Title within reach

Gary Lineker impatient: “Don’t want to wait any longer”

Gary Lineker wants to see the "Three Lions" finally cheer.

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/ASSOCIATED PRESS, APA/AFP/Niklas HALLE‘N )

England soccer icon Gary Lineker firmly believes that the Three Lions' wait for a major title will soon be over. 

"If it's not on Sunday, then maybe in two, four or six years' time. It will happen because the England team is getting better and better. And if you keep knocking on that door, eventually it will open," the 63-year-old wrote in his BBC column ahead of the final against Spain in Berlin this evening (9pm).

Not a brilliant performance
"But I don't want to wait any longer. I hope it happens on Sunday," Lineker added. England have had an inconsistent European Championship. A poor preliminary round was followed by two poor knockout matches, in which England saved themselves with luck, a brilliant Jude Bellingham moment and a lot of morale to reach the next round after falling behind. The semi-final against the Netherlands was their best performance to date. Spain, on the other hand, have gone through the tournament flawlessly so far and are favorites in the Olympic Stadium.

"It will be tough, of course. England are playing against a very good Spanish team with some real superstars and an up-and-coming phenomenon," said Lineker about the team led by Lamine Yamal, who has just turned 17.

Spain prodigy Lamine Yamal

(Bild: AP/Ariel Schalit)

The former international believes that Gareth Southgate's national team will learn from the 2021 European Championship final against Italy, which they lost on penalties. "Since then, I've been saying that this team will win something. I still believe that."

"Football is coming home"
The whole island is behind England in other ways too, including many celebrities: in a two-minute video compiled by the BBC and shared on X, pop star Ed Sheeran, who has a close relationship with the Three Lions, speaks out. "I really feel like everything is just coming together at the right moment. I can't wait for Sunday. Soccer is coming home. All the best, lads," Sheeran said.

The 33-year-old singer was in the stadium for the semi-final against the Netherlands in Dortmund and the round of 16 match against Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen. He also visited the team around captain Harry Kane during this European Championship. There was a small music session at the training camp in Blankenhain during the preliminary round.

Singer David Baddiel, who 28 years ago contributed to the famous song "Three Lions" with the legendary line "Football's coming home", sent a message to Joker Cole Palmer, who had set up the winning goal against the Netherlands: "You are a genius. And I know you will be again tonight at a certain moment." Singer Ellie Goulding said very briefly: "Bring the trophy home. Please, please, please. We love you guys! Thank you so much!"