be in the latter stages of tournaments to learn how to win the big games.
“A lot of records we have broken but we know we have to do this one, to get this trophy to really feel the respect of the footballing world.”
‘There are no favourites for final’
Spain have been impressive at Euro 2024, winning all six of their games in either 90 or 120 minutes and beating France and hosts Germany along the way.
In contrast, England have received criticism for some of their performances at this tournament.
But Spain boss Luis de la Fuente believes all that counts for nothing on Sunday.
“We know there is no favourite, it is a very, very equal game,” he said.
“We know that if we don’t play above the level we have shown so far, are not completely focused – we won’t be able to win if we don’t do all of that.”