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England have staggered and stuttered their way through Euro 2024, but they are nevertheless in another semi-final.
For the third time at a major tournament under Gareth Southgate, the Three Lions are in the last four – the only competition in which they have failed to reach that stage since the start of the 2018 World Cup was in Qatar in 2022.
And standing in their way of a consecutive Euros final are the Netherlands.
Ronald Koeman’s team were unconvincing in the group stage but, unlike their opponents in Dortmund on Wednesday, have clicked into gear in the knockouts.
Whereas England required extra-time – and a Jude Bellingham stunner – to break Slovakian hearts, and then stayed perfect from the spot and relied on a save from Jordan Pickford to beat Switzerland on penalties, the Netherlands overcame Romania 3-0 and Turkey 2-1, both inside 90 minutes.
England have gone to extra-time in both of their knockout ties so far. Only Portugal at Euro 2016, Spain at Euro 2020, and Italy at Euro 2020 have ever gone to extra-time three times in a single edition of the finals.
While Southgate has come under criticism for the level of performances in Germany, his major tournament record is hard to argue with.
England went 22 years between 1996 and 2018 without reaching a semi-final. Including making it to the final four at the World Cup in Russia six years ago, England have now reached that stage three times.
Indeed, having gone 65 years without reaching a men’s final, England are now on the brink of back-to-back appearances in a major tournament’s biggest event. There have been five occasions of a team reaching the final of consecutive editions of the Euros; USSR (1960/1964), Germany (1972/1976, 1976/1980, 1992/1996) and Spain (2008/2012).
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