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Gareth Southgate says England will have to be “incredible” going in and out of possession if their first final on foreign soil is to end in Euro 2024 glory against tournament side Spain.
A summer that began with unconvincing displays, fan displeasure and widespread criticism will end with a shot at history in Sunday’s Berlin showpiece at the Olympiastadion.
England got their last game against Spain thanks to sub Ollie Watkins’ super strike at the death against the Netherlands, winning 2-1 and causing bedlam across the country.
It was the first time the England men’s team had reached a major final abroad and the second consecutive continental final for the side who lost on penalties to Italy at the end of the last edition.
Spain will surely present their strongest challenge and Southgate knows that England will have to be at their best against a physically fit side who have had an extra day to prepare if they are to join the 1966 World Cup team for eternity.
Asked if facing an attacking team and focusing on possession is more suited to England than a defensive outfit, the manager smiled: “Well, we have to get rid of the ball first!
“It’s not as easy as we have the ball and make them run. I mean, they press very, very hard, so we will have to be exceptional with the ball, and we will have to be exceptional without it.
“But it’s a final, you expect that. They’ve been the best team. We’re starting to show a better version of ourselves.
“The extra day is a concern. You know, in the last few tournaments it was a problem for the finalists, so we have to do our best to recover the players well.
“But we won’t be in the training ground. It’s simple. We’ll be walking or delivering things in meetings, which is the same as this game.
“But we are there and with what we have shown so far, we have as good a chance as we do.”
Spain are the bookmakers’ favorites to win in Berlin, where Southgate will try to claim England’s men’s first continental crown after falling so far in the Euro 2020 final.
England’s squad has a new look now, but the essence of Italy’s defeat remains, with Southgate drawing on that experience as the group quickly refocuses on Spain.
“The guys were singing in the dressing room, but it was right on the ice,” he said with a laugh after the Signal Iduna Park semi-final.
“There won’t be any wild parties. We’ve had a few, so we chose that time.
“But in terms of experience, of course every game you manage, every tournament you manage, you learn a lot.
We have to be incredible (against Spain) with the ball, and we have to be incredible without the ball. But this is the final, you expect that.
Gareth Southgate
“When I took this job, I had been a Premier League manager for three years. I have now had 100 internationals, some of the biggest games in world football. You learn all the time from that.
“We are calmer in the knockout games because the first time we did it in Russia (at the 2018 World Cup) we haven’t won a knockout game in 10 years.
“We haven’t had the experience yet – quarter-finals, semi-finals, you know, we’ve managed a lot of these games now, so you’re always better prepared because every experience you have you learn something.
“You add all the time, the knowledge, the understanding, so I would say if you’re a coach and you don’t do that, there’s always a problem.
“But the last final was the first final, the first European Championship final, I’ve ever been able to, so if I don’t apologize for that, but we’ll try and do better this week.”
England returned to their Blankenhain base after Wednesday’s win over Dortmund to rest, recover and refocus on their toughest test yet.
Southgate said Harry Kane “took it quite wide when he won the penalty” he was substituted shortly after Xavi Simons slammed the Netherlands ahead, but played on until Watkins was replaced in the 81st minute.
The England manager also said full-back Kieran Trippier “became a bit of a problem”, leading to the decision to bring on Luke Shaw at half-time.
Southgate hopes Trippier “may be OK” for Sunday, adding: “We don’t want to take any chances and it’s in our minds to bring Luke into the game with that balance at some point.
“We’re still deciding how long he can play, but we feel we can bring him into the game and finish with a balance better than starting and having to take him out.
“We’ll have to see how Tripps does but, I mean, he’s been an absolute warrior for us.
“To fill in the way he has and to produce the level of performance on the wrong side of the pitch with the injuries he’s had in the tournament is also phenomenal.”
