‘Bits and pieces’, ‘dying on our feet’: Former players react after England’s EURO 2024 final defeat to Spain

The wait for a major title ‘to come home’ continued as England went down 1-2 to Spain in the EURO 2024 final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on Sunday.

Gareth Southgate’s side suffered their second successive defeat in the summit clash, having lost to Italy in penalties in the European Championship final in 2021 at the Wembley Stadium.

Despite their run to the final this time, England’s timid tactics often came under the scanner during their scrappy come-from-behind wins in every knockout game this tournament. The final rode a similar script when Spain pulled ahead in the 47th minute through Nico Williams before Cole Palmer levelled the scores 1-1 in the 73rd minute. However, a late winner went the opposition’s way this time as Mikel Oyarzabal powered the title-winning goal in the 86th minute, ending a 12-year drought for the Spaniards.

𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐔𝐌 𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍 🥵

Oyarzabal scored a stunner in the 86th minute to give Spain their 4th EURO Championship 🇪🇸 🏆#SonySportsNetwork #EURO2024 #ESPENG pic.twitter.com/cUARp3TR9b

— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 14, 2024

‘Bits and pieces’

Former England players, pundits and fans expressed their disappointment over the result where England yet again appeared to play lacklustre football.

“It is a good thing for football that Spain won the tournament with the brand they have played. Spain played the beautiful game and England didn’t – the beauty of Gareth’s team has been getting over the line. Spain are a team. England are bits and pieces,” former Premier League winner Chris Sutton told on BBC One.

Former Manchester United and England centre-back Rio Ferdinand seconded Sutton’s opinion and said the Three Lions were not adequately ‘brave’ during their campaign in Germany.

“Whenever these players in this England team have won things with their clubs, they’ve got the quality, but they’re all brave in the big moments,” Ferdinand said on BBC One.

“They’re courageous, they take risks, they take chances. They don’t wait to go behind, they take chances when the game’s in the balance and when it’s most difficult. When you win stuff, you have to have that courage and just lay it out there, roll the dice at times and you can’t always play from a conservative position.”

‘Dying on our feet’

Several experts including former England striker Gary Linekar and ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards lauded Spain’s attacking football.

“I’ve said from the start that I think England have the best squad but I don’t think we’re the best team, in terms of all the combinations we expect to see. Because we have a manager who has been successful being defensive, getting into a semi-final of a World Cup and two Euros [finals], and we’ve not been able to push this team forward in the way it deserves.

“Now we have to move forward in the right direction and play the football these players play at club level,” Richards remarked on BBC One.

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville lambasted England’s quality in the final, holding only a 35 percent ball possession throughout the final.

“We can focus on a lot of things, but Southgate’s answer on how we did not keep the ball well enough should be the title of the England book.

“Every single England manager has said the same thing, every single England player has felt the same thing because we have lived it out there on the pitch and our legs have gone and we end up dying on our feet in the latter part of games where the other team have got stronger,” Neville told ITV Sport

The former England right-back also said Southgate may need a lot of time to introspect after the devastating defeat. “It’s a big question, something doesn’t sit right inside me talking about Gareth’s future right now after what he’s done in the last seven or eight years,” he said.

“I would think he’ll take a long, hard look in the next week and decide whether it’s the right time. The sentiment in this tournament has been tough for him at times, he’s called it an unusual environment earlier in the competition,” Neville added.

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