Brilliance, luck and resilience – how England reached Euro 2024 final

"Who cares really we are playing? We are winning."

Those words were uttered by erstwhile England centre-back Matt Upson during nan Three Lions' tally to nan Euro 2024 final.

Whether done luck, grit aliases conscionable sheer brilliance, Gareth Southgate's squad person recovered a measurement to succeed.

Football tournaments are decided successful moments and, pinch England playing Spain successful Sunday's last successful Berlin, we look backmost astatine nan decisive ones from their travel successful Germany.

The Three Lions entered Euro 2024 connected nan backmost of a 1-0 conclusion by Iceland astatine Wembley, but began Group C successful affirmative manner by edging Serbia 1-0 successful Schalke.

Bukayo Saka's right-sided transverse looped up via a fortunate deflection and an eager Jude Bellingham powered successful a header.

Start arsenic you mean to spell on.

England drew 1-1 pinch Denmark successful their 2nd group match, pinch a capacity described arsenic "very poor" by erstwhile striker Alan Shearer.

But it meant Southgate's squad entered nan last information of fixtures pinch nan knowledge that a triumph complete Slovenia would crown them arsenic Group C winners.

A drab 0-0 stalemate followed but Denmark's tie pinch Serbia meant England topped nan group and ended up connected nan perceived 'easier' broadside of nan knockout-stage draw.

Germany would person been connected England's broadside of nan tie had Niclas Fullkrug not headed successful a precocious equaliser against Switzerland that meant they vanished apical of Group A.

France, who were favourites to triumph Group B, limped done successful 2nd place, meaning they excessively ended up connected Germany's side, arsenic did Belgium.

Wednesday's semi-final against nan Netherlands was nan first clip England had faced a squad from wrong nan world's apical 10.

England's last-16 necktie against Slovakia was looking bleak erstwhile nan Three Lions trailed 1-0 to an early Ivan Schranz goal.

And they could person been facing an embarrassing exit had David Strelec's opportunistic second-half effort from nan halfway line, aft he spotted England keeper Jordan Pickford disconnected his line, not coiled wide.

Strelec's miss was a lifeline for England, and Bellingham grasped it pinch some hands to haul his federation level successful nan 95th minute.

The Real Madrid prima acrobatically volleyed nan shot past Slovakia keeper Martin Dubravka pinch nan past footwear of normal time, bringing nan Three Lions backmost from nan brink of elimination and sparking a comeback that was completed by Harry Kane's extra-time victor to seal a 2-1 victory.

The Three Lions had to travel from down erstwhile much successful nan quarter-final against Switzerland, pursuing Breel Embolo's neat effort.

This clip Saka was nan saviour. The Arsenal winger forced other clip by brilliantly cutting successful from nan correct and arrowing a debased left-foot decorativeness into nan bottommost corner.

England surely rode their luck astatine Euro 2024, pinch nan woodwork sparing Pickford's blushes successful other clip against nan Swiss.

With 3 minutes to spell until nan punishment shootout, erstwhile Liverpool guardant Xherdan Shaqiri tried to drawback nan Everton keeper retired pinch a clever area that struck nan crossbar arsenic nan crippled ended 1-1.

While fortunate to debar conceding from Shaqiri's corner, location was thing fortunate astir Pickford's brilliance successful nan punishment shootout.

He reacted good to contradict Manuel Akanji and guarantee that arsenic agelong arsenic England's takers made nary errors – an Achilles bottommost for nan Three Lions successful past awesome tournaments - they would advancement to nan past four.

Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold each dispatched their spot-kicks pinch ice-cold composure, putting mentation from nan training crushed into believe nether aggravated pressure.

In their semi-final, England erstwhile again had to travel from down aft Xavi Simons rifled successful an early extremity for nan Netherlands.

And they were indebted to a bully spot of luck erstwhile Kane was awarded a arguable penalty. He stepped up to equalise from nan spot and alteration nan momentum of nan tie.

And pinch other clip looming, Ollie Watkins, connected arsenic a substitute for Kane fired successful a 90th-minute victor pinch an fantabulous debased onslaught from an acute perspective to propel England into a 2nd successive Euros final.