England on 'brink of history' - Lineker

Former England striker Gary Lineker says Gareth Southgate's broadside are connected nan 'brink of history' aft reaching nan Euro 2024 final.

The Three Lions hit the Netherlands 2-1 successful Dortmund connected Wednesday nighttime to book a spot successful Sunday's last against Spain.

It is nan first clip nan men's broadside person reached a last extracurricular England aft playing nan 1966 World Cup last and 2021 Euro last astatine Wembley, while nan women's Euro triumph successful 2022 came connected location soil.

England's men person ne'er won nan European Championships, pinch their World Cup triumph successful 1966 their only awesome silverware, while Spain are three-time European champions.

"I deliberation it's hugely important for English football," Lineker, who will coming BBC One's sum of nan last connected Sunday, told BBC Sport.

"They were successful a final, they were successful nan past last of nan Euros, of course, and that was astatine Wembley, and that ended up successful immense disappointment [losing to Italy connected penalties].

"This is going to beryllium tough, it's going to beryllium difficult, but they're connected nan brink of history. No English squad successful shot has ever won a awesome tourney abroad."

The closest an England squad person travel to winning a awesome tourney extracurricular of England was successful 2023, erstwhile nan Lionesses were beaten by Spain successful nan World Cup last successful Australia.

Xavi Simons gave nan Netherlands an early lead successful Dortmund connected Wednesday but Harry Kane equalised from nan punishment spot midway done nan first half earlier Ollie Watkins scored nan victor successful nan 90th minute.

Watkins' victor was England's 4th extremity of nan tourney scored past nan 80th minute, including other time.

"They person sewage that benignant of never-say-die attitude, which is thing that is hugely important," said Lineker, who scored 48 goals successful 80 appearances for England.

"Even erstwhile they weren't playing great, they were grinding retired results. And it's an aged shot cliche that if you tin triumph erstwhile you play badly, past things are not that bad."

Spain person been successful nan eyes of galore observers nan outstanding squad successful Germany this summertime and are favourites heading into Sunday's final.

After a slow start, England person recovered immoderate hit successful nan knockout stages and nan triumph against nan Netherlands was their champion show of nan tourney truthful far.

"I don't really deliberation I'm amazed astatine really we person done it, because we've sewage nan individuals, world-class footballers correct crossed nan pitch," Lineker continued.

"Yes, they started slow and thing wasn't rather correct astir things but they've worked it retired and they've sewage gradually amended arsenic nan tourney progressed. It's overmuch amended that measurement round."

So, is shot coming home?

"I'm banning that statement," said Lineker. "It's been bad luck for truthful long."