25 years ago – nearly to the day – I walked down Wembley Way to the England v Germany Euro ’96 semi final.
I was wearing a heart monitor to check my heart-rate before, during and after the match. I've still got the England shirt – but it's a bit tight now!
The Daily Mirror ran a piece the following day on my ups and downs as a supporter at the match.
It was the start of a string of heart-breaking games I covered from tournaments in Japan 2002, Germany 2006, Brazil 2014, France 2016 and Russia 2018.
If England could find a way to exert maximum pain - they would do it. Penalty shoot out defeats, extra time losses, dismal 0-0 draws and opposition wonder goals.
It couldn't be different tonight could it?
Thousands of England fans have been on Wembley Way, belting out their favourites including “Three Lions”, “Vindaloo” and the national anthem.
Impromptu football games are being played as residents watch from nearby flat balconies. Flags from Bristol City, Grimsby Town, North Shields and Darlington are all in attendance.
England fan Baton Murati, 44, has his foot in his cast.
He only got a ticket this morning and wasn’t going to let a ruptured Achilles tendon prevent him from cheering on the Three Lions.
He got an Uber from his home in Islington to Wembley as the tube would have proved too tricky.
The former professional basketball player told Mirror Online: “nothing would stop me coming today. I couldn’t believe it when I got a ticket.”
Certainly, fans across the country are in optimistic mood.
Pubs have swelled with supporters wearing replica football strips, while St George's flags billowed in the mid-summer breeze as die-hard and fairweather fans alike got into the feel-good spirit.
Mark Hartley, 40, woke up bright and early because he was so excited about the match and got to the pub shortly after they opened to down the "first of many" pints.
He said: “I can’t wait, I have taken the day off and it’s going to be a fantastic occasion.
“If you’re not getting the day off, what are you doing?
“Two big teams going against each other, how could you miss this?"
A group of builders from Chesterfield, Derbys., cancelled their work plans at 8.30am this morning to head to the boozer in anticipation of the match.
They sent a text to their boss to tell them they were detouring to the pub to watch the three lions instead of going to their scheduled job.
The festivities started at 10am when they sunk into their first pint of Stella Artois – and they expect to add shots of Jager to the fray as the day goes on.
Sean Foster, 40, said: “We texted the boss and we’ve yet to hear back but we couldn’t miss this.
“It was a spur of the moment thing but I think deep down we knew we’d be watching the match.
“I’m feeling a bit nervous but mostly excited. It’s going to be 50/50.”
Chris Shaw, 40, who is at the pub with his daughter Allisia, 18, said there was no better reason to enjoy a day out after all the sacrifices made during the lockdown.
The builder said: “I’m happy we’ve decided to take the day off, it’s going to be worth it.
“These kinds of days don’t come around often and you don’t want to miss them.
“After Covid I think we deserve to have days out like this with pals, enjoying pints and being out.
“If ever there was a reason to come out and enjoy life, this is it. We’ve all made so many sacrifices and I’m just glad to be here today. It’s going to be an unforgettable day.
“But I’m a little worried about the state I will be in tomorrow.
“I’m excited about the match, there is so much history between the nations but I like our chances. It’s coming home.”
Daughter Allisia, also a construction worker, said she convinced her dad to get the day off work and urged England manager Gareth Southgate to ‘just go for it’.
She said: “I was buzzing to get the day off work, I was the one who told my dad we should do it. I instigated it a little bit.
“I’ve been drinking the VK blues and I plan on outdrinking everyone here.
“I’m quite excited I think it’s going to be a fantastic day with an even better atmosphere – it's what you live for.
The hopeful disposition among England supporters has been boosted by an unbeaten, if unspectacular, canter through the group stages of the competition without conceding a goal.
And with the likes of world champions France, the Netherlands, and reigning European champions Portugal all already eliminated, commentators have suggested England's path to major tournament success couldn’t be much easier - either Ukraine or Sweden await today’s Wembley winners in the quarter-final.
Before then however, a familiar foe needs to be vanquished.
