Gareth Southgate believes Spain are rightful favourites for Sunday’s Euro 2024 final as he warned his England team they must be “perfect” if they are to end the nation’s 58 years of hurt.
Southgate’s side are headed to Berlin for their first ever major tournament final overseas, having overcome the Netherlands thanks to Ollie Watkins’s dramatic late winner in Wednesday night’s semi-final.
While England have been slow to warm into the tournament, saving their best performance for the Dutch after a sluggish group stage, Spain have looked the summer’s outstanding team from the opening round of fixtures.
Luis de la Fuente’s men beat pre-Euros favourites France in the last-four on Tuesday having already swept aside Croatia and holders Italy during the group stage, as well as hosts Germany in the quarter-final.
With La Roja also benefitting from an extra day’s recovery before the showpiece, Southgate insists England have no margin for error if they are to go one better than their final defeat to Italy at Euro 2020.
“They would be rightly favourites for what they have done this tournament,” Southgate said. “They have been the best team. They have got a day longer and in the last three finals, maybe more, it has been quite significant so we have got to get our recovery spot on. Tactically we will have to be perfect as they are such a good side.
“They are a bloody good side. Let’s pitch it right. We have got to be perfect to win this game and we will have to find everything that we have got from within us.”
Victory over the Netherlands came after Southgate timed his substitutions to perfection, Watkins and Cole Palmer coming off the bench to combine for the 90th-minute winner in a 2-1 triumph.
The 53-year-old has been heavily criticised at times this summer, and even targeted with plastic cups thrown by fans following the drab 0-0 draw with Slovenia last month, but when asked about any sense of personal vindication instead shifted focus to squad players like Watkins, who had made just one 20-minute cameo across the previous five games.
"We are in a first final ever overseas,” Southgate added. “I am more pleased for the players who have come in and had their moments. That is the key.
“When somebody trains the way Ollie has consistently and the whole group. Not one of them has let their heads drop even though every you time you pick a team you are leaving 15 out. That is not easy to keep going but it is a huge strength we have got.”
At full-time, Southgate shared a moment of celebration in front of England’s fans that brought back memories of his passionate salute following the penalty shootout victory over Colombia at the 2018 World Cup.
“I am delighted for the supporters here,” he said. “They were incredible but vastly outnumbered, it seemed, looking at the colours. But, when we have got the supporters with us, as they are now, the energy that brings and the lift that brings to everything is immense.”
