Euro 2024: Heartbreak for England as Spain score late goal to win final

Gareth Southgate, looking utterly dejected on BBC One as he gives a post-match interview, says: "I think we've competed until the very end of the final. Today we didn't keep possession well enough, especially when we defended well and we weren't able to get out of that pressure which meant they had more control of the game, which can wear you down a bit.

"We had a big chance at the end to equalise - it's fine margins, but they were the best team in the tournament and deserved to win. It's easy to say it was 'one moment too far' and there's a disadvantage to having a day less to prepare, but it'll take a while to pick the bones out of this game."

When asked about Harry Kane, Southgate adds: "Physically its' been a tough period for Harry Kane - he came in short of games and didn't quite get up to the level we all hoped."

So it's another case of what might've been for England - and this is how close Spain's winning goal was to being offside.

Harry Kane gives a post-match interview pitchside for the BBC, and he's understandably gutted.

England's captain said: "Losing in the final is as tough as it gets. We did really well to get back into the game, but couldn't quite keep the ball and got punished. It's as painful as it can be in a football match.

"It's the latter stages of the tournaments - there were a lot of tired legs and we got caught by a ball in behind. For now it's just really disappointing. It's been a tough tournament - for me personally and the team. We'll be judged on this game and we wanted to do it so badly, so now it's just huge disappointment."

Asked about the future of manager Southgate, Kane adds: "We made it clear we love the manager, but it's not the time to talk about it now. He'll go away and think about it."

For England, the inquest has begun already into what went wrong, what England and Southgate could've done differently, and why Spain were better than them.

Gary Lineker says that 'England almost needed to go behind in most games before they took the shackles off (and attacked)'.

There will inevitably be more discussions about Southgate's pragmatic, conservative tactics - and whether he now stays on as England manager.

'We have some of the best players, but we don't have the best team', adds BBC pundit Micah Richards.

'These players are brave in the big moments for their c - they take risks, they take chances - you can't always play from a conservative position', chips in fellow analyst Rio Ferdinand.

It's over.

Despite a last ditch search for an equaliser, it's more devastation for England, as an 86th minute winner condemns Gareth Southgate's side to a 2-1 defeat.

'Congratulations to Spain', sighs Alan Shearer on BBC One. 'Seven. (wins) out of seven - they deserved it and were the best side in the tournament.'

England meanwhile, are the first side to reach consecutive European Championship finals and lose them both.

Heartbreak it is.

Was that England's chance?

An inswinging Palmer corner finds a free Declan Rice, whose header is well-saved, before the follow-up is headed off the Spain line by midfielder Dani Olmo.

Ivan Toney is on, and we've got a couple of minutes left of injury time..

It had probably been coming.

As England prepared to make a defensive substitution to push for extra time, a cross from the left finds Mikel Oyarzabal, who stabs the ball beyond Jordan Pickford from close range.

After England's somewhat-against-the-run-of-play equaliser, there's less than 10 minutes plus injury time remaining and Spain are once again on top - dominating the ball, probing in behind England and creating chances.

Jordan Pickford makes another smart close range save to deny Spain, and it's looking a bit last-ditch for England defensively once more.

Time to calm heads, concentration and bravery from the men in white.

WHAT A STRIKE!

No sooner has he come on, than Chelsea's magic man Cole Palmer equalises for England with a stunning 20-yard strike. The substitute curls a beautiful effort low, left-footed into the far corner, and England are back on terms.

GAME ON!

In another attacking move, Manchester United's 19-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo makes way for Cole Palmer, who scored 22 in the Premier League last season and assisted Ollie Watkins' semi-final winner against the Netherlands.

The game has completely opened up after the cagey first half - it's up to England to stay in it as Spain look for a killer second goal.

Good effort! In one of his few major attacking involvements tonight, Jude Bellingham spins cleverly on the ball just outside the area, takes a touch, and hammers a left-footed shot a couple of yards wide of the post.

Spain's goal has, predictably, given England more impetus and creativity.

At the other end, Jordan Pickford keeps England in the game with a superb one-handed diving save from Yamine Lamal.

Now we've got a game on our hands,..

Seemingly sensing the mood, Southgate subs his captain off in favour of semi-final hero Ollie Watkins.

England have a free kick and a chance to cause danger.

'Signs of a little more zip in England's play', says commentator Guy Mowbray.

Alan Shearer, co-commentating on BBC One, is desperate for Gareth Southgate to make a substitution before England see the game slip away from them. I can't say I disagree.

Fans in the stands are chanting the name of Ollie Watkins, who scored England's semi-final winner, and may provide a pacier option to a tired-looking Harry Kane.

England look like they may have calmed things down after a flurry of Spain chances.

Can we now fashion a... shot on target?

Just seconds after scoring, England are once again opened up, with Dani Olmo finding himself all alone with only Jordan Pickford to beat - thankfully he skews the ball a few yards past the post.

Spain have come out flying, England havn't turned up since half time.

Nightmare start to the second half for England. A quick attack from Spain involving Lamine Yamal sees Nico Williams in far too much space, who slots the ball into the far corner past Jordan Pickford.

'Defences on top', 'one for the purists', 'like a chess match'... call it what you want, the first half of the Euro 2024 Final hasn't included many chances or incident.

England may be slightly the happier, having absorbed plenty of Spain possession (70% to 30%, in fact).

Lots for Gareth Southgate to consider at the break.

After a first half which has, if we're all honest, not been the greatest watch, England threaten Spain as Man City's Phil Foden gets on the end of a freekick at the back post, only to fire a low shot straight at goalkeeper Unai Simon.

It's as close as England have got so far... but they haven't really excelled in the first half of any game so far.

With half time approaching following a cagey first 45 minutes, here's the best of the action so far in picture form.

England's captain Harry Kane is the first player to receive a yellow card, as he lunges into a mistimed tackle on Spain's Fabian Ruiz.

Spain's Dani Olmo, wh scored in Spain's last three games, also goes into the book after a clumsy collision with England's Declan Rice.

Spain have had most of the possession with a quarter of the game gone, though England have (so far) appeared resolute defensively.

England's star attackers, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden havn't seen much of the ball in the tense opening exchanges - but there's plenty of time to go and the start has been perfectly fine for Southgate's men.

Meanwhile, back home at Boxpark Wembley, a certain high street optician has given supporters 'Cheer Goggles' (see what theyto watch the game with.

I can't decide if this is ingenius, or one of the worst marketing stunts I've ever seen.

Spain's teenage starlet, 17-year-old Yamine Lamal - who is so young he recently went viral pictured as a baby with a young Lionel Messi - has had his first touch of the ball, met firmly with a challenge from England's Luke Shaw, who then goes to win two more tackles against the youngster.

'There are so many key battles all over the park', remarks Alan Shearer.

We're underway!

The talk is over. We've had the anthems, the huddles, the analysis, the handshakes, and the 71,000 inside Berlin's Olympiastadion watch on as England's Kobbie Mainoo kicks the game off.

Over to you, lads...

While England's official allocation of fans in Berlin's Olympiastadion is 10,000, as many as 35,000 England fans are expected to be inside the venue, having snapped up tickets in all parts of the stadium.

The stadium itself holds 71,000 - though a large portion of the tickets will be taken up by Uefa dignitaries and corporate sponsors, as this piece from The Guardian explains.

Nonetheless, there's plenty of red and white inside the ground with less than 30 minutes to go...

For long-suffering England fans - myself included - who've watch the men's national side stumble/fail heroically in crunch games at international tournaments, tonight could be either a glorious night of sporting triumph exorcising decades of failure, or another near-miss to add to the heartbreaking collection.

This incredibly powerful video - released on the official England social media account this morning - sums up the Three Lions' rollercoaster journey through Euro 2024. Set to The Streets superb 'Turn The Page', it'll move any fan with even a vague connection to this current side.

For those unable to travel to Germany but desperate for some atmosphere, hundreds of fan parks and outdoor screenings are showing England v Spain across the country.

Here's a selection of images from London, ahead of kick off....

England's starting XI to face Spain has been revealed.

The only change, as mentioned in a post earlier in our coverage, is Kieran Trippier being replaced by Luke Shaw - who hasn't started a game since February. The Manchester United man is England's first choice left back, but has been battling with a return to fitness in the run-up to the tournament.

It's a big call from Southgate...

With 90 minutes until kick off, the BBC and ITV both begin their live televised coverage.

Over on BBC One, Gary Lineker opens with: 'I hope you've done your Sunday chores, done your Sunday roast, watched the Wimbledon final and stopped worrying about work in the morning', before mentioning a phrase we'll probably hear a lot - 'sporting immortality', then cutting to an emotive, poignant poem , 'Finally', written by James Graham and read by Joseph Fiennes.

ITV meanwhile, open with a classy segment narrated by hosts Mark Pougatch and Laura Woods while walking alongside the Berlin Wall.

After coming off the bench to score a dramatic semi-final winner against the Netherlands on Wednesday, all eyes have been on Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins.

Watkins, 28, who scored 19 Premier League goals for his club last season to help them qualify for the Champions League, is likely to be a substitute again tonight behind certain starter - and captain - Harry Kane.

One of Watkins' former coaches told us this week about this moment, 18 years ago when the striker was just 10-years-old, that he knew he was 'special'. Read about it in our story here.