Join Scott Murray for our MBM report of the action at Wembley.
It’s time to close this here blog and wish you a Happy Final. Scott Murray will be along in a moment to take you through the action at Wembley, where something sensational is going to happen. Enjoy!
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From a man no doubt looking forward to the Thrill of it All ...
Well it's final day. England finally made it. Let's hope it's a good match. #Euros2020
— Geezer Butler (@geezerbutler) July 11, 2021
“I went to the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa, and we were dumped in a fan pen/park from about 10:30am on the day of the game,” recalls Adrian Fowell. “As far as I remember, the only refreshments were a sponsored beer bar with queues so long that everyone took to buying four or six pints at a time - there was always one of us queueing. Thankfully, my dad recorded the game back home, as I don’t remember a single thing after getting into the stadium proper...”
“In the Nordic countries there’s been discussion about the possibility of violence at Wembley tonight,” writes Kári Tulinius. “This might be because the stories of Danish fans being intimidated and reports of lax security have gotten more play than elsewhere.”
“Thanks for the rolling build up, I cannot wait!” yelps Paul Harrison. “For any of your readers in NYC wanting to watch the game in Brooklyn’s oldest Italian enclave, we’re all watching in the the Court Street Tavern (where Al Capone had his wedding reception). Ask for Paul(o)!”
“We’re currently at Stanmore, eating prior to making our way to Wembley,” gushes Tony Mason. “My wife, sitting opposite me, wears the same top I wore to the England v Argentina game in 1986 - genuine retro. We have been to each of the games aside from Ukraine including the 2 friendlies at the Riverside. This could be the culmination of 46 years watching this England team attending every 1/4 and 1/2 since (aside from the aforementioned Ukraine game). Like everyone else I am delighted at what Southgate has done and this is far more enjoyable than the Germany 1990 and England 1996 tournaments. Russia was something else but I can’t tell you how grateful I am to the man from Crawley.”
“In response to Andy Scott’s tweet, I was at the Italy v Austria game and both semis (and happily will be tonight too), you just wave your phone at the stewards and they let you through,” claims Neil in Herts. “No attempt to actually look at them to see what Covid info you’re offering. The stewards are too busy making sure that nobody has a bag bigger than a piece of A4, a rule they enforce with the kind of rigour you might have hoped they’d apply to Covid status. If your bag’s too big, you have to go to another point and check it in for £10, and then queue for ages after to pick it up. I was at Lord’s yesterday and they made more effort to check what you were showing them about your Covid status – and didn’t care how big your bag was.”
Our anonymous gambler [15.07] has been back in touch to say she would only cheer for Italy over England today if she stood to win at least £250,000. Hands up who believes her?
“I’m an expat (immigrant) in Sweden and I’ve been confined to my sofa at home for the whole tournament with a newborn,” mewls Jeff Hawkes. “Tonight I am going to the pub and can’t wait! The first tournament I watched was Euro ‘96 and it feels like there may finally be some closure here…”
“I am not English but have been an England supporter for 30 odd years,” announces Vibhanshu Bisht. “I am in India, where most fans follow Brazil, Argentina or Germany. Supporting England has been the opposite of glory-hunting, it is more like misery-hunting.My support for the England football team comes from an unlikely source - the 1989 Wimbledon final. At 7 years old, I watched my favourite Stefan Edberg get thrashed by Boris Becker, a German. So in 1990, when I was watching my first World Cup semifinal and it went to penalties, guess who I was supporting against the Germans. My loyalty was set in stone when they lost in ‘96 to Germany again. I don’t support English teams in any other sports, so this affinity to their football team comes from personal experiences in my formative years and the sustained disappointment of watching them in tournament after tournament over the years in my 20s and 30s. I am nearly 40 now and I have been filled with excitement and dread since morning. It could be the last time in my lifetime that I see England reach a major final (I hope not). I hope Southgate delivers.”
“I’m an expat in south west France,” Joe Coten a déclaré. “Preparing myself mentally for the game with a rib of beef barbecued on vine branches, washed down with a Côtes de Castillon red, which is 20km or so upstream on the Dordogne from St Emilion, by the way. I have a bottle of champagne made by a grower called De Carlini chilling in the fridge at the ready. Seems appropriate somehow. Am managing the stress four hours before kick-off. So far so good!” One man’s stress management is another’s blatant bragging.
“Before the tournament started I put a tenner on Italy winning the Euros at 8/1,” says a reader who doesn’t want to be named because she’s supposed to be working. “I’m really hoping I get to throw my betting sheet in the bin tonight.” That presents an interesting way of quantifying your allegation to the England team. How much cash would you have to be in line to win for your to cheer for Italy today?
When you see the tweet below, you remember the calibre of player that has missed out on this tournament because of cruel injuries. Men like Alexander-Arnold, James Justin and Nick Pope must have a strange mixture of feelings as they’ve watched their country’s progress from afar ...
One last push boys 💪🏾 https://t.co/OsUYLN3RqG
— Trent Alexander-Arnold (@TrentAA) July 11, 2021
“I’m an expat living in the US, at a campground in the mountains of New Mexico,” hollers Richard Bridgman. “Worried that the dodgy internet is enough to stream the game. If not, then Guardian live updates will have to do.”
#ENG fans gather in London’s Leicester Square ahead of tonight’s #Euro2020Final v #ITA pic.twitter.com/btisMbVGy4
— Adrian Rutherford (@arutherfordNI) July 11, 2021
It may interest you to know that Novak Djokovic is storming back at Wimbledon after losing the first set to Italy’s Matteo Berrettini. That has precisely no bearing on today’s football, of course, but you might like the follow the rest of that final with Daniel Harris here.
Here’s Aidan MacFarlane with some tuneful mixed messaging:
“July 2020: Hands, face, space
July 2021: Hands, touching hands.
Reaching out. Touching.
TOUCCHING YOOUUUUU”
Paul is back! Ta ra.
From PA: England forward Raheem Sterling reminded his team-mates they can control their own destiny as the Three Lions prepared to travel to Wembley from their Hertfordshire hotel.
He tweeted: “You are the creator of your own success #BoyFromBrent”.
You are the creator of your own success #BoyFromBrent pic.twitter.com/4Lb3Ao1oRv
— Raheem Sterling (@sterling7) July 11, 2021
I would love to know what it’s like at a pub in somewhere like the Lake District, miles from anywhere that usually do not have a TV available. Will they get the tellybox out for one big game?
A controversial response to 15:04.
I think that looks more like Paolo Maldini #ForzaItalia
— Campfire Vintage (@CampfireVintage) July 11, 2021
Italy have bounced back, as Nicky Bandini explains.
I didn’t know Picasso was a baker.
@Will_Unwin Southgate in a sourdough by my wife. English expats in Canada expect pic.twitter.com/VWGMIFNMDT
— stuart james hall (@stuartjhall) July 11, 2021
Mine’s a pint of research.
Did you know…no country has ever won Eurovision and the men’s Euros in the same year 👀
— Eurovision Song Contest (@Eurovision) July 11, 2021
Sorry but:
— FD (@efdiegi) July 11, 2021
2004: 🇬🇷 won Euros
2005: 🇬🇷 won Eurovision
2016: 🇵🇹 won Euros
2017: 🇵🇹 won Eurovision
2020 (Played in 2021): ?
2021: 🇮🇹 won Eurovision
👀
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A treat for the youngsters indeed.
@Will_Unwin Re your daughter experiencing football success. Kids today don't know they're born! Two semi-finals for the England senior men's team in back-to-back tournaments followed by a final. Being 57, I had a World Cup win I can't remember then three semi-finals over 50 years
— Bill Bevan (@billbevan) July 11, 2021
Some of the Sweet Caroline lyrics do not seem particularly relevant to football but what do I know?
Look at the night and it don’t seem so lonely
We filled it up with only two
And when I hurt
Hurting runs off my shoulders
How can I hurt when holding you
To save some time, I will assume there isn’t but anyone is welcome to correct me.
@Will_Unwin A potentially important research topic for the liveblog: Since Italy won Eurovision a couple of months ago, is there a correlation between Eurovision wins and major footie tournament wins? (Other than the obvious British droughts)
— Rod Begbie (@rodbegbie) July 11, 2021
David Conn praises the FA. They rarely get much kudos for their work.
If England do win tonight, my six-month-old daughter will have seen my team Manchester City and England win major titles since see was born. I had to wait a long time to see either. She is one lucky girl who has no idea what is going on.
Channel 4 will have Scotland’s Coastal Railways with Julie Walters on at 8pm. Will it be popular?
The queues seem to be growing outside pubs across England. There is nothing wrong with watching at home with a glass of wine, people.
Any news on who the Undertaker is supporting?
I’M AN ENGLAND GUY!@England #Euro2020Final
— Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) July 11, 2021
Here is Karen Carney on how England can get the better of Chiellini and Bonucci.
Euro 96 squad member Jamie Redknapp says this current crop of England players will be heroes regardless of whether they win, lose or draw tonight.
“I remember when we played Germany, and Scotland, all those games, the roads were lined with people with flags, with people enjoying the occasion,” Redknapp told Sky Sports News.
“Try and soak it up if you are a player, take these moments in, be in the moment and enjoy it, because they don’t come along very often. This is such a brilliant occasion, for everybody, for the players and for the fans who are going to be lining the street waiting to see their heroes.
“They are already heroes for what they have done, but can they now take it one step further and get their hands on that trophy?”
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I am not sure Harry Kane et al can take inspiration from Ellis Genge’s kicking technique but it’s a nice message.
'AVE IT!
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) July 11, 2021
From @EllisGenge and all of us at England Rugby, good luck tonight @England 🏴🏴🏴😃 pic.twitter.com/cqNVDhikna
Paul has nipped off for some lunch, so I (Will Unwin) will be here for a bit.
Here’s Jacob Steinberg on how Gareth Southgate made the most of this tournament’s postponement.
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Covid rules for getting into Wembley are a joke. The idea that all 65,000 people going to the #Euro2020 final will properly do one of these NHS self tests, far less honestly report a positive result, is a nonsense
— Andy Scott (@andpscott) July 11, 2021
Stéphane Darricau and Erik Brongers were first in with the answer to the question posed at 13.07. “In 1988, we (the Dutch) won the Euros against the USSR, with PSV having won the Champions Cup (after penalties against Benfica) a month previously,” yells Eirk. “I remember both matches with great fondness.”
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Good luck tonight @England , a team of integrity , passion and social awareness. Our Government should take notice. The England team and management make me proud to be English , our Government the opposite. pic.twitter.com/eTI9WzmloW
— Peter Reid 💙 (@reid6peter) July 11, 2021
Apparently there are reports elsewhere that Southgate has named his lineup today today and it will entail a reversion to a back five, with Bukayo Saka dropping out so that Kieran Trippier can come in at right wingback. That suggests an effort to disrupt Italy’s midfield.
Referring to the photo above, Gary from Lincolnshire parps: “Wow, Acerbi’s ‘ink’ is truly something else. Cupcake, pineapple, Mickey Mouse glove. What else can you spot/decipher?” He seems to have the inscription Don’t touch my but I can’t make out the next word. Maybe Luca Vialli couldn’t either?
Another fact: Chelsea, as you may have heard, won the Champions League this year. Only once in the past has the European championship been won by the country that that is home to the continent’s club champions. Remember when?
Fact: 22 players have competed in two European Champions finals. None have ever lost two. Today, then, is a chance for Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini to create history ...
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“On the subject of long queues, I once stood in line for eight hours for a Prince gig at Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London,” coos Ryan Hooper. “It was a chilly Sunday in February, and the gig had been announced on the radio about 45 mins before I got there. Pretty sure the lad who played the young hotel worker in Partridge was stood in front of me. One of the best gigs of my life, and Prince only charged a tenner for entry. Trying to think of a Prince song to define tonight’s match - maybe Let’s Go Crazy, as opposed to Controversy!” Have you - given that some folks are planning on an eight-hour drinking spree before kickoff - considered The Slaughterhouse?
“Interesting point about the penalty,” writes Greg Conboy. “I’m a Spurs fan and huge fan of Kane but I think he has struggled on big occasions and that might be the pressure. Champions League final he was admittedly coming back from injury but was poor. And I think he was actually poor in the Denmark game. A great pass for Saka and the penalty maybe covers up for a leggy flat performance. And leading the team out he looked stressed, not relaxed at all. Anyway I love him and hope he can relax and show us what we know he is capable of tonight.”
Here’s a thing: if England get a penalty today, what will Harry Kane do (assuming he is not too injured by his fall to take it...)? His spotkick against Denmark was awful, though the rebound favoured him. He explained afterwards that he intended to send it high but, for some reason, didn’t connect properly and his shot travelled low. The obvious explanation for that uncharacteristic miss is that he was under more pressure than ever before. As one of the figureheads of his country, the pressure is more intense on him than almost anyone else. L’Equipe today carried an interview with Geir Jordet, a Norwegian researcher who has studied the history of penalty-taking at tournament (club and international) as far back as 1976 and he has found that as a player’s status rises, his efficiency of penalties falls: “When a player has become an international superstar, he only scores from 65% of his attempts, compared to 90% before he reaches that status (especially by winning an individual award [ such as the Golden Boot]),” says Jordet. Golly. Maybe if today’s game goes to a shootout, England should bring on Aaron Ramsdale, if only to take one.
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The pubs are open in England .... pace yourselves, drinkers! Brace yourselves, everyone else.
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You know you want to read Barney Ronay’s thoughts on today’s showdown.
England have kept clean sheets in 11 of their last 12 matches. Italy have conceded a grand total of 10 goals in their last 33 matches. Neither team is likely to give up many chances today. So the difference could come down to who has the better finisher. But how close will Giorgio Chiellini & Co let Harry Kane get to goal?
Twenty minutes to pubs opening time .... any news from people in the queues? What are your chances of being awake/lucid by kickoff time?
“When I was five and my elder brother was seven, our family was on holiday visiting relatives in the East Riding,” recalls Matthew Bell. “One day, there was going to be football on the telly, and our Dad gave us a choice: watch football or go to the beach? We chose the beach. And that’s why Dad didn’t see the 1966 World Cup final. He was, in fact, much more a rugby man. But that didn’t stop him from finding this a useful anecdote to pull out strategically in later years. Today, in New York City, it doesn’t look like beach weather. Think I’ll watch the football.” Fair enough, but you and your dad had the right idea back then. Kids and dads: remember, it’s always better to run around outside than sit indoors watching other people do stuff.
“How do you think winning the European Championships compares with winning the World Cup?” asks David Wall. “Obviously there has been a lot made of it being the first major final since England won the World Cup and some have used that negatively to try to down-play what might be achieved (i.e. ‘it’s only the Euros’, etc). But given that the last four World Cup winners have been European countries, can the Euros be considered pretty much on a par with the World Cup now (in a similar way that winning the Champions’ League is as big a deal as winning the World Club Championships (or perhaps bigger))?” That comparison is flawed because in club football Europeans can buy a lot of the best players in the world and thus weaken clubs elsewhere. They can’t do that, at least not in the same way and to the same extent, in international football. So no competition that doesn’t include Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, Japan and on and on can ever be equal to the World Cup.
Today some of you may find out for the first time what it’s like to see England win a trophy. Our man Jeremy Alexander has witnessed such a freak occurrence before. Here he recalls that day back in ... when was it again?
“Re Battle Hardenedness (it’s a real word honest) - I’d agree if we hadn’t had the Danish game, something where we had to come from behind and go to extra time,” reasons AndyinBrum. “And when does battle hardenedness change to tiredness?” For England’s last opponents, it was around the 65th minute, but thenDenmark’s battles had included a long trek to Azerbaijan, where they fought in extreme heat. Neither Italy nor England have had to contend with that, but Italy did have to cope with chasing nimble Spaniards around for over an hour: one would expect that if England don’t get ragged when Italy pop the ball around, then as the match wears on, England’s greater speed and energy and deeper bench could be decisive.
“Tonight I’m going to an open-air concert venue called Circolo Magnolia, just outside Milan, to watch the game on a huge screen on the stage where they usually have gigs,” trumpets Elia Alovisi. “There’ll be seats, but I expect some rowdy scenes should we score. And if we win I expect the 30-minute ride home to turn into at least a celebratory five-hour ride through the city of Milan. Our group will be a mix between Italians, Indonesians, Vietnamese and Saudis - we watched the semis together and it went well I’d say!”
Question: we all know England have had an easier path to the final than Italy. But is that to their advantage in the final? Does it mean they will be fresher than the Italians? Or less battle hardened?
Hi @Paul_Doyle I’m currently trying everything to avoid The Fear™️. And was reminded of this bolit of AngloItslian collaboration which is an absolute banger (& the full video on Facebook is even better) https://t.co/FGRvfIwNgK
— (((AndyinBrum))) (@AndyinBrum) July 11, 2021
Rotten luck for our man Nick Ames (and all too many others) but the good news for you is you can still read his excellent piece:
No final for me today (NHS "ping"), but 12 years ago you could hardly have imagined there being one for Gareth Southgate either! This is about his time at Middlesbrough, and relegation - with help from Robert Huth and Justin Hoyte: https://t.co/W3mflpsJNb
— Nick Ames (@NickAmes82) July 11, 2021
“My wife once travelled from Leeds and queued outside the Riverside from just after 7am until 3.30pm to buy tickets for my father and I to go to the League Cup final. Totally worth it (as far as I’m concerned),” writes Dan Taylor, who must be a very lovely man if Mrs Taylor felt moved to do that for him. Or maybe she just wanted him out of the house for a day? Meanwhile, FionnTSmith (09.55) has just sent me photographic evidence of the throngs assembling outside the London pub where he is queuing. There are less than two hours till opening time ...
Here is Jonathan Wilson mulling over some of the tactical plotting that will shape today’s story:
“Here in Sydney the legions of ex-pat Poms are all in lock down,” sniffs Alex Wise. “No 5am breakfast beers at the local RSL this time around. Herbal tea on the sofa with a blanket and gas fire on. All tucked up and safe in the warm feeling of football coming home.” Meanwhile, elsewhere in Oz: “Excitement is building down here in Melbourne,” hurrahs Eastsidescally. “A lot of pubs who are showing the match are sold out. Need to get an early night as will need to get up at 4am to drive over to a mates place for a few beers and bacon sarnies. Come on England!!!”
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Here is a comment from FionnTSmith below the line. I don’t know whether it’s genuine. “I’m outside the Crooked Billet pub in E5, got here at 7:45 and am second in the queue to a group that arrived at 6:30am - the pub doesn’t open til midday! Come on England!!!” That prompts a question: what is the longest you have ever queued to get into something for leisure (as opposed to for some bureaucratic obligation). Was it worth it?
“Usually at this point in a tournament I’m still wearing my replica 70s Italy top,” reveals Craig Cheetham. “ My grandma was born there and came to Wigan as a nineteen year old. So my second team are usually giving me sommat to still cheer for. This year? Put it in the wash after the semis.”
“My sister sent me a picture of my grandma and her family taken probably in the late thirties/early forties the other day. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen my Italian great grandma and grandad. Him with his resplendent tash and pipe, her with a crocheted, up to the neck dress, hands crossed on her knees. And my absolute double, great uncle Mario in his Sunday best and pencil moustache. My grandma, the Hollywood Italian beauty.
I’ve been looking at the picture for days. These are my people, from back in time. Someone said to me the other day ‘you can’t lose on Sunday’. I replied ‘I can’t win either’. Course I’ll be supporting England but I’ll be thinking of my ancestors and that side of my family. I suppose some of them will be thinking of us.”
Thanks for that, Craig. I happen to live in a town with one of the biggest Italian communities in the UK and most of the streets round here have houses festooned with either English or Italian flags - some have both. So far everyone seems to have been enjoying the buildup in perfect harmony. Let’s hope that spirit continues no matter how the match goes ...
One continental championship has already been decided today, as Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America final. Here’s a report on that match. So Lionel Messi finally has an international trophy. Now won’t someone give the poor chap a job?
Speaking of other competitions, it’s 39 years to the day since the final of the 1982 World Cup, which, of course, was won by Italy. If an Italian scores today, he’d better so a Marco Tardelli.
Preamble
Hello. Some people spend their time wondering what Earth was like when dinosaurs roamed. Others devote their lives to tracking UFOs or hunting ghosts. But you, dear reader, are about to bear witness to something that none of the 107 billion (or so) humans who have lived have ever seen: England in a European championship final. It’s phenomenal, reader! Italy in a major final is a more common occurrence but even still, no one has ever beheld anything quite like these Azzurri, with their dizzying movement, nigh-on relentless attacking and 33-match unbeaten record. It’s extraordinary, reader! And there are only 11 hours to kickoff.
What are you going to do until then? Iron those lucky pants? Drink a crate of cut-price ale? Run out to the park to pretend to be Raheem Sterling firing the winner past Gianlugi Donnarumma, or Ciro Immobilie nutmegging Jordan Pickford, in the hope that those vibes somehow reach Wembley? Hotfoot it to your local shop to buy today’s Observer, to read all the masterful features and think-pieces previewing this final and just to keep it as a souvenir of this historic day? All of those options, and many more, are available to you, dear reader: your only obligation is to be in front of a screen – or in Wembley stadium – in 11 hours time. Exciting, isn’t it! How are you coping? Where are you going to follow the final? With whom? What are your plans for if it ends with the result you want?
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