Fandemonium

Gareth Southgate is determined to make it a night no England fan will forget as he looks to guide the Three Lions to Euro 2024 glory.

The England boss has taken his side to back-to-back European Championship finals, with Spain their opponents in Berlin on Sunday – live on talkSPORT.

Southgate’s men have been brilliantly supported out in Germany, with the ex-Middlesbrough manager desperate to repay fans’ faith across his eight-year spell in charge of the national team.

Delivering a message to the travelling fans when speaking to talkSPORT’s England correspondent Faye Carruthers, he said: “The stories I’ve heard of the hours of travel – planes, trains, automobiles, boats – it’s been incredible.

“So we feel that support, that support in the stadium [Signal Iduna Park] helped us enormously the other night [semi-final win over the Netherlands].

“Our fans were outnumbered by the Dutch, but they more than held their own, and that helped us get over the line.

“It’s such a difference when everybody’s energy is working together.

“We’re of course desperate to give everybody the night of their lives and we hope they have a brilliant time.”

Southgate featured as a player at Euro 1996, which was played in England but won by Germany.

Asked if he felt it was fate the Three Lions now have the chance to win a European Championship in Germany, he said: “I am not a believer in fairytales but I am a believer in dreams.

“We have had big dreams and felt the importance of that, but you have to make those things happen.

“The run we’ve had, the late goals and penalties, doesn’t equate to it being our moment. We have to make it tomorrow and perform.

“It would be a lovely story and it’s in our hands but the performance is the most important thing.”

And he has called on his team to be fearless, adding: “I don’t have any fear about what might happen [against Spain] because I’ve been through everything.

“I want the players to feel that fearlessness. I want them to be able to be the best version of themselves because, whatever happens, we’re so strong as a group.”