English newspapers celebrated the performance of player Ollie Watkins and his last-gasp goal against the Netherlands, which decided England’s passage to the Euro final. The England national team will face Spain in the final match, which will start on Sunday evening, at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. English newspapers celebrated the qualification of the “Three Lions” team after the last-gasp victory over the Netherlands. The following is what the newspapers wrote yesterday.
England qualify with greatest substitution, headlined The Sun on its front page, writing: “England reach Euro 2024 final after Ollie Watkins’ stunning last-gasp winner against Holland. England manager Gareth Southgate made the greatest double substitution in his country’s history. After 81 minutes, with England trailing the Dutch after an excellent first half, Southgate brought on Ollie Watkins and Cole Palmer for England’s all-time top scorer Harry Kane and Player of the Year Phil Foden.
Southgate has been criticised and ridiculed in recent weeks for his substitutions, but he succeeded in making a distinctive tactical change that gave England a ticket to the final qualification.
For its part, The Guardian newspaper wrote: “Watkins stuns Holland,” and the newspaper praised Gareth Southgate’s substitutions after he gave the English an extra boost when Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins came on despite not playing regularly.
Everyone was watching from the bench as Ollie Watkins collected Cole Palmer’s pass, evaded Stefan de Vrij and stunned the Dutch with a stunning goal. When Southgate replaced Keane with Watkins, few could have imagined the impact the striker would have.
The Daily Mail titled its article “A Historic Achievement” and praised the players’ performance, writing: “The England national team achieved a historic achievement when they succeeded in coming back from a goal down to reach the final of the 2024 European Nations Championship. Despite the England national team being a goal down against the Netherlands, the Three Lions came back to score two goals, qualifying for the final of Euro 2024.”
The Telegraph newspaper titled its page: “Congratulations from the King,” and wrote: “King Charles III sent a congratulatory message to Gareth Southgate and all the England players after qualifying for the Euro 2024 final.”
“I would like to offer my warmest congratulations on reaching the Euro 2024 final,” Charles said. “We wish you all the best for Sunday’s game. Good luck.” The monarch wasn’t the only senior royal to send his congratulations – Prince William also took to social media to congratulate the England team. “What a fantastic, congratulations to England. Euro 2024 final,” William wrote.
Watkins the Unexpected Hero: I’ve Had an Incredible Trajectory
Striker Ollie Watkins has only played a handful of minutes at Euro 2024 but his low strike in stoppage time sent England into the final at the expense of the Netherlands. “I’ve had an incredible journey,” the 28-year-old explained. “I’ve worked hard to get there and I’m trying to enjoy it because I’ve never played in a major tournament. I missed the last Euros because I was left out at the last minute when I wanted to play at any cost. “It’s hard to be on the bench when I’ve been playing regularly for the last three or four seasons. But it’s within the game and I try to give the team positive energy. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for weeks. I got the chance and I took it with my hands. I said to (substitute team-mate Cole Palmer) ‘we’re going to go in and you’re going to set it up’, and I knew that as soon as he got the ball he was going to pass it to me. When it went into the bottom corner, it was the best feeling ever.”
“To be honest, I’ve been a bit disappointed lately not to be involved. I don’t like being on the bench, especially after having the best season of my career,” he said. “The amount of people who messaged me today to tell me I was going to score tonight when I came on as a substitute was crazy. I hope they do the same in the final.”
Southgate: We will fight to the last breath
England manager Gareth Southgate has praised substitute Ollie Watkins for scoring the winning goal in stoppage time against the Netherlands to send England into the final.
“I’m very pleased with the quality of our performance,” Southgate said. “It’s been a long time, I think, where England have had 60 per cent of possession against a Dutch team. This shows the more modern style of England.”
“So to be able to celebrate reaching the second final is very special,” he continued.
“It was the mentality of the players who were all ready to perform and all ready to contribute throughout the whole tournament,” he said of his substitutions that made the difference. “We are facing the best team in the tournament and we have one day less to prepare, so it is a huge task. But we are still here and we will fight to the last breath.”
Koeman: “VAR” slaughtered us
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman admitted it was hard to accept his country’s exit after a controversial penalty decision and a last-gasp goal from substitute striker Ollie Watkins. “I’m disappointed with the final result in a game that started well for us,” Koeman told reporters.
Koeman complained about the referee’s decision to award the penalty, saying: “What can you do as a defender? In my opinion, this should not have been a penalty.”
“We can’t play football properly because of VAR. This is destroying football,” he continued.
“The feeling was that in the last 20 minutes we were the better team and attacking more,” he added, “but then the knockout blow came in the 90th minute. A wonderful goal, and then it was over, and it is difficult to accept that.”
Frenchman Le Texier to referee final
French referee François Le Texier will officiate the final, UEFA announced on Monday. Le Texier, 35, will oversee his fourth match at the continental finals in Germany, after Croatia-Albania and Denmark-Serbia in the group stage and Spain-Georgia in the round of 16. He was also the fourth official in the opening match between hosts Germany and Scotland.
Le Texier received the international badge in 2017 and has officiated 65 matches under the supervision of the continental football federation so far in his career, including the European Super Cup between Manchester City of England and Sevilla of Spain.