Earlier this week we asked people to send in messages about what an England victory in the final of Euro 2024 would mean to them.
It would be the men’s team’s first major tournament win since 1966 – with the Lionesses winning the Women’s Euros two years ago.
Here is a selection of your responses.
Family stories – ‘hearing my mum cheer team on means the world’
Nadeem: My son who is six years old has really got into football for the first time during this tournament. He has got his England kit with his name on the back and although his bedtime is usually at 8pm we have decided to make a special exception for him on Sunday and let him stay up to watch the final. We are backing England all the way and I believe I can truly say that football is coming home on Sunday – come on you Lions, one more step away from glory.
Ben Priest: It will be the realisation of generations of dreams. I for one will celebrate thoroughly with my family but there will likely be tears in my eyes seeing a gap next to me where my dad would have been: he gave me the passion for sport. It may just be a ball game, but it’s how it unites us that makes it so special. I’m hoping for an outpouring of joy this nation hasn’t seen in decades. So proud of the boys, bring it home!
Jimmy: Me and my brother went through all the emotions at the last Euros, falling one short of course, he’s no longer here so I’d desperately love to be able to tell him we went a step further and we did it!
Matt Fox: To have the chance to watch England win a major tournament in my lifetime, and with my family has been a dream of mine since my three boys were very young – now at 17, 15 and 13 that dream might become reality. Special family memories. Good luck to the whole England team, we’ll be proud whatever the outcome.
Andrew Steed: Winning would mean the world for several reasons. Firstly I will have seen England win something in my lifetime. I was three years old in 1966 and do not remember it. Secondly my dad is very ill, it looks like it will be his last tournament. What a joy it will be for him to see England win the Euros! Chatting about England’s victory with him will be the best present ever.
George: I will be in Berlin at the game on Sunday night with my dad and brother. My dad went to his first England game in 1974, a 2-2 draw with Argentina (with a controversial penalty given by an Argentine referee) and has followed England over the past three decades through the highs and lows (Iceland in 2016 springs to mind). For all those like my dad that have followed England across the world over the years and never gave up the faith, I hope they are rewarded with a special night on Sunday.
Simon: My dad lost his battle with cancer early this year, but before he went he told me Saints would get promoted and this England side were close to something special. Having endured all of Saints/England’s ups and downs from the 1980s on I expressed my weariness, cynicism and doubt and that was that. If our boys can get over the line on Sunday he’ll be up there, somewhere, grinning and wagging his finger at me, and when Harry raises that trophy above his head I will be raising a glass to my old man. COME ON ENGLAND!
Sam: England winning would mean everything for me. My mum is very poorly, I cared for her through the pandemic. On 21 June the doctors have said she is on end of life care and watching the games in the care home with her and hearing her chuckle and cheer the team on means the world! One more game! Come on lads!
Carl Wilkinson: I’ve supported England since I was nine, back to the famous Hand of God that cheated us. I’ve cried as a grown man going out of tournaments, always took it personally over the years. I just want to be part of history for the right and good reasons, I want to witness just once in my lifetime with my dad, and now my daughter. We are season pass holders for Hull City. Up until now my favourite football moment was being 2-0 up in an FA Cup final against all the odds against Arsenal. England winning the final would surpass that.
James Peacock: I have followed England my whole life. I first started to be more aware of tournament football with Euro 96 and I thought that England always got to semi-finals. How wrong I was but I still loved England. I have great memories watching England at Wembley with my dad. Now I get to watch England with my son. Winning the Euros or not, this England team will always be heroes – they have given us amazing memories. Thanks lads!
Memories of 1966 – ‘bring us right into the 21st Century’
David Priestly: I remember sitting on my father’s lap in 1966 being inconsolable when Germany equalised near the end of normal time – but I can still recall the happiness of Hurst scoring the fourth goal in extra time. I’ve been waiting for that feeling ever since. 1970, 1990, 2018, 2021 (Euros) were close, but it has never felt more possible to lift a trophy than now. I would be so proud and I dare say emotional if we got over the line on Sunday. It comes down to courage and belief. We are good enough. Bring it home England.
Tristan Hughes: We could finally put 1966 to rest and bring us right into the 21st Century as winners that would inspire more and more generations for years to come – just like the 1966 squad did for us.
Harry Long: Seeing England win Euro 2024 on Sunday would be something we’d remember for the rest of our lives. Seeing these players we idolise every week win something major we haven’t won since 1966 is just the ultimate memory that will be etched into our souls forever – that aura, that togetherness, the belief to never give up, this would mean the world to us, and we can do it Sunday. We can beat Spain, ENGLAND EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS 2024! COME ON YOU THREE LIONS.
John Pinnington: At the age of 71 I’ve seen all the good bad and sometimes the ugly of English football. When I saw us win the World Cup in 1966 at the age of 13 who could have thought it would be another 58 years before we had a real chance to bring the trophy home… Tears there will be a bucket load and the sheer pride of being an England fan will shine through… We dream the impossible dream… bring it on.
Kenneth Richards: I was born in1951 and saw England beat Germany in the World Cup. I am now 73 and it would be a dream come true for England to win a major final again before I die. One major final win is not enough for a football-mad country as great as ours. Come on England bring it home please.
Martin Wood: Currently in South Korea for work but made sure I arrived Wednesday so could watch the semi. I was a few months old when we won in 1966, so only know disappointment. I will be watching at 4am on Monday, guarantee if we win there will be a number of Koreans wondering where I am at work! I have every confidence in Gareth and the squad – only regret will be if we win won’t be there with my two lads to celebrate. Bring it home to everyone associated with the England squad in Germany, you’ve done us proud.
Tony Walmsley: Being born in March 1966 at least I was just alive for the World Cup win but obviously have no memories to treasure. Instead my first televised tournament watch was the Euros in 1980, aged 14. Since then it has been largely a lifetime of hope, aspiration and underachievement, until the most recent years where finals have become a reality. Fifty-eight years on the planet, exactly mirroring 58 years of disappointment. Winning now would finally end that!
Gary Pearson: I watched England win the 1966 World Cup at the age of 10, and before Gareth Southgate was appointed didn’t think I’d live long enough to see another victory in a World Cup or Euros. There was a dreadful run of qualification failures in the 1970s, and quarter-final exits then became the norm. Gareth has led us to three of the seven semi-finals in our tournament history dating way back to 1950, and to two of our three finals. He and his resolute and talented squad have provided real hope of breaking the 58-year duck!
Other tournament heartbreaks – ‘goosebumps at the thought’
Chad: I have autism and I’ve been an England fan for 20 years. I remember the years of Euro 2004, my first tournament, watching Wayne Rooney scoring – it was the beginning as I was a 14-year-old lad with dreams. From the good times to the bad times – like failing to qualify for Euro 2008 and embarrassing defeats to Iceland at Euro 2016 – I’ve been an England fan through and through. I’m 34 now and I feel the time has come for those like myself who waited.
Mark Norman: Being a supporter of a football club that doesn’t achieve much glory, it is hard to put into words how much an England victory would mean. I was living abroad during the 2018 World Cup and the scenes at home were a pull and I returned to live here soon after… People of a similar background will know that we’ve been brought up on memories of England playing during heady summers. Despite the weather letting us down this year, this England team can do something we will never ever forget.
Dan: My first memories of England were Italia 90, at the age of 10, which like everything that followed throughout the last 34 years were full of ups and downs. England winning the Euros on Sunday will have made the last 34 years of combined ecstasy, frustration, heartbreak and pain all worth it. These lads CAN DO IT! COME ON ENGLAND!
Tom: It’s redemption for the ‘also rans’, forever the bridesmaid never the bride. Penalties in 1990, Gazza’s outstretched leg in 1996, Rooney’s injury in 2004. Finally something this generation can hold up to 1966 and say “this was our moment in the sun”. The country comes together when England play. Time stops. Roads are quiet. Think what it would mean to have that explosion of joy by actually winning it lift every home. The European champions bringing football home – it would mean so much.
Jack Franks: In so many ways, England’s journey to the final epitomises why we all love the sport so dearly. The connection which Southgate nurtured and developed since the classic summer of 2018 seemed to be dissolving, euphoria in short supply and pints being forced into the air for airtime rather than naturally flinging out of clammy palms. I love Southgate and feel lucky to be part of this era, but even I was fed up. Cue Bellingham. Cue bedlam. Hugging strangers. Momentum. Penalties. Watkins. This feels different. Win or lose, tears will follow. One more win. Goosebumps at the thought.
Kev Solomon: England winning the Euros would be so special, I remember so many disappointments since 1986 and the heartbreak of being knocked out of tournaments. I really hope England can win this tournament, Gareth Southgate deserves success after what he has achieved so far, I want us to win for him. It would mean so much to our country, the players and Gareth. Come on England!
James Whittingham: I cried at nine years old when Southgate missed the penalty, I cried at 33 years old when Saka missed, now at 36 I want to cheer!!
Darren Cox: It would be the world, having lived through the England failures since the late 1970s (with the occasional bright spot – 1990 and 1996). It would mean just as much as when my team West Ham won the Conference League. I love how much England at major tournaments can raise the spirits of the whole country. Come on boys you can do it
Dan Scott: Following England since 1990 as an eight-year-old, I’ve seen my fair share of the England pain. I was sitting in Wembley in the pouring rain when we lost to Croatia and didn’t qualify for Euro 2008 and that started a period I fell out of love with England for a bit. But Southgate has turned that around in the last few years and now we can be genuinely proud of our team win or lose. I already know that should we win I will have tears of joy, and I hope I do.
Richard Miller: I’ve followed and loved the England men’s football team for as long as I can remember (Euro 96). It has always been a case of country over club for me. For the entire duration of each international tournament the only thing I can think of is the football and dreaming of glory. Our identity as a nation for so long has been wrapped up in 1966 and falling short since and the time has now come for that to change. Winning the Euros will be the best moment of my life. (Sorry to the wife and kids.)