England news LIVE: Declan Rice makes bold pledge as historic Euro 2024 final against Spain looms

Declan Rice says that England know “not to sit back” in order to win Sunday’s Euro 2024 final against Spain at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, having learned from the painful memory of Euro 2020.

The midfielder said the squad are “desperate” to “rewrite history”, as he admitted that “seeing Italy lift that trophy” will haunt him forever. That may also involve learning from history, as Rice said that experience has shown them “how we can win this final”.

There was a delightedly simple statement from Gareth Southgate, having got over so many complications and questions. “I am a proud Englishman.” That is why he took the job in the first place but it obviously had a greater feeling after delivering the national team to a second final in three years and just a third in history. It also has a greater meaning.

Lots of things are late in Germany this month. The trains would be the first and most obvious one, and perhaps the most consistent option too.

But soon after the creaking public transport system – which went beyond bent and firmly into broken territory in Dortmund in the hours following the Euro 2024 semi-final – on the list of oft-repeated late occurrences would be England goals.

More than 21 million viewers tuned in to watch England’s dramatic Euro 2024 semi-victory over the Netherlands – the highest peak television audience on a single channel since the 2022 World Cup.

Ollie Watkins’ 90th-minute strike in Dortmund earned a 2-1 victory to send Gareth Southgate‘s side through to Sunday evening’s final against Spain.

ITV’s coverage attracted a peak audience of 21.6 million viewers across television and streaming.

The figure is the highest on one channel since December 2022 when the nation tuned in to watch England’s 2-1 quarter-final loss to France at the World Cup in Qatar.

An average audience of 19.6 million watched Wednesday evening’s match as substitute Watkins claimed the late winner after a penalty from captain Harry Kane penalty cancelled out Xavi Simons’ early opener for the Dutch.

Overall coverage of the semi-final, between 6.30pm and 10.45pm, was watched by 12.7 million people, a 64 per cent share of viewing.

Sunday’s final in Berlin – England’s second in succession at the European Championships following a penalty shoot-out loss to Italy at Euro 2020 – will be broadcast by both ITV and the BBC, with kick-off at 8pm.

Gareth Southgate says England must be “exceptional” in and out of possession if their first final on foreign soil is to end in Euro 2024 glory against team of the tournament Spain.

A summer that began with unconvincing displays, fan discontent and widespread criticism will end with a shot at history in Sunday’s Berlin showpiece at the Olympiastadion.

England secured a final showdown against Spain thanks to super sub Ollie Watkins’ stunning strike at the death against Netherlands, sealing a 2-1 win and sparking bedlam across the land.

This is the first time an English men’s team has made it to a major final overseas and a second successive continental final for a side that lost on penalties to Italy at the end of the last edition.

So does Gareth Southgate know what he’s doing when it comes to making changes? Luke Baker looks back on each and every substitution the England manager has made at Euro 2024 to try and find out.

Gareth Southgate has assured England fans that his players have bought into his ideology when it comes to substitutes, after the Three Lions reached the final of Euro 2024.

England have failed to impress in most of their games in Germany, and Southgate has also been criticised for his choice and timing of substitutes. However, England reached a new level to beat Netherlands 2-1 in the semi-finals on Wednesday, with Southgate’s changes proving pivotal.

“Sometimes it can work that way,” Southgate told ITV after the game in Dortmund. “The most important thing is that all of the squad is ready to come into the game.”

Here are the updated standings in the chase for the Golden Boot, with Harry Kane and Dani Olmo looking the likeliest candidates to finish as Euro 2024’s top scorer:

It was the performance England had been waiting for, but for Phil Foden, it was perhaps the opponent he had needed.

For 45 minutes, one of the Premier League’s finest and the national squad’s most capable looked every inch the star he has become: a player as adept at finding space as exploiting it, as consistent in his decision-making as in his execution.

After arguably making five false starts, sporadically showing his gifted touch but too often littered with horizontal unimagination, Foden became a playmaker, a goal threat and a counter-attacking fulcrum all at once against Netherlands.

Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk will consider his future for both club and country over the next few weeks as he processes the disappointment of semi-final elimination at the European Championship on Wednesday, he said.

Van Dijk, who turned 33 on Monday, said he would spend the next weeks figuring out his next career steps after nine years, and 75 caps, in the Netherlands team, plus with a single season left on his contract at Liverpool.

”I haven’t the slightest idea right now. I will think carefully this summer about what I want at club level and as an international player. Then we’ll go for it again, but first recover from this,” Van Dijk told reporters after England beat the Dutch 2-1 to advance to Sunday’s final against Spain.

“After a season like this, where all kinds of things have happened, it gets emotional at the end because you know it’s over,” said Van Dijk, who had felt the Dutch were well placed to win the semi-final at the BVB Stadion.

”Especially in the second half I had the feeling the outcome would fall our way. But (Ollie) Watkins was perhaps given a little too much space and he finished well,” he added of the England substitute’s goal seconds into stoppage time.

”It hurts a lot that we conceded this goal so late in the match and are now empty-handed. You put everything into it, everyone gives everything and if the goal comes like that in the last minute, that just sucks. Yes … sorry.”