Euro 2024 live: Build-up to England final plus Gareth Southgate news conference – BBC.com
England news conference with Gareth Southgate and Harry Kane
BBC Sport
This video can not be played
England manager Southgate and captain Kane have been speaking to media before Sunday's Euro 2024 final
Three Lions face Spain in Berlin at 20:00 BST
Southgate says "everyone is fit" for match
"We'd love to give everyone a special night" says the England boss
Get involved: #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only – texts will be charged at your standard message rate)
Craig Nelson, Michael Beardmore & Holly Bacon
Spain v England (20:00 BST)
So the talking is over. The next time we see or hear from Gareth Southgate and Harry Kane, it will be at the Olympiastadion in Berlin around 24 hours from now.
Three years on from Euro 2020 final heartache against Italy, the Three Lions will bid to right those wrongs and bring a major footballing trophy to England for the first time in 58 years.
"It's time to get over the line," admitted Kane.
"I'm not a believer in fairytales but I am a believer in dreams," added Southgate.
Are you? Join us again right here on Sunday night to find out if they'll come true…
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)
England
England manager Gareth Southgate's final words of the news conference were reserved for the tournament hosts, Germany, and his side's reception in the country: "I'm personally excited for tomorrow, looking forward to playing in an amazing stadium.
"I have to thank everybody here for the way the tournament has been run in Germany, it has been an amazing event. We've been made to feel very welcome, particularly in the village where we've been staying, everybody has been wonderful to us.
"We are looking forward to this last step now."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
England captain Harry Kane on his pre-match words before Sunday's final:
"I normally have the final word in the huddle before we go out – at the moment I'm not quite sure what I'll say, but I'll think about that over the next 24 hours and try to get that message right.
"But ultimately everyone is ready at that stage, you've been preparing, you've done all the hard work and now it's just about going out there and executing and enjoying it on the pitch.
"A lot of the younger players are fearless and they want to just get out there and they know their best talking is with their feet, and I'm sure that's what they are looking forward to tomorrow night."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
England manager Gareth Southgate was asked about the shootout defeat against Germany at Euro 96, when he missed the decisive spot-kick: "For me, those difficult nights have taught me football can change so quickly. The difference between winning and losing is so small, it's given me more perspective in my life.
"In the end there are bigger things than football that are more important, but football has given me an amazing life, amazing experiences, I've travelled the world and been a part of something I love doing for nearly 35 years of my life.
"I couldn't have wished for anything more to represent my country as a player and then to be able to lead my country for eight years as a manager has been the biggest privilege I could possibly have."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
England captain Harry Kane on whether he thinks Spain are favourites: "That's not for me or the players to decide. That's for the media, the fans to think of favourites but Spain have had a fantastic tournament. They have probably been the best team, consistency-wise throughout the tournament so they probably earn that right but as we know, in football, in one game, anything can happen.
"We back ourselves against anyone we play against. We've been through difficult spells in this tournament but we've come through the other side. That builds a tremendous amount of belief and resilience, which is everything you need in a final.
"We expect a tough game, we're in a European final so we expect nothing less and Spain will be difficult tomorrow night."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
England captain Harry Kane on Spanish teenager Lamine Yamal:
"He's been a fantastic player – at 17, to do what he's doing on this big stage is a great achievement.
"You can see he is playing with no fear, with freedom and enjoying the big occasion. We know he is one of their main threats going forward and we have to be ready for that."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
Gareth Southgate on his side's journey during his tenure as England manager:
"We tried to change the mindset from the start, we tried to be more honest about where we were as a football nation. I've travelled to World Cups, European Championships watching as an observer and watched highlight reels of matches on the big screens – and we weren't in any of them.
"We needed to change that. We had high expectations but they didn't match where we were performance-wise. Now, the high expectations are still there but we've had consistent performances, certainly over three of the last four tournaments and a quarter-final in the fourth.
"In the end you have to be in the latter stages of tournaments to learn how to win the big games. A lot of records we have broken but we know we have to do this one, to get this trophy to really feel the respect of the footballing world."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
England captain Harry Kane on his quest to win a first trophy – with club or country: "It's no secret that I haven't won a team trophy. Every year that goes by, you are more determined and motivated to change that.
"Tomorrow night I have the opportunity to win one of the biggest you can ever win and make history with my nation. I am extremely proud to be English so, no question, I'd swap everything I've done in my career to have a special night and a win tomorrow evening, but that's not the case.
"A lot of hard work from now and until that moment. I'm ready to go and to make tomorrow night a special one."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
England captain Harry Kane on sharing insights on opponents in the team: "Not too much. Of course there are players that know each other from both teams, but the way we prepare is the same for every game and the threats that the team have. Individual clips of opponents and who they're coming up against.
"You're always talking in general, as players, about the game ahead and the team-mate you might know more about, but ultimately each player does what they want to do, prepares the way they want to prepare.
"As a team we look at everything we can and ultimately that's how we prepare for games."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
More from Gareth Southgate on the progress being made by both nations – England and Spain – at youth levels:
"We've met Spain a lot at youth level, in a lot of finals, so we know their development of players has been excellent for a long time. We've followed the project very closely and seen a lot of the players in their team play at junior levels.
"But our junior teams and levels have also been developing and improving and we are starting to see those players come into the senior team as well – two nations that are on a good pathway in terms of now and in the future."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
England manager Gareth Southgate on his memories of playing Spain at Euro 96:
"I played well – it was 0-0, a defender's dream! We obviously won that game on penalties. Nadal is the player who sticks in my mind from that game, maybe Kiko played as well, maybe Luis Enrique.
"I remember it was a very tough game, probably a game Spain should have won but it was an important day for England.
"Our games with Spain have always been close and difficult. Spain, then, hadn't had the success they have had since and won so many trophies."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)
Alex Howell
BBC football news reporter at the Olympiastadion Berlin
Gareth Southgate has constantly told us during this tournament that he wants his players to show their quality and he said he wants them to play without fear:
"I don't have any fear about tomorrow as I’ve been through everything," he said, referring to his seven years of experience as England manager, which has included reaching the latter stages of four consecutive major tournaments.
"I want the players to have that fearlessness. If we're not afraid to lose it gives us a better chance of winning. I’m personally excited tomorrow."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
England captain Harry Kane on his year in Germany, after moving from Tottenham to Bayern Munich last summer:
"I didn't move to Bayern Munich because of the Euros being in Germany, but the support I've had since I've been here has been incredible – throughout the whole season with Bayern and even here at the tournament.
"Every hotel we go to, every stadium I really feel the warmth and support, not just from the English fans but the German fans as well.
"I'm really appreciative of that and I'm sure there are a few German fans wishing me well tomorrow and all I can say is thank you.
"I've had the guys at Bayern, staff and players messaging me and wishing me well."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
England manager Gareth Southgate what has been the key to performing better in penalty shootouts: "There are a lot of people involved. In the end, I think it is a skill to be performed under pressure that you can practice and improve. We've wanted to take control of those processes – feel in charge of it.
"It's helped the fact this time around that we have got a lot more players that take penalties regularly for their clubs, but nevertheless we've now won three of our last four, which is a big shift from when we had won one in our last seven I think."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
Right, back to those quotes from England manager Gareth Southgate, who was asked about the challenges his squad have faced:
"We've had to find a different way of playing as the tournament has progressed. At the start we had a lot of issues at the back, a lot of players who had missed a lot of football.
"Towards the end of the season, John Stones hardly played for Manchester City but he has been absolutely exceptional. Marc Guehi and Kieran Trippier, Luke Shaw were all out injured for months, so we've been trying to find the right blend and balance all the way through the summer really."
On finding the right attacking balance: "We've had to try to find the best balance for our attacking players too because we've got super talent, but a lot that like to operate in similar areas.
"And we think we have started to find that balance as the tournament has progressed. I've really liked how we've looked, we've looked dangerous, like we can score goals and I'm happy where the team are at going into this game."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
England manager Gareth Southgate and captain Harry Kane have stopped talking now, the time for action is almost upon us.
We do, however, have a few more lines to bring you from their news conference, which they conducted in a really relaxed manner.
Both sounded assured, confident yet focused, and were also very generous to their hosts on what they said had been a very well-run tournament.
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
England captain Harry Kane on what feeling he gets in the dressing room from his team-mates: "Of course, before every tournament you have to believe you can win it, otherwise there's no point being in the tournament. That belief has grown as we've gone through the tournament.
"I think what we've been through with the late goals, penalty shootout – it builds resilience, it builds belief.
"We know every team we are going to face will be difficult so we never take anything for granted.
"We know we have a lot of great players in the team. We know we have a great togetherness and we are going to need all of that and more to be successful."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
More from Gareth Southgate on the threats posed by England's opponents Spain:
"They have a very clear way of playing, a very settled team, they press really well with intensity – like all Spanish teams they keep possession of the ball really well.
"We've also kept the ball really well in the last few matches in particular – we are showing our real selves, the version of ourselves we wanted to bring into this tournament."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
England manager Gareth Southgate on whether his side are fated to win the Euros in Germany like Germany won it in England in 1996, against a Three Lions side he played in:
"We've had big dreams, but you have to make those things happen.
"Fate, the run that we've had, the late goals, the penalties – it doesn't equate to it being our moment. We have to make it happen tomorrow and perform at the level we need to perform.
"Of course, it would be a lovely story and it's in our hands but the performance is the most important thing."
Spain v England (Sun, 20:00 BST)England
England captain Harry Kane: "From my point of view it's more just, I'm extremely excited for the opportunity to make a lot of people, including myself, very happy tomorrow night.
"It's going to be a big battle. We are going to give it everything we've got and at midnight tomorrow we really hope to be the team that brings the trophy to England."
On giving fans a night to remember: "We were all England fans growing up. We know, we've had some great moments in tournaments, but couldn't quite get there. With a fan's head on, I know it would be an incredible night if we achieve what we want to achieve tomorrow."
On whether he has spoken to the Lionesses about their victory in the Women's Euros: "I haven't spoken to anyone. Obviously what they achieved was incredible and we saw how it brought the nation together in that moment, so we are hoping to do the same and we have that opportunity tomorrow."
To watch and listen, you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
England news conference with Gareth Southgate and Harry Kane. BBC Sport. Video
© 2024 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
