Euro 2024: England head for Berlin final with Spain as Koeman fumes at VAR – live | Euro 2024

‘Boro’s run to the 2006 Uefa Cup Final isn’t the only Euros parallel,” reckons Paul Thompson. “Lamine Yamal has clearly been watching the video of David Currie’s goal against Newcastle in 1983.”

Ahahaha, I love that!

And to tie it all together, how about the third goal of Jimmy Floyd’s perfect and amazing hat-trick for Chelsea against Spurs in 2002?

I thought Koeman’s interview last evening was really good. He accepted that his team had been outplayed in the first half and when they improved in the second, not looked likely to score. So I’m surprised he’s now whining about VAR – imagine if they’d had it in October 1993 – but if we’re looking at England’s penalty, the real issue isn’t the decision-review system, it’s that a penalty – an 85% chance of a goal – is too severe a punishment for almost every offence that results in one. Denial of a goalscoring opportunity anywhere on the pitch should be a penalty; a foul in the box that doesn’t should be a direct free-kick.

Talking of the Turniermannschaft, 30 years ago yesterday they were diddled by one of the most iconic goals of the 90s. Here are some words on that.

Paul Haynes emails in regarding an earlier discussion: “‘And Alberto writes: Regarding Russell’s mail comparing England’s run to Middlesbrough in the Uefa Cup 2005-06. I know he recognises their captain from that time, but the parallels don’t end there. Did he spot a certain Jesús Navas starting in the final for Sevilla?’

Bit it doesn’t stop there. Who was helping out Soutgate that game? Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, that’s who!”

I very much enjoyed JFH starting to celebrate wildly, them remembering he’s Dutch. But ass to the general point, I’m not in total agreement: Boro were over-matched and under-powered, England are the reverse. With the players they have, they absolutely should be beating all the teams they’ve beaten and absolutely should be in the final. The run is more similar, I think, those we’ve seen from Germany’s Turniermannschaft, tournament team: good players winning games they might’ve lost, growing in strength and certainty through the rounds. And in a way, there’s no higher praise than that.

“In which parallel universe,” begins Krishnamoorthy V, “can a team that has the following scorelines:

1-0 Serbia

1-1 Denmark

0-0 Slovenia

2-1 Slovakia after leaving it very late with a last-minute Jude goal

1-1 Switzerland, won on penalties

2-1 Netherlands, won with a contested penalty and a last-gasp winner

make it to the final and meet Spain who has brushed aside Germany, Italy and France?

They have Yamal – what do we have – A water bottle with a cheat code?”

That’s tournament football – it’s rare that the best side in the group stages is the side dancing about with a trophy at the end of it. Also, I don’t think we can say Spain brushed aside either Germany or France and, more generally, they’re a good side but they’re not brilliant. And England have plenty – including a top-class centre-forward with legitimate alternatives, which Spain do not.

Thanks Yara and afternoon all. It’s been quite a few days hasn’t it? Luckily, everything should relax from here…

That’s all from me today. Thanks so much for your company! I leave you in the capable hands of Daniel Harris to lead you through the afternoon.

Every major international tournament sees a rise in stock to a few players who show what they are capable of on the biggest stage. Who are they this year? And could a move be on the cards for them this summer? Ed Aarons takes a look.

I have received more limericks. Who knew so many poets tuned in to the Guardian’s Euro 2024 news and reaction liveblog? The beautiful duality of football supporters.

Adrian pens:

There was a young lad from the villa

Whose nose for a finish was killer

When played in by Cole

With his back to the goal

He despatched with aplomb, Wat a thriller!

Joe has a go:

There once was a man called Southgate,

Who left substitutions quite late,

But what Watt did last night

Saved his bacon alright

Now on Sunday Gareth makes his fate.

Thank you to Krishna for starting this trend (See post at 11.27am)

Here’s some more non-limerick thoughts I have received.

Tom’s memory serves him well:

Do enjoy reading Koeman’s comments about VAR. Perhaps unsurprising that a man who benefited so greatly from an egregious refereeing error against England in 1993 does not like the idea of on-pitch decisions being overruled. That’s for Rotterdam, Ronald.

David has a suggestion:

As others have mentioned already, if that contact had happened anywhere else on the pitch, it would have been a foul and no-one would have complained. Fair point, but it used to be the case, and I can’t be the only one old enough to remember this, that such fouls, which used to be called dangerous play, as well as many involuntary handballs, would result in an indirect free-kick, an event that has but disappeared from the modern game. Kane did get his shot off fully before the contact, so it does feel unfair to give a penalty for a contact that came after a missed attempt. Didn’t Maradona score an amazing goal against Juventus off an indirect free-kick once?

Ritchie has his say from Amsterdam:

I’m Irish and have had a season ticket at Ajax for the last 5 seasons, including the hellish one just gone. There’s a really typical problem: 4-3-3 leads to the midfield being marked and the in-possession playmaker typically being the centre-back, the only non-pressed player. This meant a whole season of watching Ajax ask their less able passing players to thread precise through balls to the forwards. This was TORTURE to watch and at their worst, the Netherlands sresembled it – how often were the centre-backs in possession and looking to start the attack with 11 players ahead of them?

And Alberto writes:

Regarding Russell’s mail (See post at 11.27am) comparing England’s run to Middlesbrough in the Uefa Cup 2005-06. I know he recognises their captain from that time, but the parallels don’t end there. Did he spot a certain Jesús Navas starting in the final for Sevilla?

It was an unforgettable scene at the O2 Arena in London last night when The Killers paused their show to stream the last minutes of England’s win before launching straight into their smashhit Mr Brightside.

Numerous fans shared footage of the moment on social media. The lights were dimmed, and the match’s commentary echoed through the speakers as the game’s final moments were projected behind the band.

At the final whistle, red and white streamers shot into the air from the stage and the band began performing their iconic song, which is the third biggest selling song of all time in the UK.

Some more emails on last night’s happenings and the endless possibilities for Sunday.

Russell sees some parallels from eight years ago:

England’s run immediately brought to mind the run Middlesbrough had in Europe in 2006 once they hit the knockout stages. They had to twice force the fine margins against competitive opponents who had their measure, winning on away goals, then had to win two consecutive ties 4-3, coming from behind with last-minute winners. Pretty sure I recognise their captain from that time! Though maybe we won’t dwell on what happened when they faced a Spanish team in the final …

Lee ponders a sliding doors moment:

Whilst there must be some element of pressure relieved on Gareth Southgate after last night’s result and performance – the final is massive. If England win, it’ll be statues, a knighthood, the keys to number 10, 10 million in bitcoin and probably a handful of firstborns in tribute from the endearing public, some of which will have to eat humble pie and accept that when you look at it objectively, he will have to go down as the most successful England manager of all time.

If we lose, then Southgate’s lasting legacy will be (deservedly/undeservedly so depending on the strength of your opinion) one of failure, of a ‘nearly man’, of a manager who despite being presented with the tools and the opportunities to get us over the line after almost 60 years, just couldn’t do it.

For England, and Southgate in particular – Sunday is his opportunity to ascend to Godhood.

And Krishna shares a limerick:

There was this lad from Exeter

So fast, the defenders had to run faster

Cole was even so crazy

And send a pass his way

That Wat dispatched it even quicker

Phil Foden is ready to follow up on his “best game” for England in the final after a slow start to the tournament.

The Manchester City player told PA that he was a bit “unlucky” during his earlier struggles in the team, playing out wide.

I’ve obviously had a few close chances but the main thing is obviously the team winning and I feel like it was probably my best game in an England shirt so I’m delighted.

I feel like the last two games have been improvements, I feel like the position is helping me as well to get on the ball and getting into dangerous areas. I was enjoying it out there, I was picking up spaces and looked more like myself, like I do for City, finding space on the edge of the box and getting shots away, I’m just enjoying my football.

I feel like [the final] is going to be my biggest game in my career. So as you can see, the smile on my face and I’m just looking forward to it. We believe in our ability. We know Spain are a fantastic team in the way they keep the ball but we also know our strengths.

So we are looking forward to it and it will definitely change all our lives for sure.

France’s François Letexier to referee final

England have met Spain at men’s senior level 27 times, with 14 wins, three draws and ten losses.

Their last three meetings have been perfectly balanced with a win, a draw and a loss for England.

Ollie Watkins was last night’s star, but two days ago, it was Lamine Yamal. England’s opponent in Sunday’s final will be Spain, whose semi-final win against France saw the 16-year-old became the youngest ever goal scorer at an international tournament.

Spain’s men’s side have won this tournament three times before – 1964, 2008 and 2012. They were runners-up in 1984 and came in third in the 2020 edition that was held in 2021.

England’s semi-final win is most watched programme this year

Jim Waterson

Some more of your emails on the Netherlands’ shortcomings and alternate universes have come in.

Kári sees as Koeman as the one to blame:

Towards the end of the first half, the Dutch had wrestled control of the match back from the English. If Koeman left Malen on, he would’ve retained a creative front three that could’ve played their way through a tiring defense. But by throwing Weghorst on at half-time, the Oranje were reduced to hoping that a ball bounced off a knee or a rump into goal. The second half was just a dreadful spectacle, and I lay the blame entirely on Koeman. He should’ve put Joshua Zirkzee, Jeremie Frimpong or Micky van de Ven on, just to make something happen, because nothing was happening. What an excruciating watch for a neutral.

Kevin’s reckoning with England making the final:

OK, we’re in an alternate football dimension/universe/space-time continuum right? One where England play badly but win and get into a final. And the most convincing proof – Wout Weghorst, who can barely hit a barn door in the England, comes on as a sub and doesn’t score – I can’t have been the only person thinking ‘Aha, it’s this year’s Helder Postiga, totally ineffective in the Premier League who comes on against England and plays like a dead-eyed sniper’. We’re still going to get battered in the final though aren’t we?

Stephen’s VAR opinion:

I’m honestly a bit confused by the “controversy” surrounding the penalty decision. The defender came in studs up and was late. If it was (as Ian Wright said) anywhere else on the pitch no one would have batted an eye at it being given. Gary Neville’s preposterous suggestion that defenders have a right to be more dangerous in the box is ridiculous. If a defender wants to block a ball, they can do so without doing it studs raised. If the suggestion is that this shouldn’t have been given because it wouldn’t have been before VAR, then frankly, that is a point in favour of VAR.

The Dutch’s support in Germany was some of the best, writes Paul MacInnes, but do they deserve better than the tactics of Ronald Koeman?

The party had begun at about 9am when it quickly became clear that any estimates as to the number of Oranje in Dortmund were way under. By 10am there were people dancing on the streets to techno coming out of an orange pickup truck. By 11am, the bars were full. By 1pm the streets were full too.

Koeman’s substitutions had the effect intended, but the adjustment was something he may have wished to avoid all the same. Gone was the high press and all the intensity off the ball. Gone was much of the sense of attacking threat. Instead the Netherlands were playing like Slovakia and Switzerland had before them, getting numbers behind the ball and looking to prosper from set plays. This is what his critics have held against him.

Here is more on England and Gareth Southgate, this time from Jonathan Wilson.

Football is a capricious game, bedevilled by ironies and paradoxes. England had, finally in this tournament, looked fluent from the off. And for once in this tournament, they were not playing a team who dropped deep into a low block at every opportunity.

There was space for England and they relished passing the ball into it. This was by far their best performance of the tournament. There were backheels and volleys and backheel volleys. Kobbie Mainoo glided about with astonishing confidence and maturity, controlling midfield with the quality of his passing; the idea that at the start of the tournament he was third choice for the role has come to seem vaguely hallucinatory. Phil Foden kept bending left-footed shots at goal. It all felt very unSouthgate: it was thrilling, disconcertingly so.

Keir Starmer and Dick Schoof, prime ministers of England and the Netherlands respectively, took some time during the Nato summit to watch some of the match. They were two out of millions who were watching across London, Amsterdam and the rest of the world.

Gareth Southgate’s substitutions caught top marks from Nick Ames in his player ratings. Ollie Watkins gets a 9 for his “killer touch” that “sent England into dreamland, and on to Berlin.” Cole Palmer receives a 7 for creating a “glorious winner.” Kobbie Mainoo, who was “the best player on the pitch before half‑time” gets an 8 but Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham each receive a lowly 5.

On the Dutch side of things, Stefan de Vrij gets a 5 for his “critical error of giving Watkins space for trademark finish” as do Donyell Malen and Memphis Depay.

The emails are well and truly flowing. Here are a few on England.

For Tony, sleep is merely optional in these memorable times:

I’m on my way to Berlin after, what, 2 hours sleep? And still devouring every snippet of detail from media, friends and family. Electric in the stadium last night. Spain will be really hard but we’re in it and it’ll be a blast.

Phil shares a fun stat:

England have made the final despite never leading after 90 mins in any of their knockout games. Watkins’ goal was right at the start of injury time. I’m working on a theory that Southgate has identified protecting a lead is the team’s weakness, and so makes sure we don’t take one until very late in the game!

Tom from Leeds joins the rest of the world in giving Ollie Watkins his flowers:

In my opinion, Watkins would be the starting centre forward for every other national team in the world, with the exception of maybe Germany (due to how they play with Havertz) and Argentina (Álvarez/Martinez doing Messi’s work). France would play Watkins in a heart beat instead of Thuram/Kolo Muani, and just imagine Spain with Watkins leading the line instead of Morata (Morata has had a good tournament, but Watkins’ conversion rate and sharpness would be much more effective).

Watkins to start in the final, running in behind the high Spanish back line whenever (if ever!) we steal the ball in midfield??? It won’t happen, but it’s a lovely thought nonetheless.

Neil is enjoying the golden years

I was aware as a Liverpool fan last season that there was a good chance I was witnessing the ending of the best Liverpool era I’d see in my lifetime. It might never be so good again. It occurred to me last night the same might be true here. This Southgate era might be the best England spell of my lifetime. For that we should all be grateful and hoping it gets imprinted with a tournament win that this period of success would be defined by.

And Duncan is already looking towards how England can beat Spain on Sunday:

We are one win away from Sir Gareth Southgate. He deserves huge credit for carefully reinventing the spirit and effectiveness of the England team. I am sure he has several plans to beat Spain, but one of mine would be capitalising on free kicks and corners to create (and take) headed chances. France scored with a header but also wasted two or three glorious chances in the air.

Gareth Southgate has been under the biggest of microscopes in Germany. Fans and media have heavily disagreed with his tactics and in-game decisions. But his side are in a successive Euros final.

Here is some of Barney Ronay’s assessment from Dortmund:

Patience has been a slow-burn virtue at this European finals tournament. And it was Southgate’s two late subs who won the game here.

Arguably this tournament will now stand as his greatest achievement with England, if only because he has had to overcome two additional things: his own tactical mistakes, and also the absurd white noise around him, anti-support, a self-sustaining cycle of bad news.

That toxicity is a function of wider politics, free-floating rage, an extraordinary few years in the country generally. Southgate’s own politics have faded. He seems a little careworn and bruised. He has been a unique public figure over the past eight years, a kind of beacon of centrist dad-ness, the handsome middle-aged man with the courteous, moderate manner.

The full evaluation from our chief sports writer is here.

A delighted England captain …

And a despondent Dutch one.

Ronald Koeman: VAR is ‘destroying’ football

What the papers say: Olé, Olé, Ollie!

Ollie Watkins: ‘I have been waiting for that moment for weeks’

This tournament has been filled with so many up and downs for England, it is hard to believe that they’re now in this position.

But they’re in a final. The rabbits keep coming out of the hat.

Here is Jacob Steinberg’s assesment from the BVB Stadion in Dortmund on how England got over the line last night.

There is something magical about a team that can keep taking blows but somehow find ways to clamber off the canvas. For here, after the wonder of Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick against Slovakia and the nerveless penalty shootout against Switzerland, was a moment that will go stand the test of time – and, thanks to Ollie Watkins and Cole Palmer, will forever serve as the perfect riposte to those who have pinned the blame for every disappointment on on Southgate’s in-game management.

England’s manager has been derided, mocked and even showered with empty cups of beer. His tactics have been questioned and he has been told that he always get easy draws But when Southgate turned to his bench with 10 minutes left here, how satisfying it must have been for the two players he introduced for a tiring Harry Kane and Phil Foden to be the architects of the goal that carried England into their first ever final overseas.

There could be no better exhibition of the spirit instilled by Southgate when Watkins took a pass from Palmer in the 90th minute, held off Stefan de Vrij and then turned sharply before making it 2-1 with an angled shot into the far corner.

In a different environment, Watkins would never have been in the right frame of mind to make such a stunning impact. The Aston Villa striker has not played since England’s second game, the dispiriting draw with Denmark that heaped pressure on Southgate, and knows that few jobs in football are more thankless than being Kane’s back-up.

Read the full match report here.

Preamble