Newspaper headlines: 'Lions did us proud' and 'curse strikes again'

Most of Monday's papers choose the image of England's manager Gareth Southgate comforting 19-year-old Bukayo Saka after the Arsenal star missed the penalty that sealed England's defeat in the Euros final.

"Penalties, it had to be penalties," bemoans the Daily Mail. The Times suggests it was "the cruellest of Hollywood twists" - that after Southgate's penalty miss, 25 years ago, stopping England reaching the Euro 96 finals - it would be what it calls the "penalty curse" that denies the team its dream again.

The Daily Telegraph dubs it "the ultimate agony". "Defeat came in the cruellest, most operatic fashion," says the Guardian.

Both the i and Daily Mirror sum up England's loss with a single word: "Heartbreak." "It hurts," chimes the Daily Express, but insists that it is proud of the team. It is a sentiment shared by the Metro which agrees the "Lions did us proud".

The Sun is upbeat, saying: "never mind lads, the World Cup is only next year." The i also looks ahead, saying the squad have set their sights on winning the tournament in Qatar.

Photos of the agony and ecstasy of supporters watching the game feature in many papers, with the Sun and the Express showing fans across the country with their heads in their hands.

While the Mail devotes a double spread to the fans, it says, "let us down", by storming Wembley and clashing with police.

After all the drama, the Daily Star jokes that it's gone off footie and asks "anyone for conkers?"

The Times is one of the few papers to feature something other than the football on its front page, as it previews Boris Johnson's plan for 19 July with what it calls a "health warning".

The paper says the prime minister is dropping claims that the restrictions are "irreversible".

"Is the government having a wobble over 'Freedom Day?'" asks the Spectator. Isabel Hardman wonders if the government is confident that its expectations of the public will ensure the NHS isn't overwhelmed.

The British Chambers of Commerce Director tells the Telegraph that business leaders are struggling with what it calls the "confusing and sometimes contradictory advice".

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The Financial Times focuses on the different approaches taken by the different nations of the UK to lifting Covid curbs under the heading "Kingdom disunited."

The FT suggests the more cautious approaches of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are supported by scientists, but says the attention on England's so called "freedom day" may drown their health messaging.

The Guardian and Mirror both examine a study which suggests the wealth gap has increased during the pandemic. The Resolution Foundation has found that the richest have gained on average £50,000, while the poorest 30% of households saw a rise of just £86 .

The Sun tells the very fortunate tale of a British soldier who fell 15,000 ft when his parachute failed but escaped with minor injuries. He has punctured a hole in the roof of a bungalow in California and landed on his back in a kitchen.

Its headline? Holy chute.