EXCLUSIVE: England beaten by ‘best team in Euros history’ – James

David James says England were beaten by nan “best broadside successful European Championship history” successful nan Euro 2024 final.

Spain won their 4th title and first since 2012 successful Berlin, scoring a precocious victor against nan Three Lions to make it back-to-back losses astatine nan past hurdle for Gareth Southgate’s men.

La Roja won each 7 of their matches astatine nan tournament, beating nan likes of Italy, Croatia, Germany and France connected their measurement to nan final.

It is simply a testament to nan activity of caput coach Luis de la Fuente, who was successful pinch Spain’s younker teams earlier taking complete nan elder side.

James erstwhile stood successful nett for his state but has much precocious been providing master study and was blown distant by nan value of nan winners.

Speaking to 101GreatGoals connected behalf of Best Online Poker Sites, nan ex-England stopper said: “I’ve travel to nan realisation that we sewage hit by nan champion squad successful European Championship history.

We fell short of what we wanted to execute this summer, but this group gave everything and person done america proud.

Your support successful Germany and backmost location has been incredible. Thank you. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/YBivqQXfJe

— England (@England) July 14, 2024

“I don’t want to return thing distant from nan Italy final. Again, we sewage to nan final, we were conscionable 2 penalties short of winning it if you like. But Italy weren’t nan champion squad successful nan tournament. I deliberation that’s nan point.

“When you look astatine Spain this tournament, they’ve played 7 games, won 7 games.

“They’ve had nan astir number of individual extremity scorers successful immoderate Euros finals history. This full squad was equipped to triumph nan tourney aliases had nan belief and expertise to triumph it.

“So therefore, arsenic frustrating arsenic nan crippled mightiness be, you came up against a squad which has ne'er been seen earlier successful European history.

“To triumph 7 retired of 7 games is unheard of until past night. It doesn’t mean that we couldn’t person done thing different, but what it does mean is that everyone who tried to do thing against this Spanish broadside ended up losing.”

Unlucky England

England’s first-half capacity against Spain was encouraging, albeit lacking successful nan intermezo department.

Each subordinate looked to beryllium sticking to their domiciled very good and it was frustrating Spain, who were struggling to present their accustomed crosses into Alvaro Morata.

Cold.️#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/Yc8zMnoU98

— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) July 15, 2024

But a fewer chaotic minutes successful nan 2nd half was each it took for nan Three Lions to travel unstuck and James admits it was simply unlucky that they had to look specified a formidable opponent.

He added: “I thought nan first half was excellent. What England did successful nan first half was incorporate Spain to nan point, yes, they had immoderate openings, but really, their cardinal players, Rodri, Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal were kept very quiet.

“I was chuckling to myself because each clip Williams picked nan shot up, he wanted to tally and hit Kyle Walker and he couldn’t.

“And past Yamal tried to do it against Luke Shaw and he couldn’t. The crippled scheme was working.

“However, this was, I deliberation predominantly because Rodri was kept quiet and past erstwhile nan substitution was made, Martin Zubimendi came successful and he really occupied a different position to Rodri.

“So nan crippled scheme that we had pinch Rodri each of a abrupt was flawed and aft 2 minutes successful nan 2nd half, we’re 1-0 down. So it benignant of was those 2 minutes that were nan cardinal to nan game.

“We sewage backmost into it, but really Spain had much opportunities, Jordan Pickford made a fewer large saves, which different clip Spain people and we’re 2-0 down and again, it’s wholly different.

On nan transportation successful nan #EURO2024 last for hardly 2 minutes and scores.

Cole Palmer 🥶 pic.twitter.com/5uXK2tW5zW

— England (@England) July 14, 2024

“I don’t deliberation there’s overmuch we could person done differently. I conscionable deliberation that had Rodri stayed on, past nan crippled would person panned retired very differently.

“They [England] came up against a broadside who, passim nan competition, had proved crippled connected crippled connected game, moreover erstwhile they changed, I think, 9 aliases 10 players successful nan past group game, everyone was tin and it was for illustration they didn’t person to person nan champion player.

“They conscionable had specified a precocious level of players that it was interchangeable. We saw that erstwhile I deliberation Pedri sewage injured and past Dani Olmo comes in, scores a goal, sets 1 up, it’s conscionable for illustration everyone conscionable fitted successful perfectly.”

Changing of nan guard

It was different disappointing nighttime for Harry Kane, who was taken disconnected early successful nan 2nd half.

Ollie Watkins replaced him and Cole Palmer besides came connected to people nan equaliser.

The likes of Eberechi Eze, Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton saw immoderate minutes astatine nan tourney and James had his opportunity connected whether he thought location was a changing of nan defender successful nan England campy arsenic eyes move to nan 2026 World Cup.

“Changing nan guard? Yes, because we person young players coming through. I deliberation what was really pleasing.

“In 2 years’ clip for a World Cup, past you would deliberation location are players that we mightiness not know.

“I’m judge section fans of section teams will opportunity this kid’s going to beryllium nan one.

“But what we saw pinch Spain and their spot successful younger players, I deliberation that’s thing that Gareth has knowledgeable pinch younger players arsenic well.”