England enter the iconic surroundings of Berlin’s Olympiastadion on Sunday night with a place in history the prize that would accompany victory in the Euro 2024 final against Spain. Gareth Southgate’s side must overcome the most impressive side on show in Germany to end a 58-year search for success by the men’s team stretching back to the sunlit day on 30 July 1966 when Sir Alf Ramsey’s side won the World Cup. A total of 457 players have represented England since that day - with 436 debutants - and the country has qualified for 20 major tournaments under 11 managers without ever escaping the storyline of disappointment.
Southgate and his players now have the chance to change the narrative forever and there has been a genuine sense of history in the making as England supporters flooded into Berlin, with many making their way to the vast bowl to the west of the city more than 24 hours before kick-off. England, under Southgate, are in a second successive European Championship final and hoping to erase the bitter memories of their defeat on penalties by Italy at Euro 2020. That was a desperate occasion on every level, not simply because of the loss, but also because England’s hope of emerging from the post-Covid era with a landmark victory was overshadowed by events away from the game.
What could have been a joyous day was scarred by crowd violence, poor organisation, mass disorder at Wembley as well as in London, then the bleak shadow of racist abuse aimed in the direc.