England fans descend on Berlin for Euros final against Spain with some supporters embarking on a gruelling ten-hour-plus drive and splashing out £10,000 on tickets - as Gareth Southgate's squad are seen arriving into the German capital
- Prince William sent a message to the England team before Euros2024 final
- Tens of thousands of fans have desperately scrambled to reach Berlin in time
- Tickets on resale are selling for £3,000 each, while VIP tickets are £52,000
Prince William last night urged Gareth Southgate's England team to end 58 years of footballing hurt, declaring: 'We believe'.
In a rousing message ahead of tonight's momentous Euro 2024 clash against Spain, the Prince of Wales captured the mood of an expectant nation as he exhorted the squad to make 'just one last push to finish the job!'
His rallying cry came as an estimated TV audience of 25 million nervously prepared to watch tonight's match in living rooms and pubs across the country, while 50,000 England fans flooded into Berlin.
Southgate is expected to be knighted if the Three Lions triumph tonight in their first-ever major final on foreign soil.
In a double royal presence on Britain's big sporting weekend, William will cheer on England in Berlin's Olympiastadion hours after his wife Catherine presents the trophy at the Wimbledon men's final.
'We believe': Prince William, Prince of Wales and FA President, urged Gareth Southgate's England team to end 58 years of footballing hurt
On Saturday, Gareth Southgate said: 'We know what it would mean to everybody at home'
'Fearless': Captain Harry Kane said his team hoped to echo the triumph of the Lionesses at Euros 2022 and had a 'hunger and fire in the belly' to win
Speaking after England's last training session, star forward Phil Foden, pictured arriving in Berlin, said: 'Everyone's got a smile on their face. I think the focus is there – I can see it'
Tens of thousands of England fans have descended on the German capital to see their team against Spain in the Euros 2024 final
The Prince of Wales, who like millions of others watched England's nerve-shredding match against Switzerland last Saturday with his head in his hands, tweeted: 'We are so proud of you all England, just one last push to finish the job! Go out there and show the world what you're made of. We believe. W.'
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who is travelling to Berlin with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, heaped praise on the 'graft and hard work' of Southgate's young team.
'You should all be proud of what you've achieved so far, and I hope you can take some strength from the millions at home kicking every ball alongside you,' he said in a stirring letter to the England boss and his players.
On Saturday, Gareth Southgate said: 'We know what it would mean to everybody at home.
'We know what it would mean to us as a squad...we would love to give everybody a special night.
'I am not a believer in fairy tales but I am a believer in dreams and we've had big dreams.
'We've felt the need and the importance of that but then you have to make those things happen.'
Captain Harry Kane added his team hoped to echo the triumph of the Lionesses at Euros 2022 and had a 'hunger and fire in the belly' to win.
His team-mates, he said, are 'fearless'.
He added: 'With a fan's head on, I know it would be an incredible night if we do achieve what we want to achieve.'
England's Jude Bellingham was all smiles as he arrived at the team hotel in Berlin on Saturday
Kyle Walker steps off the coach after arriving at a hotel in Berlin ahead of the Euros 2024 final
Eyes on the prize: Trent Alexander-Arnold looks pensive as he steps into the German capital
And speaking after England's last training session, star forward Phil Foden said: 'Everyone's got a smile on their face. I think the focus is there – I can see it.'
Meanwhile, in the opposition camp, Spanish sensation Lamine Yamal – the youngest person to ever play at the Euros – yesterday celebrated his 17th birthday, blowing out the candles of a cake and saying: 'Let's go for England.'
A sea of white shirts swamped Berlin this weekend as tens of thousands of England fans desperately scrambled to witness what could be the team's first major international trophy in the 58 yeas since the 1966 World Cup.
With most direct flights sold out, innovative supporters instead caught flights to cities across Europe then took trains or buses to Berlin.
Others opted for a ten-hour-plus drive from the UK.
Molly Thompson, 27, from Bournemouth described on social media how her 1,900-mile route included a flight from Bristol to Majorca before another flight to Cologne and then a train to Berlin.
Talent agent Stuart Jones boarded a flight to Prague yesterday only to discover that all the connecting trains to Berlin had sold out.
'Anyone have a car we can borrow?', he pleaded on X.
A lucky few were able to buy tickets to the final for £85 after the FA were only given an allocation of 10,000 to sell.
Others, however, forked out thousands on the black market. The cheapest tickets on one resale website yesterday were more than £3,000 each, while VIP tickets were a staggering £52,000.
Telecoms manager Tosh Ingham, 54, said he and his 16-year-old son have been to all but one of England's tournament matches
A sea of white shirts has swamped Berlin this weekend as tens of thousands of England fans desperately scrambled to witness what could be the team's first major international trophy in the 58 yeas since the 1966 World Cup
England fans enjoy a drink while sitting in deck chairs in the Euro 2024 Fan Zone fan near to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany
England fans stand in front of an image of Jude Bellingham in Berlin, Germany, ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 final
England football fan Jordan, pictured in a Jude Bellingham replica shirt, poses for a picture at the Brandenburg Gate
Speaking to The Mail on Sunday near the Brandenburg Gate, telecoms manager Tosh Ingham, 54, said he and his 16-year-old son have been to all but one of England's tournament matches.
'We've flown in and out of Germany six times,' he said. 'I'm confident we can do it. Gareth Southgate will probably get knighted if we win.'
Lawyer Rahanna Choudhury, 33, and her family paid £10,000 for resale tickets. She said: 'It will be a tight game, but I've got belief.'
England's journey to the final has boosted the economy by £2.4 billion, it emerged yesterday.
Supermarket sales rocketed this weekend as families stocked up for the match.
Tesco expects to shift a million pizzas, 180,000 packs of burgers and 800,000 packs of sausages, while Asda anticipates selling 2.4 million bottles of beer.
Around 3.5 million fans will watch the game in England's 35,000 pubs, with an extra 10 million pints pulled, as opening hours can be extended to 1am.
Win or lose, company bosses are braced for 'hangover Monday' with up to two million workers expected to call in sick.
Another three million are expected to have booked annual leave. And hundreds of schools have told pupils they can come in up to two hours late on Monday if parents allow them to stay up late to watch the drama.
But as supporters dared to dream of glory, many in Scotland and Wales vowed to roar on Spain tonight.
With most direct flights sold out, innovative supporters instead caught flights to cities across Europe then took trains or buses to Berlin
An England fans shows off her skills to fellow supporters in Berlin on Saturday afternoon
England fans Ryan Choudhury, Zane Khan, Rihanna Choudhury and sister Yasmin, paid £10,000 for resale tickets
Stephen Flynn, leader of the SNP at Westminster, urged Spain 'not to let us down'
And pro-independence newspaper The National was criticised for a front-page editorial addressed to Spain saying: 'Every summer, they fill up your beaches. They drink all your beer. They make a mess of your plazas.
'They eat fried breakfasts all day instead of your wonderful food. They retire in your towns and sponge off your public services.
'Now it's Time For Revenge!'
It was accompanied by a mocked-up image of Spanish midfielder Rodri kicking an England fan.
Scots-born Mail columnist Andrew Neil tweeted: 'Anti-English xenophobic bigotry has always been the nasty underside of some Scottish Nationalists.
'It is usually kept well hidden. But here it is in full display.'
In Cardiff, builder Dai Bevan, 57 said: 'I'll be raising a glass of Spanish wine when England lose.
'It's in our blood, we just can't support England, not even at tiddlywinks.'
