Defeat extends England's '58 years of hurt'

England grounded to extremity '58 years of hurt' arsenic their Euro 2024 last conclusion by Spain successful Berlin still leaves nan 1966 World Cup arsenic their only men's trophy.

For nan 4th crippled successful a statement England came from behind, but this clip they fell short pinch Mikel Oyarzabal scoring a precocious victor to break their hearts.

Nico Williams' onslaught early successful nan 2nd half put Spain up but Cole Palmer's superb leveller had looked group to nonstop nan crippled into other clip earlier Oyarzabal pounced 4 minutes from time.

This was nan 2nd European Championship last successful a statement that Gareth Southgate's broadside person lost, aft falling to Italy connected penalties successful 2021, pinch 1966 their only awesome tourney last earlier that.

The state has yet to triumph elder shot tourney abroad, pinch nan 1966 occurrence and Women's Euro 2022 last - which England won - some astatine Wembley.

Southgate's statement runs until nan extremity of nan twelvemonth truthful this could beryllium to beryllium his last awesome tourney aft 8 years successful charge.

England started slow successful Germany, pinch performances criticised and nan Three Lions adjacent to elimination twice, but nan past 2 rounds gave England fans origin to dream - until losing to Spain, nan outstanding squad passim this Euros.

When England won their location World Cup successful 1966, beating West Germany 4-2 successful nan last pinch Geoff Hurst scoring a hat-trick, galore fans whitethorn not person imagined that would stay their only occurrence for astatine slightest 60 years.

Since past a mixed 29 men's World Cups and European Championships person passed and, until 2021, they had ne'er been backmost to a final.

England fans dwelled connected nan agonising adjacent misses successful nan knockout stages of awesome tournaments - Diego Maradona's handball successful 1986, losses connected penalties to Germany successful 1990 and 1996. Current leader Southgate missed a punishment successful nan second too.

And location were each nan years they did not moreover get close, failing to suffice for nan 1994 World Cup and 2008 Euros - and a fewer group-stage exits - too.

It felt arsenic if each that whitethorn alteration successful 2021 erstwhile England reached nan last successful nan continent-wide Euro 2020, though astir of their games were astatine Wembley, including nan showpiece against Italy.

They took an early lead but ended up losing connected penalties aft other time. Having waited 55 years for that final, it is simply a good accomplishment by Southgate and his squad that nan adjacent 1 followed conscionable 3 years later.

But this 1 excessively ended successful heartbreak.

The Lionesses won nan 2022 European Championship, beating Germany 2-1, besides astatine Wembley.

It is adjacent to picture England's Euro 2024 run arsenic a slow burner.

A triumph complete Serbia was followed by drab draws against Denmark and Slovenia successful nan group stage.

Had nan Danes netted a precocious victor successful their last group crippled against Serbia, England would person vanished 2nd - and arguably had a tougher way to nan final.

Some England fans threw cups astatine Southgate aft that disappointing Slovenia consequence and memes flooded societal media showing nan head successful various overly cautious scenarios.

The Slovakia crippled successful nan past 16 was not overmuch amended successful position of capacity and they were group to beryllium eliminated until Jude Bellingham's injury-time overhead footwear sent it to other clip - pinch Harry Kane past netting nan winner.

Some supporters still called for Southgate to beryllium sacked aft that crippled - thing Ivory Coast did pinch their coach during this year's Africa Cup of Nations connected their measurement to winning nan tournament.

But nan temper seemed to assistance erstwhile he changed from a backmost 4 to a wing-back strategy against Switzerland successful nan quarter-finals. They were 10 minutes from elimination earlier Bukayo Saka struck and his broadside went connected to triumph connected penalties.

They trailed yet again successful nan semi-final against nan Netherlands but Ollie Watkins netted successful nan 90th infinitesimal to nonstop nan Three Lions to different final.

The second 2 displays were not amazing, and did impact spells wherever they went into their shells, but it was still a acold outcry from those early matches.

Euros fever grew crossed England - and Germany - arsenic thousands of fans travelled conscionable to beryllium adjacent to nan action, but they are coming location without nan trophy.

There were nary Hurst-style hat-trick heroics - but location are still plentifulness of names who will spell down successful English footballing folklore.

Chelsea's Palmer became conscionable nan 4th subordinate to people successful a men's last for England aft Hurst, Martin Peters and Luke Shaw.

Bayern Munich striker Kane, still without a first trophy of a goal-laden career, netted 3 goals, extending his grounds arsenic England's all-time apical scorer, to unafraid a stock of nan Golden Boot. Real Madrid's Bellingham scored doubly - including his astonishing last-gasp equaliser against Slovakia.

That boosted Bellingham's chances of winning nan Ballon d'Or, having won nan Champions League and La Liga successful his first play pinch Real too.

All 5 goals were important pinch England ne'er winning a crippled by much than 1 goal.

Aston Villa striker Watkins did not person a batch of crippled clip - but he had 1 of their top moments pinch a neat move and decorativeness successful nan last infinitesimal of nan Dutch semi-final.

Arsenal winger Saka netted a precocious equaliser against Switzerland successful nan quarters, and successful nan resulting shootout - a cathartic infinitesimal for a subordinate who missed a punishment successful nan 2021 final.

Everton keeper Jordan Pickford's prevention from Swiss defender Manuel Akanji's spot-kick besides group them up for that shootout occurrence arsenic it was nan only 1 missed of 9 taken.

Southgate's statement runs retired astatine nan extremity of this twelvemonth - and it is not definite if he will enactment on.

"Emotionally it would beryllium intolerable for maine to make a logical determination astatine nan infinitesimal connected immoderate of that because my sole attraction for 2 years has been winning this tournament," he said earlier nan final.

England are adjacent successful action connected 7 September erstwhile they spell to Dublin to return connected nan Republic of Ireland successful their first 2024-25 Nations League game.

Their homecoming will beryllium 3 days later against Finland. Those games are successful nan 2nd section of nan Nations League aft England were relegated past time.

If Southgate was to time off astatine nan extremity of his deal, he would spot retired nan six Nations League games but beryllium gone earlier qualifying started for nan 2026 World Cup adjacent year.