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England are in the UEFA Euro 2020 final and it's been an absolutely amazing journey for Gareth Southgate and co. Over the years, I've seen a few better England sides fail to live up to their hype, but the current crop have done incredibly well to get to where they are right now.
I know they still have to finish the job, but what England have achieved at Euro 2020 is definitely a success regardless of what happens in the final, in my opinion. These guys are going to be around for a while, so this isn't a one-off. They reached the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and are one game away from winning Euro 2020, which is a clear indication that this is a team for the long haul.
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I don't see this as if it's going to be our best ever chance of winning a trophy. This is a young group of players who are learning from their mistakes, as we saw in the semifinal against Denmark. In the World Cup semi-final against Croatia, England lost to a late goal in extra time, but they dug deep this time around to book their place in the final of Euro 2020.
It'll be a hard game against Italy, but that's the case for both teams. England and Italy have been the two best sides at Euro 2020 and are yet to lose a game in the competition, so it's obvious that these two sides are hard to beat.
I know it's a final and anything can happen, but I fancy England to record a 3-2 victory in extra time and win Euro 2020 over Italy. It's either coming home or going to Rome - this game has all the makings of a cracking contest.
That said, here are five key battles I've picked ahead of the game, as two fantastic sides prepare to go head to head to be crowned kings of the continent at the Wembley Stadium.
#5 Raheem Sterling vs Giovanni di Lorenzo
This is the biggest game of Giovanni di Lorenzo's career. He was outstanding in the Euro 2020 semi-final against Spain and will be tasked with keeping Raheem Sterling at bay against England. Di Lorenzo has been resolute at the back for Italy, but he will have to be at his brilliant best to stifle Sterling, who, in my opinion, has been the Player of the Tournament so far.
Sterling has scored goals for England, but what stands out about him is his defensive work rate and willingness to run without the ball. If Di Lorenzo can stop him in his tracks and prevent him from growing into the game in the opening exchanges, it will go a long way in determining who wins the Euro 2020 final.
Italy have been incredibly solid at the back and went over 10 games without conceding a goal before letting one in against Austria in extra time, but that goes to show the kind of personnel they have in front of the goalkeeper. Leonardo Spinazzola understandably grabbed all the headlines for his performances, but Di Lorenzo has been a reliable presence at the back for Italy and has defended incredibly well, especially in the knockout stages.
He might get the better of Sterling at times and think he's got him in his pocket, but the Englishman has shown that he can immediately be a danger in the final third moments later. Against Denmark, he missed a golden opportunity to score, but he was the one who was busting his guts to win England a penalty late in the game.
This will be an intriguing battle, so Di Lorenzo will have to be alert throughout the game to keep Sterling quiet.
#4 Harry Kane vs Giorgio Chiellini
We've seen over the years that Harry Kane likes to drop off and attempt to drag central defenders out of position. Giorgio Chiellini will have to be wary of this aspect of his gameplay, as he doesn't want to land up in such a position at this stage of his career. Don't get me wrong, he's a fantastic defender and is one of the greats of the game, but he's better when the game happens in front of him.
In the Euro 2020 semifinal against Spain, Chiellini was all over the place after Alvaro Morata came on, as the substitute scored a clever goal to restore parity on the night. He looked lively after coming on and caused the Italian backline a handful of problems despite ending up on the losing side.
When England and Italy lock horns at the Wembley Stadium, I think Kane will attempt to play against Chiellini over Leonardo Bonucci. He's just one goal away from adding yet another Golden Boot to his cabinet and will look to inspire his side to victory by getting his name on the scoresheet again. Kane likes to drop deep and get involved in the build-up, so it's a big test even for someone as vastly experienced as Chiellini to keep him at bay.
Also Read: Paul Merson column - 5 surprise contenders for the Player of the Tournament award at Euro 2020
#3 Mason Mount vs Jorginho
In my opinion, the whole game comes down to this. At Euro 2020, no team has played like Italy from back to front, with Jorginho dominating proceedings in the center of the park with a string of phenomenal performances. He is brilliant on the half-turn and is one of Roberto Mancini's most trusted players - I sometimes get the feeling that he doesn't get the credit he deserves.
England don't have a player like him. I'd even go as far as saying that if he was English, he'd start for us! Mason Mount should get tight with Jorginho and look to stifle him in midfield, as Mancini knows most of Italy's football goes through him. That said, if Mount manages to unsettle him, Jorginho won't be able to live with it and could surrender position in important areas for England to counter.
Italy have played some brilliant football at Euro 2020 - the goal they scored against Spain was a work of art. Gianluigi Donnarumma caught the ball inside the box and Italy had the ball in the back of the net through Federico Chiesa a few seconds after he released it. The midfield battle will be an interesting one, but the personal duel between Mount and Jorginho is an intriguing subplot, as they know each other very well due to the time they've spent together at Chelsea.
#2 Luke Shaw vs Federico Chiesa
Luke Shaw has been outstanding for England at Euro 2020, but he hasn't been tasked with marking a player as exciting as Federico Chiesa, who is lightning quick and is also blessed with good movement on and off the ball. Shaw has come up against quality attackers over the course of the tournament, but this is a different test for him.
Italy have developed a knack for finding little pockets of space between the full-backs and central defenders. If Shaw were to come up against Chiesa and get dragged out of position, Ciro Immobile would be isolated down the channel against Harry Maguire and John Stones.
Chiesa was about to get substituted before breaking the deadlock against Spain and will once again be a massive threat against England. Shaw and the rest of the English backline have conceded just once so far at Euro 2020, but they'll have to be on their toes to defend a well-coached Italian attack in the final.
#1 Ciro Immobile vs Harry Maguire and John Stones
There are several other battles across the pitch that I could've gone for, but Ciro Immobile is someone who worries me. He's a willing runner and is full of energy, so he'll look to cause Harry Maguire and John Stones a handful of problems at the back. If I'm being honest, he's a much better center forward than I thought and has shown at Euro 2020 that he will keep on going regardless of the situation.
Immobile isn't beating Kyle Walker in a foot race, so he'll look to find pockets of space down the channel. Chiesa coming up against Shaw could free up room for him and if that were to be the case, he could really come alive on the grandest stage for Italy.
I think there will be a lot of goals in this game. I know both teams have been solid defensively at Euro 2020, but there is so much pace and movement going forward, so I think we could well witness a high-scoring affair. A lot of football has been played recently, with both semifinal ties also going into extra time. Bench strength could well become a defining factor, with both sides blessed with quality players across the park who can make big contributions as substitutes.
So who'll come out on top in an intriguing tactical battle at the Wembley Stadium to win Euro 2020? Will Gareth Southgate take England to the promised land, or will Italy continue their renaissance under Roberto Mancini by being crowned European Champions? Only time will tell.
Also Read: Jim Beglin column - 5 players who have surprised everyone with their performances at Euro 2020
