England will hope to clinch a first major tournament triumph for 55 years when they face Italy on home soil in the Euro 2020 Final at Wembley on Sunday night, with Alley Sport bringing England vs Italy preview and the insights to this Euro 2020 Final.
Not since that famous extra-time success over West Germany in 1966 have the Three Lions even reached another showpiece, with painful near-misses at the World Cups of 1990 and 2018 as well as familiar penalty heartache at Euro 96.
But Gareth Southgate has now led England into an exciting new era with a young squad bursting with talent and depth and largely free of the burdens and heavy expectations of the past, with captain Harry Kane’s extra-time goal – the rebound from his own saved penalty – defeating Denmark in the semis after Simon Kjaer’s own goal had cancelled out Mikkel Damsgaard’s stunning free-kick.
Now in their first-ever European Championship final, England battle a formidable Italy team that have plenty of momentum of their own after a hugely impressive campaign to this point.
England vs Italy: Preview
After missing out on qualification for the World Cup in Russia three years ago, the Azzurri have been eager to make up for lost time, putting together a truly formidable run of 33 matches unbeaten. Their last defeat came all the way back in September 2018.
This will be four-time world champions Italy’s 10th major tournament final overall and fourth at the European Championship, where they were runners-up in both 2012 and 2000. Their only success to date came as hosts back in 1968.
England vs Italy: Prediction
Both of these teams have oceans of momentum behind them and picking a winner is extremely difficult. It will surely be a tense, gripping and tight affair between two excellent, confident teams, potentially decided by just the one goal. Sunday’s contest really could go either way and maybe it’s heart ruling head just a little bit, but I’m backing England to get that extra push they need from another raucous home crowd.
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England vs Italy head to head results
England have won just one of the last eight meetings between these two nations. That was back in August 2012, when substitute Jermain Defoe scored a brilliant late goal in a 2-1 friendly win in Switzerland after Daniele De Rossi had earlier cancelled out Phil Jagielka’s header.
Two months earlier, Italy had won the first meeting in a decade 4-2 on penalties in Kiev following a goalless draw in the quarter-finals at Euro 2012, with Ashley Young and Ashley Cole both failing to net in the shootout.
The Azzurri also came out on top 2-1 in the 2014 World Cup Group D opener in the Amazonian heat of Manaus, Brazil, with Mario Balotelli notching the winning goal after Daniel Sturridge had quickly replied to Claudio Marchisio’s effort. The last two matches – both friendlies – have ended in 1-1 draws, with Graziano Pelle scoring after Andros Townsend’s superb strike in Turin in March 2015.
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