From Blankenhain to Berlin - inside the England camp with our BBC experts

An overhauled, younger, little knowledgeable England squad "inhibited" by their ain winning expectations; being held together by a "resilient" head "hurt" by maltreatment and relying connected his halfway group of "leaders".

Then momentum shifted for a "stubborn, headstrong" Gareth Southgate, pinch nan squad "growing and evolving" by harnessing a "siege mentality".

Four BBC experts springiness america their penetration from wrong nan England campy connected their "rocky, steep" travel to nan Euro 2024 final.

Kelly Somers is BBC Sport's England campy TV reporter:

This campy has still been really good, arsenic each are nether Gareth, but it has felt different to erstwhile tournaments for a number of reasons.

The squad is simply a batch younger pinch little tourney experience. Of people location was a batch made of nan truth location was nary Harry Maguire, and England mislaid large characters successful Jack Grealish and James Maddison.

I deliberation group - including myself astatine first -perhaps underestimated really overmuch this group has evolved moreover from nan Qatar World Cup 18 months ago.

I would besides opportunity it feels for illustration during this campy nan group arsenic a full person been connected much of a travel than ever before.

It felt astatine nan opening that possibly nan anticipation and sound was weighing dense - contempt nan players telling america it wasn't. I really admired really they were accordant successful their messaging successful interviews, because they intelligibly were talking astir really to woody pinch it internally.

I besides deliberation location was a batch of soul unit and expectation.

They did not hide nan truth they were coming present to triumph - they were definitive and I really wonderment if astatine first that stifled them a small bit. Gareth said he had a bigger occupation of astatine times being overly affirmative pinch them to reenforce they were connected track.

I really deliberation he and nan elder players successful nan squad had a harder occupation of binding together because location were truthful galore caller faces and caller experiences - but it now feels for illustration England are a squad that I judge are person than ever.

BBC Radio 5 Live shot analogous John Murray:

I speak to nan squad nan time earlier a match, pinch Southgate and a subordinate that England put up for question and reply - and past post-match. I person noticed that they person leaned very heavy connected nan knowledgeable players.

Twelve person been astatine 3 aliases much awesome tournaments truthful it is nan knowledgeable men that person been put successful beforehand of nan cameras and nan microphones.

I deliberation that has helped successful position of spreading nan load truthful nan younger players person not ever been involved.

BBC Sport's England news newsman Alex Howell:

Since Gareth Southgate has been head morale and bully emotion successful nan England campy has been 1 of nan astir important parts of his success.

But for nan first clip location had been a anticipation that aft a mates of much-criticised performances, nan bully emotion was starting to beryllium peeled away.

BBC Sport was told by 1 player's campy that aft nan Denmark crippled location was a belief among immoderate members of nan squad that nan fringe players who had not played - specified arsenic Anthony Gordon, Cole Palmer, Kobbie Mainoo and others - could person made a quality to performances and nan difficulties nan squad were having.

And location had been concerns location were a deficiency of personalities successful nan England squad. Former England world Conor Coady - moving arsenic a pundit for BBC Radio 5 Live - was asked to sojourn nan England camp. He did not spell - but he did sojourn nan dressing room aft nan crippled against Denmark.

But each that started to alteration aft Jude Bellingham's melodramatic overhead footwear successful nan 95th infinitesimal against Slovakia which galvanised nan group.

In Germany, nan players continued to show a agreed front, speaking positively astir their spirit, and seemed to build a siege mentality against everything that was being said by nan media and supporters.

There had besides been a pointed joined-up connection from nan campy passim nan tournament. The building "we take our destiny" aliases "in power of our destiny" was utilized aggregate times aft nan 2nd group game.

Southgate’s light-hearted anecdote astir a "disgusted" Ivan Toney coming connected arsenic a 94th-minute substitute pinch England 1-0 down against Slovakia successful nan last-16 necktie and heading retired of Euro 2024, possibly showed that successful nan difficult moments relationships were increasing and that it was only imaginable pinch nan caller players having knowledgeable tourney shot for nan first time.

One root besides said Southgate had made a constituent of popping up successful nan inheritance of video calls erstwhile backroom unit were calling location and encouraged players to do nan aforesaid to proceed to build that emotion of unity.

Kelly Somers:

I get nan emotion he closed himself disconnected from [the criticism], he did not want to admit it was hurting. But because he had had that merchandise of nan Switzerland game, and possibly he felt amended astir nan team, he felt for illustration he could beryllium a spot much unfastened astir himself.

He has told maine truthful galore times that he has been doing nan occupation agelong capable and been done capable successful his life to cognize what constitutes success. He knows each nan different complexities of nan job, and while he decidedly wants to beryllium loved, it will not specify him.

If I watch an question and reply backmost from opportunity Euro 2020, I deliberation he has changed - but for nan better. As a head you tin beryllium a bully person, but you person to person that difficult edge. And it infuriates maine that group do not deliberation he has that. He is smart, and he will usage it erstwhile he needs to.

Someone described him to maine arsenic being "spiky" earlier successful nan tournament. I would ne'er opportunity he is spiky, but I would opportunity possibly this clip he has been much nonstop astatine times and little forgiving of mediocre questions - and I really respect that.

John Murray:

Gareth is remarkably accordant successful position of temperament whenever I speak to him, which I person complete nan people of nan past 8 years and almost each of nan matches he has done.

In nan early weeks of this tourney I did observe a mini small spot much of hostility astir him I would say, but nary much than that. The measurement England person travel done nan knockout rounds and nan quality of it person seen that unit release.

I deliberation earlier nan Netherlands match, erstwhile we said to him successful Dortmund's stadium nan nighttime before, that is nan lightest I person seen him successful position of mood. That is not to overplay it - he has ever sewage a smile, he has ever sewage perspective.

BBC Radio 5 Live & Football Daily podcast presenter Steve Crossman:

"Gareth being Gareth, he hasn’t made it astir him", Phil Foden told maine successful nan build-up to nan semi-final. That is existent of everything he does isolated from his attack to disapproval - he has desperately tried to make that each astir him, shielding his players arsenic a result.

That willingness to propulsion himself to nan wolves is really he has averted nan threat that he warned astir earlier successful nan tournament, that threat of players nary longer enjoying it, nary longer enjoying being distant pinch England and nary longer enjoying nan weight of nan badge - nan threat of nan bad aged days.

Kelly Somers:

Gareth is truthful headstrong. He ever uses nan connection "resilience" erstwhile he talks astir his team, but I deliberation he is truthful resilient too.

He has said a fewer times this tourney erstwhile talking astir nan maltreatment he has had, "fortunately, I’ve been done a batch successful my life that has made maine beryllium resilient; I’m fortunate I've had these experiences that alteration maine to artifact worldly out".

I do not judge from what he has said that he has blocked worldly out, but I judge he has really bully coping mechanisms and that will beryllium nan aforesaid if England do not win.

He knows what nan nationalist expects and he besides knows that location are truthful galore different opinions. He has been astir shot agelong capable to cognize that we are each very reactionary successful nan infinitesimal - but location has to beryllium immoderate grade of reflection that he has changed English football.

John Murray:

Gareth talked of nan vexation that his squad selections person travel out, peculiarly nan move of statement for nan Switzerland game.

As he said post-match, for that to travel retired 3 days earlier nan crippled and to emblem it to nan guidance riled him successful a measurement you do not usually see. There was surely tension, but erstwhile I opportunity tension, I americium talking Gareth Southgate tension.

When you look astatine his consistency of action - I deliberation 9 players person started each of nan six matches truthful acold - location is simply a determination, location is simply a stubbornness. He has been patient that this is his team, that this squad will get him heavy successful nan tournament.

My emotion is that erstwhile it was not clicking, erstwhile England were not getting nan performances - and they still person not put successful a complete capacity - I deliberation location would person been doubts.

Steve Crossman:

Making England nosy again was decidedly nan cardinal ngo connection erstwhile Gareth Southgate took England to his first awesome tourney successful 2018, and it is thing nan England head has hinted was astatine 1 shape successful jeopardy present successful Germany.

But six years later, that contented survives.

I person sat down pinch respective England players wrong nan walls of their Blankenhain Castle media hub, and not erstwhile person they tried to propulsion up nan drawbridge.

Despite nan criticism, contempt nan noise, they are arsenic unfastened now arsenic they were connected time 1 erstwhile Ivan Toney joked to maine he would get a tattoo of nan Euros trophy connected his look should they spell each nan measurement and triumph it.

Anthony Gordon has explained his emotion of reference self-help books, and really improbable siblings' chess and boxing person influenced him.

We person been fixed a model into nan divers backstories of England's heroes, from Ezri Konsa's explanation of connection and life lessons from his Angolan mother and his father, who comes from Democratic Republic of Congo, to Bukayo Saka's Yoruba Nigerian heritage, his sanction intends Added Joy - of people it does.

Then location was Cole Palmer telling america astir his begetter and grandfather, a proud personnel of nan Windrush generation, who came to nan UK from St Kitts and Nevis.

There is nary hint of trepidation, nary motion of discomfort successful beforehand of nan galore cameras. Six years person gone by, but you would not cognize it has been much than 2 seconds, speech from a caller formed of characters joining nan squad.

There is nary uncertainty immoderate group will judge Gareth Southgate's tenure connected what happens connected Sunday, but his players will not.

Kelly Somers:

I spell backmost to nan connection resilience. I person ne'er heard a much fitting connection for nan head and for nan group - and I person ne'er seen a group alteration and germinate arsenic overmuch arsenic I person complete nan people of this tournament.

This squad thrives connected rewriting history. This is simply a squad that has grown, that is fresh for thing and anyone. I deliberation - and dream - they are fresh 1 much clip to beryllium group wrong.

John Murray:

Since Qatar, thing little than winning nan point was going to beryllium bully capable for Gareth Southgate.

Over nan people of nan past six weeks it has had that emotion that this is nan past chapter. I deliberation that brings a unit each of its own.

He knows that immoderate group felt he made nan incorrect decisions successful nan people of nan Euros last successful 2021 but he said thing on nan lines of "it's conscionable arsenic good we've sewage different chance to put it correct this time".

Alex Howell:

Gareth Southgate has been asked a mates of times whether England are nan caller Germany - pinch nan expertise to not play good but find a measurement to win.

There has decidedly been a emotion astir nan campy erstwhile I person been astatine nan Blankenhain regular that nan squad is peaking astatine conscionable nan correct time.

In fact, nan England squad believed they were going to beryllium successful nan Euros last truthful overmuch they planned their in-house crippled of The Traitors to decorativeness 2 nights earlier nan final.

One of nan backroom members of nan Football Association unit planned nan game, based connected nan BBC show, and progressive 36 members of players and England staff.

The squad played nan crippled each nighttime isolated from days earlier matchdays and nan matchdays themselves, truthful it did not interfere pinch preparations but took it seriously, pinch debates astir who was a 'wolf' aliases 'traitor' taking spot astir a firepit area successful nan team's hotel.

There were 8 'traitors' successful nan group, and those who were culled by nan traitors were told erstwhile a missive was pushed nether their door, pinch it printed and written successful a style akin to nan celebrated crippled show.

The squad's finale was made moreover much typical erstwhile they received a video connection from presenter Claudia Winkleman.