England backed to win Euro 2024 by old nemesis Heimir Hallgrimsson

The man who helped bring about one of England's darkest footballing days has backed Gareth Southgate's team to win Euro 2024. 

Heimir Hallgrimsson was co-manager of Iceland when they dumped Roy Hodgson's England out of Euro 2016.

England were ranked as the 11th best in the world at the time while Iceland were 34th - with the defeat remembered as the Three Lions' worst humiliation since they lost to the USA in the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.

Iceland won the last-16 match 2 - 1 after goals from Ragnar Sigurdsson and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson cancelled out Wayne Rooney's opener.

Months later Southgate was appointed England manager and began to turn the national team's fortunes around - leading them to their second Euros final in a row after a dramatic win over the Netherlands last night.

Meanwhile, Hallgrimsson was officially unveiled as the new Ireland manager today and was asked by Sky News if he fancied his old foes to beat Spain in Sunday's final.

"That's like ice, we can slip on that one," he replied, grinning at the question.

"I've said from the beginning that England were going to win this tournament. Even when they didn't play their best, they still won, they grinded [out] the result, and I still believe that they are going to win it."

England will play Ireland in Dublin in a Nations League fixture in September, a fixture Hallgrimsson will not be intimidated by.

"That's just our job, to face anyone we are drawn against, in our group, that's our job. I've said all the time that even playing the best, probably they [England] will be European champions, will at least expose our weaknesses, so it helps us to improve what we need to improve. "

"We will always have some answers, good or bad, I hope they will be good answers but we'll have a lot of answers after that game."

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Hallgrimsson told reporters there are "lots of similarities between the characteristics of Irish people and Icelandic people", and that the Irish team is similar to his Iceland squad, "young, exciting, a really good team spirit".

"I hope we can build on the things we did with Iceland", he said.

That will be put to the test in eight weeks, when an England side that Hallgrimsson fully expects to be reigning European champions, visits the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

The new Ireland manager also faced questions about the controversial former Manchester United and England player Mason Greenwood.

Back in March, as Jamaica coach, Hallgrimsson said he would "love" to have Greenwood in his team, amid speculation the player would switch international allegiances to the Caribbean nation.

Greenwood, who looks set to sign for Marseille, was suspended by Manchester United in 2022 after his arrest for attempted rape, assault causing actual bodily harm, and controlling and coercive behaviour.

The case against the player, which he denied, was later dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Hallgrimsson gave a brutally honest answer when asked about his previous support for the player, admitting he gave "a political answer" to toe the line with the Jamaican FA, and he was "maybe trying to duck the question", because no matter what answer he gave would be seen as divisive.

The ex-Iceland manager stepped down as Jamaica boss just last week after two years in charge following their exit at Copa America.