England overcame the Netherlands to book their spot in the Euro 2024 final (Picture: Getty)
Sol Campbell and David James have backed Gareth Southgate’s England to end the Three Lions’ painful 58-year wait for a major trophy by beating Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
England started the tournament slowly and faced heavy criticism after a string of uninspiring performances, but Ollie Watkins’ dramatic last-gasp winner against the Netherlands booked Southgate’s men a spot in Sunday’s showpiece.
The Berlin showdown will be England’s first ever final on foreign soil, three years on from the side’s crushing penalty-shootout defeat to Italy at Wembley.
Just one game stands between England’s and immortality, but Spain have been far and away the most convincing outfit in Germany this summer and enter the contest at the favourites to get their hands on the trophy.
Luis de la Fuente’s side have won all seven of their matches thus far and secured their place in the final thanks to a Lamine Yamal-inspired comeback victory over France on Tuesday night.
However, Campbell has been impressed by the way England have recovered from a ‘sluggish start’ and predicts a 2-1 win for the Three Lions.
‘I think England started off really sluggish but I think the subs scoring at the right time, that’s what it’s all about, impact, and they’ve done it right,’ the ex-England and Arsenal defender told the Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE YouTube channel.
Watkins came off the bench to score a last-gasp winner versus the Dutch (Picture: Getty)
‘[Ivan] Toney coming on at 90 minutes and getting an assist, that’s what it’s all about.
‘Jude [Bellingham] scoring a big goal as well. That’s what it’s all about.
‘It’s a little bit Roy of the Rovers but it’s working.’
James and Campbell backed England to end 58 years of hurt (Picture: Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE)
David James, meanwhile, predicted a 3-2 victory for England, claiming there had been ‘too much negativity’ surrounding Southgate’s squad throughout their campaign.
Asked what has impressed him about England, the former England goalkeeper replied: ‘The fact that they’ve obviously not been listening to anyone talking about them.
‘There’s too much negativity going on around the England team from game one and you can see there’s a plan.
‘The plan was to win the group which they did and to get through the knockouts whatever way necessary. Now they’re in the final.
‘Gareth has stuck by his side. In the last three games, the only changes have been enforced through suspension so he trusts the players and the players trust him.
‘For Ollie Watkins to come on and score the winner means that everyone in that squad, when asked upon, will deliver and that sounds like a good team to me, a good squad.’
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