Euro 2024: ‘Fearless’ Southgate exudes calm on eve of final showdown

Gareth Southgate says he nary longer has thing to fearfulness arsenic England boss, arsenic he has already been done everything shot has to propulsion astatine him.

Southgate missed a important punishment successful nan semi-final shootout conclusion against Germany astatine Wembley during Euro 96. He besides saw England surrender leads successful nan 2018 World Cup semi-final and Euro 2020 Final, only to suffer successful extra-time and connected penalties respectively.

The Three Lions leader said to media from astir nan globe astatine Berlin’s Olympiastadion connected nan eve of Sunday night’s conflict pinch Spain successful nan European Championship final.

“I don’t person immoderate fearfulness because I person been done everything,” he told nan media conference. “I want nan players to person that fearlessness.

“If we are not acrophobic to suffer it gives america a amended chance of winning. I americium personally excited.”

“I’m not a believer successful fairytales, but I americium a believer successful dreams.” 💭

Will Gareth Southgate’s dream travel existent connected Sunday night? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿#BBCEuros #Euro2024 pic.twitter.com/Ja4ojH2ROG

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 13, 2024

‘We person recovered ourselves’

Southgate says England person yet recovered themselves astatine Euro 2024, aft seeing their preparations hampered by injuries and having to find ways of balancing nan attacking broadside pinch truthful galore talented players occupying akin positions.

“I americium happy wherever we are astatine going into this game,” he said. “We person been trying to find equilibrium and we person started to find that successful nan past fewer games.”

He is wary of nan threat posed by La Roja, who are nan first federation to triumph six matches astatine a azygous Euros.

He said: “My observations are that they person a very clear measurement of playing, a very settled team, they property pinch existent intensity, support possession exceptionally well.

“We will person to beryllium very good organised successful really we play.”

“We are showing our existent selves,” he added. “It’s been starting to travel complete nan past 3 matches. We played very good against nan Netherlands (in nan semi-final) and that’s our volition again.”

The world is watching

Southgate says contempt their improved fortunes complete nan past 4 tournaments, nan only measurement they will gain nan respect of nan shot world is to triumph Euro 2024.

He said successful shot ‘sometimes you spell done difficult nights,’ and added: “We had precocious expectations but they didn’t lucifer wherever we were capacity wise.

“Now nan precocious expectations are still location but we person accordant performances.

“In nan extremity you person to beryllium successful nan second stages of tournaments to study really to triumph nan large games.

“We person surgery a batch of records but we cognize we person to do this one, to get this trophy, to really consciousness nan respect of nan shot world.”

If you fancy a wager connected nan Euro 2024 final, past don’t hide to sojourn nan Betano Free bets connection page to declare £30 free bets

With speculation that Sunday nighttime could beryllium his last crippled successful charge, sloppy of nan result, Southgate reflected connected a profession which has seen unthinkable highs arsenic good arsenic heavy lows.

“Those difficult nights person taught maine shot tin alteration truthful quickly. The quality betwixt winning and losing is truthful small. It’s fixed maine much position successful life – successful nan extremity location are bigger things than football.

“Football has fixed maine an astonishing life and astonishing experiences. I couldn’t person wished for thing much than to correspond my state arsenic a subordinate and past to beryllium capable to lead my state for 8 years arsenic a head has been nan biggest privilege I could perchance have.”