Gareth Southgate believes England have every chance of upsetting Spain in Sunday's Euro 2024 final, although he warned the Three Lions will have to be at their best with and without the ball.
England are through to their second successive European Championship final after Ollie Watkins came off the bench to net a 90th-minute winner in Wednesday's semi-final against the Netherlands.
They have now reached more major tournament finals in four attempts under Southgate (two), than they did in 23 campaigns before his 2016 appointment (one).
But if England are to end a 58-year wait to follow up their 1966 World Cup win, they will have to get past the only team to win all six of their matches at the tournament.
Since the group stage was introduced in 1980, only France in 1984 (5/5) have won the Euros while maintaining a 100 per cent record.
While Southgate has full faith in England's ability to hurt La Roja, he says their first challenge will be to get hold of the ball.
"We will have to get the ball off them first," Southgate said of Spain. "It is not as simple as us having the ball and making them run.
"We have to be exceptional with the ball and without it. They have been the best team.
"We are starting to show a better version of ourselves, but we are in there with what we have shown to this point.
"We have as good a chance as they do. We have come here to win it. It is a huge task, but we are still here and fighting."
Luis de la Fuente's side reached the final by overcoming France 2-1 on Tuesday, and their 13 goals at this edition of the Euros have only ever been bettered by France in 1984 (14).
The Spain squad watched Wednesday's second semi-final together, before De la Fuente began preparing for Sunday's showpiece game.
He told Spanish outlet La 1: "Both teams were very tough opponents.
"We are going to have played all the great teams in this competition, and it couldn't be any other way. The two best teams made it to the final.
"We had dinner and were watching the match, and then we were in our office, analysing it in a more relaxed way.
"Now our work begins to analyse England in more detail."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Spain – Lamine Yamal
Yamal made history in the last four, his stunning equaliser making him the youngest player to ever score at a World Cup or Euros.
Aged 17 years and one day, he could be the youngest ever player to feature in a World Cup or European Championship final, surpassing Pele's record from the 1958 World Cup (17 years, 249 days).
He has three assists so far at Euro 2024, with no Spaniard ever providing more at a single edition of the tournament.
He has had 13 shot involvements following a ball carry at Euro 2024 (six shots, seven chances created), at least three more than any other player.
England – Phil Foden
Foden produced his best display of the tournament in the semi-finals, recording a game-high three shots, hitting the post with one long-range strike and seeing another effort cleared off the goal line.
He also completed all 40 of his attempted passes before being withdrawn for Cole Palmer, who teed up the Three Lions' winner.
England's switch to a back three has benefitted Foden, allowing him to play from the right-hand side and cut onto his favoured left foot.
Might he silence his doubters on the biggest stage of all?
MATCH PREDICTION: SPAIN WIN
This will be the third meeting between Spain and England at the Euros, and the Three Lions have fond memories of the previous two, winning 2-1 in the group stage in 1980 and progressing on penalties after a quarter-final draw in 1996.
However, La Roja have only lost four of their last 14 meetings with England overall, having lost the previous seven in a row.
Spain have also won their last three major tournament finals and could become the first European nation to triumph in four straight World Cup/Euros title matches.
The Opta supercomputer gives them a 60.4 per cent chance of lifting the trophy to England's 39.6 per cent.
England will play their first major tournament final on foreign soil after playing the showpiece games at the 1966 World Cup and Euro 2020 at Wembley.
They have never lost a match in Berlin in six attempts (four wins, two draws), only playing more often in Helsinki (eight times), Amsterdam and Sunderland (seven each) without ever losing.
Can they upset the tournament's outstanding team to bring it home?
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Spain – 40.5 per cent
England – 29.0 per cent
Draw – 30.5 per cent
Obed McCoy replaces Matthew Forde for remainder of T20 series against England
Left-arm seamer Obed McCoy has been added to the 15-man squad for the West Indies Senior Men’s T20I squad as a replacement for medium-pacer Matthew Forde for the remainder of the five-match T20I series against England in Saint Lucia.
Forde, named Player of the Series in the One Day International leg of the tour, where the West Indies secured a series win, sustained a left thigh injury during training on Wednesday 13 November, at the Daren Sammy Cricket Stadium. The 22-year-old Forde will continue to be monitored by the medical team as he works toward a full recovery.
As a result, McCoy, who was initially unavailable due to an injury sustained during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), has now been cleared to return to play. The left-arm seamer, who has taken 49 wickets in 38 T20 Internationals for the West Indies, will join the squad on Friday 15 November, ahead of the back-to-back matches over the weekend to close out the Rivalry series.
West Indies T20I Squad:
Rovman Powell (Captain)
Roston Chase
Shimron Hetmyer
Terrance Hinds
Shai Hope
Akeal Hosein
Alzarri Joseph
Brandon King
Evin Lewis
Obed McCoy
Gudakesh Motie
Nicholas Pooran
Sherfane Rutherford
Romario Shepherd
Shamar Springer
'It's always personal' – Kolisi says South Africa highly motivated for England clash
South Africa captain Siya Kolisi insists the world champions will not be lacking in motivation for Saturday's clash with England at Twickenham, saying the teams' meetings are "always personal".
The Springboks are aiming to inflict a fifth straight defeat on Steve Borthwick's troubled hosts, who suffered a dramatic 42-37 defeat to Australia last week.
England's most recent meeting with South Africa – in the semi-finals of last year's World Cup – was overshadowed by Tom Curry accusing Bongi Mbonambi of directing a racist slur towards him, an allegation the Springboks hooker denied.
South Africa won that match 16-15 thanks to a late Handre Pollard penalty before beating New Zealand in the final, and Kolisi knows they now have a target on their backs.
"It's always personal. That's just how we prepare ourselves for games," Kolisi said on Friday.
"It's got to be personal. It's another man trying to run through you in-game, it doesn't get more personal than that. So every game for us is personal.
"This one, in Twickenham, is a big game and we know what England have been going through. We've been in their position before.
"We know we've got a target on our back at all times. Every single team that plays against us... we've got to make it as personal as possible because we want to stay where we are."
England have recalled full-back Freddie Steward for the match, after he lost his place to George Furbank during the Six Nations earlier this year.
The 23-year-old is delighted to be back in the fold and is determined to make the most of his opportunity.
"It was one of the hardest things I've had to deal with," Steward told BBC Radio 5 Live. "When you have something for a while and then you lose it, it puts into perspective how important that thing is to you.
"Not having that over the last couple of months has been really challenging. Emotionally, it has been tough, but I've had to use that as fuel to keep pushing and wanting to get better and win that place back.
"It can be a kick in the teeth but you have to use those experiences, and I'm sat here now as a better rugby player and a stronger person."
Bisseck signs Inter contract extension to 2029
Yann Bisseck has signed a new contract extension with Inter until 2029.
The defender joined the club in July 2023 from AGF for around €7million and has since made 32 appearances in all competitions.
His initial deal would keep him at Inter until 2028, but the 23-year-old has signed a one-year contract extension.
Bisseck has played 11 times for Inter so far this term, including all four of their Champions League matches, making the second-most blocks (four) and the most interceptions (five) among his team-mates in the competition.
"I feel that the club has confidence in me, as does the coach: everyone has contributed to this renewal, and I'm happy with the progress I've made. I think this deal is a positive moment for everyone," he told InterTV.
"There are many things I can still improve. I'm not a perfect player, but I'm still young and there are many aspects that I still need to work on, especially from a tactical and mental point of view.
"Technically and physically, I've reached a good level. I think my mentality will be key to my future growth."
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