Gareth Southgate: All we’re missing is a medal – but we must be perfect to beat Spain

Gareth Southgate has insisted his England team have only one achievement missing – glory in the final of a major tournament.

‌Southgate screamed “one more” as he celebrated wildly with fans in Dortmund to set up the European Championship final against Spain on Sunday, when he and his staff will attempt to win England’s first trophy for 58 years.

‌After eight years in charge, Southgate has changed the perception of the national team and has reached two Euro finals and a World Cup semi-final with Steve Holland, his assistant, by his side.

‌“We have brilliant staff right across the board but clearly, our relationship is really, really strong,” said Southgate. “Firstly, I could not do it without Steve. He is a fantastic balance for me. His strengths eat up my weaknesses. He is so meticulous in his preparation. We have grown so close. The trust between us is immense and I could not have anybody better alongside me.

‌“He has won the Champions League, he has won the Premier League, everything. He is a proud Englishman like me and there is one medal missing.”

‌After losing to Italy on penalties in the Euro final three years ago, Southgate is ready to use the experience of that Wembley heartache in his preparations for Sunday’s showiece in Berlin.

‌“I think all of these big matches we view differently now,” said Southgate. “Because we have been in them. You don’t know, for me as a coach, until you have coached a European final, there is so much around it that is different. You cannot help but learn from those experiences. I think the whole group are showing that through the six matches they have had.”

‌Southgate took charge from Sam Allardyce, initially as caretaker, in 2016. In their previous tournament, under Allardyce’s predecessor Roy Hodgson, England crashed out of the Euros to Iceland in one of the greatest shocks in the competition.

‌The likes of Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford, John Stones, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier have been on the journey with Southgate and he also expects them to use their experience of losing to Italy to help them this week.

‌Southgate’s squad returned to their Blankenhain base after defeating the Dutch in the semi-final, with effectively two days to prepare for the final in Berlin as players rested during a warm-down session on Thursday.

‌He says his players must be “perfect” to win at Olympiastadion against a Spain team who have played consistently well throughout the tournament and have 16-year-old sensation Lemine Yamal set to start as one of their forwards.

‌“They would be rightly favourites for what they have done this tournament,” said Southgate. “They have been the best team. They have got a day longer and in the last three finals, maybe more, it has been quite significant so we have got to get our recovery spot on.

‌“We have got to be perfect to win this game and we will have to find everything that we have got from within us. But, we are in there and there is no question the big nights that a lot of this group have been together and this new group, that has formed so well and have learned so much from these six games already.

‌“We have got players who have played lots of big matches so they will know what is required on the night but in the next couple of days, we have got to get perfectly prepared as it is such a quick turnaround.”

‌Southgate has put the focus on the achievement of his players in reaching England’s first final on foreign soil, rather than being vindicated after criticism earlier in the tournament and having had beer cups thrown at him from the crowd.

‌Having faced questions over his substitutions, his replacements delivered in the 90th minute of the semi-final, with Cole Palmer setting up Ollie Watkins for the stunning winner at Westfalenstadion.

‌“That is not important,” Southgate said. “We are in a first final ever overseas. I am more pleased for the players who have come in and had their moments. That is the key, when somebody trains the way Ollie has consistently and the whole group. Not one of them has let their heads drop even though every you time you pick a team you are leaving 15 out. That is not easy to keep going but it is a huge strength we have got.”

‌Southgate’s 3-4-2-1 system has worked well during the wins over Switzerland and the Netherlands and he has a decision to make over Trippier, who came off at half-time in the semi-final for Luke Shaw, the only orthodox left-back in the squad.

‌“Obviously with Luke coming on with that balance helped us. There have been many years, I would think, since we had 60 per cent possession against a Dutch team,” Southgate said.