Both teams have some of the world’s best players, and the match could be memorable, but if history is any indication, La Roja may have an important edge over the Three Lions. England, despite reaching the last European Championship final in 2021, has only appeared in the final of a major tournament once before, when they won the World Cup in 1966.
In this exclusive report, FootballWinner looks back at all of England’s previous major tournament finals.
1966 World Cup final: England defeats West Germany 4-2.
England’s World Cup victory over West Germany at Wembley Stadium in 1966 remains the nation’s only major tournament victory, and English football fans still hold it in high regard.
The competition only featured 16 teams, with North Korea and Portugal having their debuts.
In the final, England won 4-2 after extra time thanks to a standout performance by striker Geoff Hurst. His three goals meant he became the first ever player to score a hat-trick in the World Cup final, and prior to Kylian Mbappe doing the same at the 2022 World Cup, Hurst was the only man to do so.
Euro 2020 final: England 1-1 Italy (Italy won 3-2 on penalties)
Gareth Southgate’s side faced Italy in the Euro 2020 final in the summer of 2021, having defeated Denmark 2-1 in the semi-finals.
This was a watershed moment in English football history, as the national team had never previously reached a European Championship final. Fans were full of optimism, especially since the final match would be played at Wembley Stadium in front of an enthusiastic crowd. However, England went on to win their first World Cup, and many consider it the greatest moment in English football history.
