Euro 2020: England fly in face of recent history as chance beckons to join heroes of 1966

Gareth Southgate's side take on Italy at Wembley on Sunday aiming to end a 55-year wait for a trophy

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

Fans arrive at Wembley stadium ahead of the Euros football final between England and Italy.

England fans with flares gather outside Wembley stadium ahead of the Euro 2020 final against Italy.

England fans gather outside Wembley stadium ahead of the Euro 2020 final against Italy.

England fans on top of a bus outside Wembley stadium ahead of the Euro 2020 final against Italy.

England fans gather outside Wembley stadium ahead of the Euro 2020 final against Italy.

England fans with flares gather outside Wembley stadium ahead of the Euro 2020 final against Italy.

England and Italy flags outside Wembley.

England fans with flares gather outside Wembley stadium ahead of the Euro 2020 final against Italy.

England fans gather outside Wembley stadium ahead of the Euro 2020 final against Italy.

England fans on top of a bus outside Wembley stadium ahead of the Euro 2020 final against Italy.

England fans on top of a bus outside Wembley stadium.

England fans with flares gather outside Wembley stadium ahead of the Euro 2020 final against Italy.

England fans outside Wembley stadium.

England fans with flares gather outside Wembley stadium ahead of the Euro 2020 final against Italy.

England fans on outside Wembley stadium.

Geoff Hurst’s shot striking the underside of the bar and, rather than trying to put the rebound in, Roger Hunt jumping up in celebration. Bobby Moore stroking a pass forward from his half to release Hurst to clinch victory, to the soundtrack of the most famous phrase of Kenneth Wolstenholme’s life. The ever immaculate Moore wiping his hands on his shorts to remove any flecks of dirt before receiving the trophy from the Queen.

The images of England’s World Cup win are still indelible. With every failure, they have remained unique as 1966 has been cemented as England’s most famous year, and not merely in a sporting context, since 1945. There have been World Cup wins since, in rugby union in 2003 and cricket in 2019, but not in the national sport or the global sport.

And if a European Championships does not quite have the same resonance, there is nevertheless the sense that England could complete their most seismic sporting feat for 55 years on Sunday night.

Thus far, England have done well at blocking out the context, ignoring the national longing, leaving others to get carried away as they have treated each game as it comes. Now they are down to that last game, to Italy, to a meeting of sides each looking to cap a remarkable rise from an ignominious low, whether England’s defeat to Iceland in Euro 2016 or the Azzurri’s inability to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. For England, the challenge is to find a way to overcome a team unbeaten in 33 matches.

Do so and they may join the class of 1966 on a pedestal. It feels surreal, though as Hurst pointed out, normality beckoned for them. Many had to get ‘proper’ jobs after football; the only man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final worked in insurance. The financial rewards of the modern game protect Gareth Southgate’s players from a similar future, but the inability of subsequent teams to emulate Alf Ramsey’s charges has only elevated their standing since.

Southgate’s side have flown in the face of England’s recent history. They have ended England’s reputation as, at best, a quarter-final team, eliminated their historic nemeses Germany, gone one better than in the 2018 World Cup and the 2019 Nations League.

England v Denmark - player ratings from Euro 2020 semi-final

Jordan Pickford 6 - Broke the England record for longest period without conceding a goal, then conceded a superb dipping free-kick. Fell to his knees. Could he have done more? Got down to make a save from Dolberg after 51 minutes.

Kyle Walker 7 - England’s best player in the first half. Picked up his 60th cap and so fast in chasing loose balls and stronger than full-back Maele. Crazy celebration when England equalised.

John Stones 7 - Competent against Denmark’s shifting attack. Pushed up as England dominated and his own influence grew.

Harry Maguire 9 - Header after 55 minutes was well saved by Schmeichel. Played well. Fuming at being pulled back by Poulsen after winning another tackle on 85 minutes. Booked.

Luke Shaw 7 - Superb against Ukraine in Rome, gave the free-kick away which led to the opening goal – and the first goal England conceded in seven games. Timed a run and crossed as England pushed for a second on 58 minutes and became more emboldened.

Kalvin Phillips 6 - Didn’t win a single duel – and nor did his sidekick Rice – in the first half. Better in second. Shot wide after 79 and then a left footed shot well over on 90 as he got far more involved.

Declan Rice 6 - Covered for Maguire as the Danes threatened before half time but Denmark’s midfield two bested them in first half. England’s were superior in the second. Adequate.

Bukayo Saka 6 - Only change from the last game and involved in the equaliser, finding Sterling. A danger on the right against Vestergard but hit and miss. Worked hard with Walker. His last move was to overhit a cross before he was the first player off.

Raheem Sterling 8 - Started brightly and had a shot parried away by Schmeichel after 38 when he should have scored. Then he put Kjaer under pressure as the Danish captain put the ball into his own net and England drew level. Had three of England’s four shots in the first half (and six overall) Quieter in second, but a vital player still running at speed after 115 minutes.

Mason Mount 7 - Weak curling shot on 63 didn’t trouble Schmeichel. Cross after 72 looked to be going in put Schmeichel tipped over. England passed ball around the 18 yard box all night, with limited killer instinct in front of goal. Much better in second.

Harry Kane 8 - Early bending ball across goal towards Sterling as England flew out of the blocks. Shot over after 14 as England kept coming at the Danes. Otherwise frequently dropped deep and allowed runners to attack channels. Did that for the equaliser. Held ball up well; won free-kicks England needed more quality in final third, but Kane gave it in the end. Took controversial penalty poorly. Saved. Swept equaliser in. Ecstasy. Incredible drama.

SUB: Jack Grealish 6 (On for Saka after 69) - To an ovation from hope he could change the game as he did against Germany. Had an impact, but not as great. Shot seven minutes into time added on. Subbed in second period of extra time for Trippier.

SUB: Phil Foden 7 (On for Mount after 103) - Went into number 10 position and involved as England dominated, jigging and turning as England completely dominated.

SUB: Jordan Henderson 6 (On for Rice after 103) - Went alongside Phillips. Tidy.

SUB: Kieran Trippier 6 (On for Grealish 106) - Did his job in helping England hold their lead.

Kasper Schmeichel 8 - A super save denied Raheem Sterling but the Denmark goalkeeper conceded only seconds later when Saka’s cross was directed into the net. An even better hand later tipped away a Harry Maguire header. A hand to Kane’s penalty guided it back into the striker’s path. Denmark’s best player.

Jannik Vestergaard 5 - Aggressive in the challenge but a mixed game that saw the centre-back struggle against the pace of England. Slow to react to the Bukayo Saka’s run that led to the equaliser and that summed up the game for the centre-back who looked exhausted.

Simon Kjaer 7 - Unfortunate to turn the ball into his own net as Raheem Sterling was waiting to pounce. Led the defence well overall and often the Denmark defender who was in the way of offensive crosses.

Andreas Christensen 6 - Would have been relieved to see Sterling switch sides not long after the hour mark. Worked tirelessly with England making constant runs in behind and was eventually forced off with a hamstring injury when stretching for a ball.

Joakim Maehle 4 - Anonymous to Saka’s run that led to England’s equaliser. No one picked up the Arsenal man as Kane played him through astutely. Questionable decision-making defensively overall eventually led to a costly penalty which he may have been unfortunate to concede. A harsh way to go out for the wingback who was excellent throughout Euro 2020.

Thomas Delaney 5 – A sloppy foul gave a free-kick outside the box that began England’s spell of pressure. Careless with passing that often turned over possession before eventually being replaced. A tough day at the office.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg 7 - Unphased by the occasion and made frequent tackles to relieve pressure. A stand-out in the midfield in a tough night for Denmark.

Jens Stryger Larsen 6 - Could have taken better care of the ball. Not involved much before eventually being replaced by Daniel Wass.

Mikkel Damsgaard 7 - The Sampdoria attacking midfielder may be only 21-years-old but he took his free-kick like a major tournament veteran. The attacker’s free-kick gave his nation hope - a vital goal given how England went on to control the game.

Kasper Dolberg 6 - A nuisance upfront and battled in a physical matchup with Harry Maguire and John Stones. Dolberg was fighting off scraps for the majority of the game with the Danes looking to hit England on the break.

Martin Braithwaite 5 - Uninvolved for the majority of the game. Worked a yard and forced Pickford to make a save late in extra time.

SUB: Christian Norgaard (Dolberg 67) 6 - On to help secure a Danish midfield that was beginning to show cracks. Helped against constant waves of England pressure but offered nothing on the opposite end.

SUB: Yussuf Poulsen (Damsgaard 67) 5- A tall option in the box but didn’t receive the service to be effective. Gareth Southgate’s side had taken full control by the time the target man came on.

SUB: Daniel Wass (Stryger Larsen 68) 6 - Booked quickly for a foul on Grealish. Helped sure up a right side that was allowing too much pressure.

SUB: Joachim Andersen (Christensen 79) N/A - On for the injured Andreas Christensen.

SUB: Mathias Jensen (Delaney 88) N/A - Couldn’t get on the ball as England continued to dominate. Forced off in extra time with an injury to leave Denmark with 10.

SUB: Jonas Wind (Vestergaard 105) N/A - On for an exhausted Vestergaard.

There have been none of the traditional problems, of disharmony in the camp forged by club cliques, of selecting unfit players who underperformed, of everyone seeming to welcome the release of a tournament ending. Instead of the usual national tragicomedy, the familiar sense of hubris and underachievement, comes the sensation that everything has gone oddly well.

There are no injuries, no suspensions, no seemingly unhappy players. Rather than searching for scapegoats, England have a diverse, likeable group who represent the best of the country today and who, in their various charitable efforts, have given much back. Southgate has been satisfied with progress while not being content with a semi-final appearance, nor even a spot in the final.

His dilemmas are the right sort. He will probably begin with a back four, but using wing-backs worked against Germany. He will probably persevere with Bukayo Saka in attack but Phil Foden’s cameo against Denmark and Jadon Sancho’s start against Ukraine illustrated the calibre of the options. Jack Grealish took the indignity of being the substitute who was substituted well in the semi-final. Kieran Trippier and Jordan Henderson seem content with their roles as ‘finishers’, experienced figures who can hold on to a lead.

Planning has paid off. And now someone could become the 21st-century Hurst. Much as the team try and ignore the consequences, 55 years of Hurst never stopped the country from dreaming they would.