At 3 a.m. on July 15th, in the Euro Cup final, Spain defeated England 2-1.
After losing to England in the penalty shootout of the previous Euro Cup final and missing out on the championship, Southgate and his Three Lions once again fell at the stage of the final. Palmer’s equalizing goal once gave England a glimpse of the championship glory, but Oyarzabal’s goal forced them to accept the bitter fruit of failing in two consecutive finals.
Looking back on England’s journey in this Euro Cup, you would find that their path to promotion was not as smooth as imagined. After advancing to the round of 16 as group leaders with one win and two draws in the group stage, Southgate played his defensive counter-attack tactics to perfection. Even when they were often the first to concede goals in matches, there were always substitutes who came off the bench to deliver a lifeline for Southgate and England. From Kane’s header to win in the round of 16, to Watkins’ winning goal in the semi-final, to Palmer’s equalizer two minutes after coming on as a substitute in the final, it must be said that Southgate’s ability to adjust his troops when trailing is truly exceptional.
For Southgate’s performance in this Euro Cup, how many points can you give him?
