Alan Shearer Euro 2024 Final Prediction: England will beat Spain the hard way

• England can end 58 year wait on Sunday

• Find out who's Alan's England star of Euro 202

• Shearer wants Southgate to stay as manager

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England have one final hurdle at Euro 2024

It's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for England to get to this point. We saw great football in the first half of the semi-final but it's been hard work in some other games as well. That's fine. We've had a bit of luck, some brilliance, some resilience. We've had to defend really well, we've had some dramatic moments when you need big players. We've had it all and it's been amazing. England are where they want to be, it's where they set out to be before the tournament started and hopefully it'll be a great final for us on Sunday.

When you look at the bigger picture and remember where Gareth has taken this team - they were at rock bottom after the game against Iceland at Euro 2016. Now we're now expecting to be in finals. That tells you how well he's done in the job. We couldn't get over the line three years ago at Euro 2020, so he now has to find a way to beat the best team in the tournament.

Spain have been pretty regular in everything they've done, they've been impressive in most of their games but England have to get over the line, now that's the final hurdle, it's a big one but they have to do it.

I'd like to see Southgate stay on

After the tournament, I think Gareth will decide for himself whether he wants to continue and that's right. Whether England win or lose against Spain, he's got a big decision to make. Gareth has criticised the noise that's gone on in terms of performances this tournament so whether he's had enough or not, and whether England win or not, will all be factors he'll take into consideration. He'll be the one to decide his future.

I'd like to see Gareth stay on as England manager. If England win Euro 2024, how can you walk away from a team that could potentially win the World Cup in two years time? It will be a huge decision, but he'll do what's right for him and what's right for his family.

England's greatest wordsmith - Shakespeare or Shearer?

Who said this...@alanshearer or William Shakespeare? 😅 pic.twitter.com/jesJk6dR01

-- Betfair (@Betfair) July 13, 2024

Watkins' goal will be replayed for the rest of his life

This tournament has had everything, the ups and the downs and the peaks and the troughs. The rollercoaster ride that this Euros has given England fans, players and staff has been incredible and, as good as Jude Bellingham's overhead kick was, my favourite moment has to be Ollie Watkins' goal in the semi-final.

With him coming on, having that specific job of running in behind and then the timing of the pass for a great run and
the touch, turn and finish in the 89th minute was just perfection. Seeing the England fans go absolutely berserk too, that was my favourite moment.

I was absolutely delighted for Ollie because that moment will live with him forever and he'll see it played over and over again until the day he dies. I saw the players pushing him towards the England fans to go and enjoy the moment, which I thought was great.

Ollie didn't have any right to score from there but as a forward, when you get on that half-turn, you just hope the ball travels through the defenders legs. He couldn't have caught it any sweeter, everything about the goal was perfection.

He's had a wonderful season for Aston Villa. He'll have been sat on the bench for England thinking: 'Give me a chance, get me on there and let me make a statement'. That's what you have to do when the manager puts you on, you've got to impact the game. You have to either save the game or win it, if you're a defender it might be a
crunching tackle, but if you're a forward you might make that one pass, that one run, that one shot that wins you the game - that's what you're put on for.

It's really important that when you're given the opportunity you do something about it, but that goal sums up Ollie's season.

Saka is England's star of Euro 2024

When looking at who's been England's standout player, you have to mention a few. Bukayo Saka has been fantastic, Kobbie Mainoo too everything about him he has that aura, nothing seems to faze him. We all thought England's defence could be a weak point but it hasn't, Marc Guehi has had a really good tournament alongside John Stones.

Jordan Pickford deserves a mention too, not only for his penalty save, but because he's made some big saves in big games. I have to say though, Saka is my player of the tournament. He's had a wonderful tournament, he's a breath of fresh air and everyone loves him. Let's hope he has another magical moment on Sunday.

I can't wait for the game, I'm really looking forward to it. I've really enjoyed the tournament and travelling around for the games and I can't wait to sample the atmosphere. England fans will be pouring into Berlin in their thousands and we can only hope it's a night to remember.

England deserve to end 58 year wait

I've always wanted to lift a trophy for England, like so many before and after me, but it never happened. These guys now have got a chance to put themselves in the history books and be spoken about forever. It's been so long, 58 years since our country last lifted a trophy. Gareth has taken us close, now he and the team have to find a way somehow to get over the line. They've shown great resilience, belief and togetherness.

They've got the opportunity to write themselves into the history books, and they deserve to win, but deserving it and actually doing it are two different things.

They have to fight and scrap because they're up against a really good Spanish team who have gone through the difficult side of the draw. Spain will go into the game as the favourites, but England are there and they deserve to have a right good crack at it.

Kane will be focused on goals and performing for England

I don't think Harry Kane will be thinking about lifting the trophy. He'll be thinking about getting goals. I'm sure he'll say performance-wise that he could have done better, but we all know he will score goals, there's no doubt about it. He'll be focused on a good performance and then if that magical moment happens then wow, what a
moment that could be for him.

He won't be focused on lifting the trophy, he'll be aiming to go out and put in a performance, and if he gets a goal or two then there's every chance that England can do it. We also know that if Harry doesn't manage to get a goal or two, Gareth can take him off with 20 minutes to go and I think that's the big thing about our squad now.
We have players who can, without doubt, come on the pitch and change the game.
We've seen that.

All Harry will be thinking about is to give his all for however long he is on the pitch, give the two centre-halves a problem, and put in a performance that can hopefully help us win the Euros.

Despite Harry not being as sharp as what we're used to, he's played a huge part in what we've done. That penalty was a huge moment in the game. I don't think it was a penalty, but you still have to stick it away and Kane had to wait a long time and focus himself. He made it look so easy, which I know it isn't.

Key battles all over the pitch in Euro 2024 final

There are going to be several key battles on Sunday. Rodri is without doubt the best midfielder in the world at what he does, I don't think there's anyone better than him. He plays a huge part in everything that Spain and Man City do. Also, if you look at their two wingers with Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal on either side, the key battles will be those two against England's full-backs.

There will be so many brilliant individual battles all over the pitch and it'll probably take a piece of brilliance from someone to win it.

For Yamal, a 16-year-old to even be on the pitch is amazing but for him to stick one in the top corner and make it look so easy like he did against France just isn't normal. Dani Olmo will also be looking to go and get the golden boot, he has been wonderful for Spain. They have some great players but so have we.

Kobbie Mainoo got the better of Rodri in the FA Cup final and he's been sensational for England at Euro 2024. He's looked so comfortable in that midfield and for someone so young and without a lot of experience, the way he's performed for England you'd never know that he hasn't been in the game that long.

Southgate will make just one change for final

I'd keep the same team as the one against Netherlands, but I'd bring Luke Shaw back in from the start. The call to start Trippier last time out must have been so tight for Southgate after Shaw came back for half an hour before that, he may have sided on the air of caution, but I think he'll go with Shaw this time and keep the rest of the team the same.

Alan Shearer's Spain v England prediction

I won't go against England. There are so many things that have happened that make us all think this could be England's tournament. The moments of the goals, the penalties, the little bit of luck that everyone needs alongside moments of magic when we so desperately needed them. There are so many things you can point to.

I'm going to go for an England win. It really can happen. We are playing against the best team of the tournament, but I just have a feeling that we'll have enough to win. I think if England are to do it, I think with what's gone on previously in the other matches, we might not do it in 90 minutes and we may have to endure a long evening once again.

My dream is that England are 3-0 up with 15 minutes to go so that we can all relax and enjoy the party atmosphere but I sense that won't happen. I may be dreaming there! I hope that will the case, but I think it will be really, really tight, it's never easy with England, this tournament has proven that if we are going to win it, we're going to have to win it the hard way.

If we do it, there should be a bank holiday, I think we'll get one on Tuesday. If we do win it, there'll be an incredible open top bus parade and the players will be off to Buckingham Palace.

Someone asked me if I'd take England winning but Sunderland come back up to the Premier League and win the title. I don't care about Sunderland, I have no interest in them, I just want England to win so if that had to happen, then fair enough.

My final words to England players before the final

Don't leave anything in the dressing room, just give your all and have no regrets. If you do that then no one can ask anymore from you. Come on, England!

Now read Spain v England Euro 2024 Final Tips: Back Three Lions for Euro glory & stars to shine in 6/1 special