England

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England midfielder Phil Foden believes his performance in the 2-1 Euro 2024 semi-final victory over the Netherlands was his finest performance for the Three Lions.

"I feel like it was probably my best game in an England shirt so I'm delighted," he said.

"I feel like the last two games have been improvements, I feel like the position is helping me as well to get on the ball and getting into dangerous areas.

"I was enjoying it out there, I was picking up spaces and looked more like myself, like I do for City, finding space on the edge of the box and getting shots away, I'm just enjoying my football.

"I feel like [the final] is going to be my biggest game in my career."

Mark Hunter, the leader of Stockport Council, has released a statement about Phil Foden, Kobbie Mainoo and Cole Palmer, who all went to school in Stockport and have played their part in England's success.

Foden went to Bridge Hall Primary and Stockport Academy, Mainoo attended Cheadle Catholic Infants and Juniors and St James High School, and although Palmer grew up in Wythenshawe - part of Manchester City Council - he went to school just the other side of the boundary line at Gatley Primary.

"We may be slightly biased but we believe that Stockport is a very special place to produce talent such as Stockport's very own Three Lions in Phil Foden, Kobbie Mainoo and Cole Palmer, who are on the verge of sporting greatness and looking towards success over Spain in the final on Sunday," the statement read.

"Stockport is incredibly proud of all of its hometown heroes and has championed Phil Foden for a number of years, so we're delighted to see Kobbie and Cole join Phil in becoming yet another alumni of Stockport to become an England international.

"We wish our young Three Lions and the rest of the England team the very best for Sunday - Stockport is behind you!"

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England

More from Gareth Southgate, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live about Sunday's final against Spain:

"This is what we came here to do and we’ve been building for two years towards this. You have to enjoy nights like this but equally it's such a quick turn around and we’ve got a day less than the team who have been the best in the tournament so far.

"It’s going to be a very, very tough game. But you wouldn’t expect to get to a final and it not be. It's fabulous for everyone at home to look forward to."

England

Gareth Southgate has become the first manager to take England's men's team to two finals. After leading his team to a second successive Euros final, he spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live:

"We knew the Netherlands had more quality, so they can punish you, like they did. But maybe a bit more opportunity to play and I thought our midfield players, Phil Foden especially, just kept finding space, kept getting on the ball and had a lot of freedom to play.

"They had to keep changing what they were doing, which meant we had to keep changing what we were doing. It was a very complicated game, particularly defensively."

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England fans roared the Three Lions on in Dortmund and beyond on Wednesday night.

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These stories of where you watched the England match are amazing. Such a breadth of wonderful locations and scenarios.

Keep them coming!

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on the Football Daily podcast

When you come on as a substitute, you’re either put on to try to save the game or to impact the game in a different way.

We know why [Cole] Palmer was brought on, to try to get that bit of quality on the ball, which we just couldn’t find in the second half.

We also know why [Ollie] Watkins was brought on, to upset the defenders, to run in behind the defenders, to make a nuisance of himself and when he got a chance, he put it away. It doesn’t get any better than that, does it!

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England

Jude Bellingham also discussed England's route to the final, after the Three Lions edged the Netherlands on Wednesday.

At the start of the tournament, you are looking at seven games and I think that’s the way I’ve approached it," he began.

"Each game that’s gone by, whether it’s positive or negative, it’s one more down till we get to the final in Berlin. Now it’s just one more game.

"We are tired because its been a long season but it’s one more last push for our country, for our families, for each other and for history. We will give it everything!"

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England

More from Jude Bellingham, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live after the win over the Netherlands:

"Even when they scored the first goal I didn’t think we were playing badly. We didn’t even really take a dip after we conceded, we got straight back in the rhythm of the game. I'm really happy, really proud of the boys, the reaction again the attitude, the mentality.

"Quality is one thing but those kind of characteristics you can’t learn every day in training. You get it from everyday experience and each other."

England

John Murray caught up with Jude Bellingham on the BBC Radio 5 Live after England beat the Netherlands 2-1 in Dortmund to reach the Euros final:

"We’ve lived to fight another day!" said the Real Madrid star.

"Another late goal, it would be nice to score first at some point to have that kind of piece of mind but when you know you’ve got players coming off the bench, willing to play right to the end, it really doesn’t matter.

"We know we are always in the game, we know we are going to fight till the end and the rewards come if you do the right things and we did that tonight."

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The Times

Despite facing criticism during an unconvincing start to the tournament, Gareth Southgate's side has become the first England men's team to reach the final of a major tournament being held overseas, thanks to his "bold late substitutions".

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England

What. A. Night.

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*TURN YOUR SOUND DOWN!*

The Lionesses weren't the only England team cheering on their counterparts.

The men's rugby team watched the game during their tour of New Zealand. And if you're listening on your mobile with earphones - watch out. Those boys can make some noise!!

Click below to watch them celebrate Ollie Watkins' winning goal.

England

The Lionesses' Lauren Hemp has just been speaking to the media about last night's game: "It was a great result for England and all of us girls were so excited and buzzing. Everyone was watching it together and we were all really excited.

"Obviously, England left it to the last few minutes, like they usually do, but that made it more exciting. They have their game at the weekend and we have two very important games coming up so it would be nice for us to share that success together with us getting a couple of wins as well."

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This made us laugh from journalist Sophie Heawood:

"OK, the Lionesses men's team are actually quite good"

England's women were pictured watching and celebrating their male counterparts' victory.

The Lionesses won Euro 2022 - beating Germany 2-1 at Wembley - and reached the World Cup final in 2023, losing 1-0 to Spain in Sydney, Australia.