On the eve of the Euro finals, which are set to begin at 3 a.m. Beijing time on July 15, England manager Gareth Southgate shared his team's latest form, challenges and tactical preparations at a press conference.
Southgate began by confirming one of the team's great strengths - full fitness. He emphasized that although this is not common in cup finals, England have managed to do this, which certainly adds to the confidence of the team. He noted that the team has made remarkable progress over the last few weeks, showing exceptional character and resilience, and training with passion and focus every day.
Speaking about the challenges facing the team, Southgate said that as the game progresses, the team must continue to adapt and adjust to find the tactics that best suit the current game situation. He made special mention of the backline, noting that the absence of some key players at the end of the season had an impact on the team, but that the team had been working hard throughout the summer to find the best combination and balance.
On the offensive end, Southgate admits that the team has a lot of super talent, but it is a challenge to find the best offensive balance for them. He was pleased to say that as the game progressed, the team had started to gradually find this feeling, showing a strong attacking threat.
Regarding the pre-match preparation for this game, Southgate revealed that although the training time is limited, the team has already analyzed the opponents in depth through several meetings and formulated corresponding tactical responses. He emphasized that in this kind of competition, details determine success or failure, and the team must make sure that every little aspect is perfect. At the same time, he also appreciated the confidence and calmness shown by the players, saying that they did not need too much motivation to play at their best.
In addition, Southgate also showed the players a video of people celebrating in London's Trafalgar Square after England's victories in other sports, as a way to inspire the players' fighting spirit and team spirit. He emphasized that this was not only a motivation for the players, but also a recognition of the hard work of the whole team.
When talking about the opponent Spain, Southgate gave high praise. He believes that Spain is a very stable team with a clear way of playing and a very high possession rate. But he also said that England has shown good ball control and attacking threat in the past few games, and he believes that the team can continue to maintain this momentum in the final.
Finally, Southgate reiterated the team's desire and confidence to win. He stated that he does not believe in fairy tales, but believes in the power of dreams and hard work. He emphasized that the team must grasp this opportunity to create their own beautiful story with their hands and performance. At the same time, he also expressed his satisfaction with the team's progress in penalty shootouts, believing that the team is ready to deal with all kinds of situations.
