Twenty-five years after his missed penalty cost England a place in the 1996 Euros final, England manager Gareth Southgate was crushed again as the Three Lions missed three spot kicks to lose the final to Italy at Wembley in a shootout after a 1-1 draw after extra time.
Italy giant goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made saves from Jadon Sancho and, decisively, Arsenal teenager Bukayo Saka while Marcus Rashford stuck a post. But the attention turned to Southgate’s decision-making after he brought Sancho and Rashford on seconds before the end of 120 minutes specifically for penalties, and also sending up Saka for the decisive fifth kick.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had saved twice in the shootout but Saka needed to convert England’s fifth kick to take the shootout to sudden death. His weak attempt was saved.
“What a situation for a teenager in Saka, as talented as he is, to be put in this position,” said former England and Arsenal striker Alan Smith on the match commentary.
“He’s only human. It’s nowhere near the corner. That’s pressure for you.”
Former Premier League player Michael Bridges, speaking on Optus Sport, said: “Football is a cruel game at times.
“The two substitutes that Southgate put on a minute before the shootout one Sancho, one Rashford have missed. That could have been a stroke of of genius but it didn’t turn out that way.
“I feel for the 19 year old Saka. He’s had an unbelievable tournament, and an unbelievable season for Arsenal but to put that much presson him to take the fifth penalty when I see a man in Grealish [there], I was very surprised he was given the role and the responsibility to take that penalty as the fifth because it can be such a decisive one.
“I hope it doesn’t affect that kid too much. But if anyone can console him it will be Southgate.
“But you have to credit Italy. They went 1-0 behind at Wembley in front of 65,000 people, they found a way to get level and then they dominated the game by changing their tactics and players and won the penalty shootout.”
Outspoken former Manchester United and Ireland hardman Roy Keane was scathing of the failure of Grealish and Raheem Sterling to step up for the fifth kick, although it’s likely Southgate set the order.
“If you’re Sterling or Grealish you can not sit there and have a young kid walk up ahead of you,” Keane said on ITV. “You can’t sit there and see a young kid, 19, a child, walking up ahead of [you when you’ve] played a lot more games got a lot more experience, Sterling has won trophies.
“You’ve got to get in front of this young kid and say ‘listen, I’ll step up before you’.”
Grealish last took a penalty for Aston Villa two seasons ago and missed. Sterling, who had scored in a League Cup shootout for Manchester City against Chelsea at Wembley has missed his last three penalties.
Former England striker Alan Shearer, speaking on BBC Sport, said sending on Rashford and Sancho for penalties was also questionable.
“It’s a big ask to put two players on with a few minutes to go and ask them to take penalties,” said Shearer. “It’s big pressure when they’ve not kicked a ball. Mentally you have to get yourself right. You’ve not kicked a ball for a few hours.”
England’s shootout misery is nothing new. They have been successful in just two of their nine major tournament shootouts, a 22 per cent success rate that is the lowest ratio of any European nation to have been involved in three or more.
The title was Italy’s second at the Euros, after 1968, while England’s wait for a trophy stretches beyond 55 years.
It capped an incredible three years for former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini, an emotional teary wreck after the match. He took over a broken Azzurri that had failed to even qualify for the 2018 World Cup three years ago.
“It means a lot because they’re proud of their country,” said former Socceroos striker John Aloisi on Optus Sport. “They’re passionate about their football and it hurt when they didn’t qualify for 2018.
“They’ve got a belief in what they’re doing under Mancinin and it’s been there for a long time now, three years and 34 games they haven’t lost.
“You could see even when they went 1-0 down, and they were getting dominated those first 20-30 minutes they clawed their way back into the game.
“They just started to get back in before halftime and after halftime they dominated those 45 minutes and they deserved to get back in. It’s all about their belief in the system, how Mancini wants them to play and each other.”
England made a flying start, with the fastest ever goal at Euros final, and looked strong in the opening stages but Italy equalised in the second half after seizing back the initiative.
Southgate changed his formation to a 3-4-3, and his wingbacks Kieran Trippier and Shaw combined brilliantly.
Trippier, given too much time on the right, swung his ball to the far post where Manchester United’s Shaw neatly scored off the inside of the post for his first ever England goal.
England took confidence from the strike and were able to keep the Italians at bay for the next half hour before the visitors began to assert control.
England were unable to create enough chances, while the excellent Juventus winger Federico Chiesa drove Italy forward.
He fizzed one wide and then brought a superb save out of Pickford, but the equaliser came on 67 minutes through veteran defender Leonardo Bonucci, heading home when England failed to clear their lines at a corner.
Raheem Sterling, who won the penalty that proved decisive in the semi-final win over Denmark, tumbled looking for another spot kick but was denied.
Chiesa, the player of the match for the opening 90, was forced off injured on 84 minutes and neither side pushed for a winner in extra time, with penalties seemingly inevitable.
England captain Harry Kane was integral to the first goal, coming deep and releasing Trippier, but he was otherwise superbly marshalled by Bonucci and his defensive partner Giorgio Chiellini, the veterans showing incredible stamina to go the distance after also seeing Italy through a penalty shootout in the semis against Spain.
Kane didn’t have one touch in the Italy 18 yard box, a staggering sign of just how he struggled to get into the game.
“I couldn’t have given more,” said Kane. “The boys couldn’t have given more. Penalties is the worst feeling in the world when you lose.
“It wasn’t our night but it’s been a fantastic tournament and we should hold our heads high. We’re all winners and want to win so it will probably hurt for a while and it will hurt for the rest of our careers, but that’s football.”
Kane said England dropped too deep after taking the early lead.
“They had a lot of the ball,” said Kane. “We looked fairly in control, they didn’t create too many chances.
“They got their breakthrough from the set piece and after that was 50:50. In extra time we grew into the game and had a few had chances. Penalties is penalties. We went through a process. The boys did everything they could, it just wasn’t our night.”
Former England player Gary Neville said it was the team’s failure to cope with normal time that made the difference, rather than the shootout agony.
“England teams, when they’ve historically gone out of tournaments on penalties, have sat back towards their own goal, shrunk back, got very deep and not been composed and not had the guts to play out and play through,” said Neville on ITV.
“This team have tried to change that but they didn’t get on the ball, they didn’t keep their composure, didn’t get into their shape attacking wise to keep possession.
“That has been the Achilles heel of England teams tournament after tournament and that’s the last bit of the jigsaw they have to get right.”
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
"I’m pretty sure a first simulation is a card anyway." You've just sat through a high profile International tournament where various refs simply waved play on. "The thing is these guys do it so well now that its very difficult to pick up – even on VAR." I think we've all seen enough examples of obvious cheating on replays to know enough of them could be caught and penalised to present a significant deterrent to others. And even where it's less clear, I have no issue with a ref exercising discretion - they do already in the award of cards.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
The problem is its a non-contact, contact sport, so there will always be a grey area. If you look at Rugby League which for 100 years has not had the problem of "simulation" for getting hit, due to recent discussions and concerns around head concussions all of a sudden the NRL is cracking down on this where any contact to the head is an automatic penalty most likely Sin Bin, so players have got on to this and in recent weeks we have been seeing lots of play acting and milking for penalties. It's bound to happen.
chris
Guest
I'm pretty sure a first simulation is a card anyway. The thing is these guys do it so well now that its very difficult to pick up - even on VAR. The worst are the South Americans and even middle eastern countries (especially if they are in the lead).
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Some self reflection by the English needed here: In a space of 10 days of EURO21.: It was the English fans that booed the German anthem; It was the English fans that ridiculed that little German girl; It was the English fans that booed the Danish anthem in front of the Danish Royals: It was the English fans that booed the Italian anthem; It was the english fan with a laser pen pointing it a Schmeichel: It was the English fans that racially abused their own players: It was the English fans that trashed central London, Leicester Square, Wembley, damaged property, terrorised innocent people; It was the English fans that terrorised a Danish Family (with a 9 y o boy) and punching the father in the stomach; It was the English fans punching and kicking people in the head at Wembley stadium gates, kicking also when they are down only then hearing "England Chants": It's coming home? Yes the English Hooligan is. I guess we're all supposed to shout out that all the incidents above are "english hate" These are facts, these are real incidents that have happened are happening in the "now". These are disgraceful and sorry if that narrative doesn't fit you'r ego.
Minz
Guest
From watching other sporting finals, it's pretty standard for the runners up to take their medals off straight away. I wouldn't read too much into it.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
I’d go further. First clear simulation, booking. Treat it as the same concept as the ‘professional foul’. Next one, off. It would stop even quicker and we’d all get the game and a proper contest back. We’d also be subjected to less dead time while a player sees out their terrible acting performances.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
Yeah it's just good old fashioned English hate. Wouldn't be an issue if the Italians lost and did it. But at the moment it's cool to hate everything to do with the mother country, and the morons on twitter and in the media are looking for any opportunity to stick the boots in.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
So for the first simulation, you get a warning. Ref tells you to get up and play on. Second simulation by the same player and its a yellow card. Third simulation by the same player - red card and your off. Simulations will quickly stop.
Caimin
Roar Rookie
I really wish they'd start getting more strict with the diving! It's so frustrating to watch.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
" ......would you give all those offenders a yellow card?" Yep, I absolutely would. And I wish we lived in a world like that. As I would for every player that swan dived and rolled about the floor as if some horrendous act had befallen them. But that horse bolted long, long ago. Even though today we have multiple, high def camera angles available to officials, neither they or the governing bodies had or have the kahunas to stamp it out. Don't blame the player, blame the game. Unless you have a different agenda.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
I dont think AA’s comments/ or he is “boring”, he is providing a strong view which I see whee he is coming from. But I also don’t think England were the ‘most boring” , in fact they were quite good and they did play some good football, I enjoyed watching players like Kane, Saka, Shaw and Maguire play, less so Sterling (only because his constant diving and play acting) but he is very skilful. I would have liked to see more of Sancho. Whether I think they where better than say Spain or Belgium or France or Portugal is an irrelevant argument, but given how they performed they deserved to get to the final. Let’s face it, the French couldn’t beat Switzerland (who lost 3-0 to Italy) and the Belgians were comfortably beaten by the Italians, Spain played their best match of the tournament and probably best game in a few years against the Italians and lost. The English could only play what was in front of them and really had to beat Germany (never easy no matter how bad they may be) and a very good Danish team. They did it, and it was far from boring, in fact I think this Euro was one of the best tournaments in terms of how close 4-5 teams are, but with Italy the deserved winner, virtually playing the best football from the start to the finish.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Agree with you egbert, apart from Southgate. Maguire and Jordon Henderson who from memory were the only 3 English players to wear their medals,a all the others took theirs off even before getting off the podium. I think it was nothing but poor taste and disrespectful to all, the Italians, the game, the fans and whether one wants to argue if they meant it or not it is a bad example to all the sportsmen, women and children out there. , you'd expect them to show some sportsmanship especially after the Italians formed a guard of honor and clapped the English team on to receive their medals. And all this after the english fans had booed the Italian anthem and were booing Italian players during the match if they got injured. So much for Fair Play. Well done Azzurri, too classy.
Lefty
Roar Rookie
The penalty shootout should be abandoned. Here two teams are tied after regular time and two extra periods. After that great achievement by both sides the result should be a tie. It is cruel to impose a shootout which has so much randomness in it.
egbert
Guest
Well as I'm not the only one who has picked up on it -- see Michael Bridges's reaction on Optus Sport and a quite large fuss made over it when it was done at the Rugby World Cup Final -- it is perhaps not 'something that isn't there'. I'm not entirely sure I know what you mean with the second part of that comment, and I do understand where you're coming from generally, but in my opinion they could acknowledge the moment and the occasion by not being so dismissive of the medals. By your logic, should all the silver and bronze medalists at the Olympic Games immediately remove their medals because they didn't win?
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Neil - since you probably watched a different Euro final I suggest you go a replay the one played Sunday night at Wembley and list all 22 players plus subs of both teams, then put an x next to the players that you feel 'dived' (ie no foul, but went to ground seeking the referee's whistle). I would say that you may have an "x" here and there from players of either side, but against Sterling's name you will have at least 3 X's. The rules say for diving or an attempt to deceive the officials you will get a yellow card ('simulation"). Now while I agree with you that it is endemic, would you give all those offenders a yellow card? Obviously not, but after 1 or 2 of the same offences by the same player, surely there should be some action.
Winter A League is Awesome
Roar Rookie
Great tournament. But the commentary team on Optus Sport wasn't great. SBS and Fox had way better commentary.
Phantom
Roar Rookie
Why don’t they have a 5 minute sin bin for things like that.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
irrational anti English position....take your ball and go home (not with the Cup but only you)
pacman
Roar Rookie
With the advantage of hindsight, Southgate probably wishes he had put Sancho and Rashford on at half time (of extra time). Fresh legs and the opportunity to acclimatise, with the remote possibility of scoring the winner before full time (of extra time). Isn't hindsight wonderful?
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Fantastic tournament with the best team hoisting the trophy. I couldn’t understand England’s tactics once ahead. They were totally dominant in first 30 yet Kane and Sterling hardly saw the ball. Another goal would have put the game away. They went into their Shells like England teams of old. England have a good back four so imo they don’t need to play 2 defensive mids. They lacked thrust and creativity through the middle once the wing backs were being nullified. Grealish should have started or come on a lot earlier. In regards to the penalties, Roy Keane is spot on. Saka was thrown to the wolves which was shameful, poor lad. That’s on Southgate and the senior players not intervening and stepping up. Sancho and Rashford were barely on the pitch before penalties. This was amateur stuff. I like Southgate and he has done a very good job. However to go one better, he needs to tweak his tactics, play through the middle more and only select experience / veterans for the penalties. Italy were magnificent from their brilliant keeper, ageless yet outstanding central defenders to classy creative midfielders and quality wide players. Mancini has done an outstanding job. Forza Italia !