England manager Gareth Southgate believes Spain are ‘rightly favourites’ to win this Sunday’s Euro 2024 final.
The Three Lions will face La Roja at the Olympiastadion in Berlin this weekend – England have never won a European Championship, while Spain are on the hunt for a record fourth title.
Spain have dazzled at Euro 2024 playing an attractive brand of direct football that is a slight departure from their famed Tika Taka style, but England stumbled through the early stages of the tournament before finally clicking into gear in the last couple of rounds.
Speaking after Wednesday’s semi-final victory against the Netherlands, Southgate admitted Spain are a tough opponent and England will have to be ‘perfect’ in order to win.
“They would be rightly favourites for what they have done this tournament,” Southgate said. “They have been the best team. They have got a day longer and in the last three finals, maybe more, it has been quite significant so we have got to get our recovery spot on. Tactically we will have to be perfect as they are such a good side.
“They are a bloody good side. Let’s pitch it right. We have got to be perfect to win this game and we will have to find everything that we have got from within us.”
Southgate had earlier joked that England would need to keep Spain off the ball if they are to emerge victorious in Berlin.
The Spanish national team and their associated clubs are unbeaten in their last 26 finals combined. Southgate found himself on a losing team as a player as part of this streak, with his Middlesbrough side beaten by Sevilla in the 2006 UEFA Cup final – Jesus Navas featured for Sevilla that night and could play in Sunday’s encounter aged 38.
