Words by Alysia Georgiades
The crowds at Wembley have grown throughout the tournament, with more than 67,000 people watching England in their first final since 1966. Image courtesy of Unsplash
Everyone was holding their breath, sitting on the edgiest of edges as Jorginho placed the ball on the spot, Jordan Pickford jumping up and down on the line, breathing deeply, eyes focused.
After the Italian wasn’t sent off earlier for a wincing tackle that saw his studs scrape Jack Grealish’s knee, the nation watched, praying that Jorginho’s perfect penalty record for Italy would come to an end.
Pickford had already saved Belotti’s, but England's Marcus Rashford hit the post, and Jadon Sancho’s was saved by the dominant Donnarumma, so another save would level the score.
Breathe in…
Jorginho, hopping and skipping in his usual style, went left - and so did Pickford, who after blocking the kick scrambled to his knees and scooped the ball into his arms.
Breathe out.
Wembley erupted, households and pubs screamed as Pickford continued his phenomenal performance at the tournament. Two saved by each team, but Italy had already scored three out of five. If England scored, it would go to sudden death.
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Bukayo Saka, just 19 years old, was faced with the unbearable task, but was brave enough to step up and take it on. Striking a low ball to the right, Donnarumma launched himself down and pushed the ball away. Saka, head in hands, stood motionless as blue shirts ran past him in celebration.
So close. So close.
It seems unfair for a final of a major international tournament to be decided by the kick of a ball, and when England were so close to victory, this one will sting for a while.
The beauty of sporting occasions such as this is that the rollercoaster ride is experienced by a whole country. An average of almost 30 million people watched the final from home, the most since 25 million saw England lose to West Germany in 1990. It's impossible to imagine how the team felt after losing the match of their lives, but they are supported by everyone who watched on with a belief and spirit most have never felt whilst watching England play.
Rewind 120 minutes though, and England were dominating the first half of the final, Italy stunned by a remarkable goal from Luke Shaw in the opening two minutes of the game. Yet another record under England’s belt, this time for the fastest goal scored in a Euros final ever.
Harry Maguire having cleared an Italian corner, the ball went to Sterling and then Mount, who passed it to Shaw. Running down the left side, he passed to Kane in the centre before running down the field. Kane saw Trippier on his right and launched the ball towards him, landing perfectly at his feet. Spotting Shaw on the other side of the pitch, Trippier’s ball flew over to him on the far post, for Shaw to tap a half-volley into the net.
England could not have started the match any better, and it sent Wembley into space, joining Sir Richard Branson on his maiden Virgin Galactic flight. They were ahead in the final at Wembley, against a team on a 33-game winning streak. As Italy manager, Roberto Mancini, flung his arms in the air in disarray, Southgate simply clenched his fist before regaining composure. I challenge you to find a reaction calmer than that.
England knew they hadn’t won the game two minutes in, and continued playing with the confidence we have become accustomed to, Italy flustered by Southgate’s wing-back formation and struggling to keep up.
But as the second half got underway, it was clear Mancini was determined to find a way of breaking England down. The Italians came out fighting, dominating possession and pushing forward, leaving our players with little opportunities to break and fight back. And after knocking on the door, Italy eventually levelled in the 67th minute. Starting from a corner kick that was initially saved by Pickford, a scramble for the ball lead to captain, Leonardo Bonucci tapping it in behind the keeper, Kane in goal unable to do anything but watch.
Hope was not lost as the game stayed equal, but Italy were looking the better side while the Three Lions struggled to find the control they had in the first half. Trippier and Rice came off for Saka and Henderson, both hoping to help England attack with a change of formation, but after a yellow card was given to Bonucci for grabbing the back of Saka’s shirt, pulling him to the ground as he tried to dribble the ball down the right side, the final whistle blew.
Foden had to watch from the sidelines after picking up an injury in training, but Grealish was ready to bring a spark of inspiration to his team, replacing Mount nine minutes into extra time. England had found some fight, regrouping, pushing forward, and edging closer to the goal. But Italy were doing the same, and with neither team conceding, the game was eventually decided on a penalty shoot-out.
As much as it hurts to be a kick away from the trophy, the fact the game went the distance means really, England weren’t beaten by Italy. They certainly turned the game around, and that’s something Southgate will no doubt analyse for future fixtures. But England lead for 67 minutes, and held a draw for the remainder of play, against one of the best teams in the world.
Southgate’s first outing as England manager in 2018 lead the team to a fourth place finish. A year later they beat Switzerland on penalties to finish third in the Nations League. This time round they made the final and were awarded with silver medals. It would be poetic if England lifted the 2022 World Cup trophy in Qatar next winter, 56 years after Sir Bobby Moore did so at Wembley.
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In Southgate’s open letter to England before the tournament, he hoped his team could reflect the very best of the country, provide moments that become memories and inspire young fans of the sport.
Well, after four weeks, the achievements of this squad are those of a fairytale. Winning their opening game of a tournament for the first time. Conceding just two goals in seven matches, both from set pieces. Holding five clean sheets in a row, a record in the Euros. Scoring four goals for the first time since 1966 against Ukraine. Beating Croatia, Germany, Denmark. Making their first final in 55 years. Moments that have become memories, that mark a new era for English football, and has sparked a spirit in a whole new generation of fans.
The team going from strength to strength, the nation firmly behind them, their manager’s belief leading to the best and most consistent run of results in England’s history. It’s safe to say none of us can wait to see this groundbreaking group of players pull on the white shirts once again for their World Cup qualifying matches in September.
It will take some time to recover from the emotional rollercoaster of this tournament, but England have plenty to be proud of. On Monday morning, the official England Twitter page sweetly summed up the unity football provides, that there’s more to these occasions than trophies, and the journeys the players have gone through to represent their country, before writing one last sentence that I couldn't have said better myself.
“Coming home? Perhaps it was here all along.”