England set for huge cash windfall if they beat Spain with Ollie Watkins’ Euro 2024 semi-final goal banking MILLIONS
ENGLAND’S Euro 2024 run has already banked £20.4m for the FA.
And that will go up by a further £2.5m if they lift the Henri Delaunay trophy in Berlin on Sunday.
Gareth Southgate’s men will fall just £840,000 short of the maximum they could have earned from the tournament should England win their first trophy on foreign soil.
That is because of the group stage draws against Denmark and Slovenia.
England earned £7.8m for qualification, while the opening win over Serbia was worth £840,000.
The two draws each earned £420,000 – the two teams shared the victory bonus – with qualification for the last 16 adding £1.26m.
Reaching the last eight was worth £2.1m and beating Switzerland brought a further £3.4m.
And Ollie Watkins’ stoppage time goal to see off the Dutch meant an extra £4.2m for reaching the final.
The difference between being runners-up and winning the Final is an extra £2.5m.
England face Spain in the Euro 2024 final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
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The Spanish reached the last two after beating France 2-1 in the semi-final.
The nation has won the competition three times in its history, with the first coming in 1964.
England's route to the Euro 2024 final
ENGLAND began their Euros final campaign in Germany on June 16.
The team topped Group C despite only winning one match.
But that’s all behind them now as they prepare to take on Spain in the final on July 14.
Here’s their route to the final:
June 16 – vs Serbia: England win 1-0 with a goal from Jude Bellingham in the 13th minute.
June 20 – vs Denmark: Ended 1-1 after Harry Kane’s 18th minute strike was cancelled out by Morten Hjulmand.
June 25 – vs Slovenia: The match ended goalless but England topped the group with five points.
June 30 – vs Slovakia: In the last 16 clash Jude Bellingham saved England from being knocked out with a 91st minute equaliser. In extra time Harry Kane secured the win for the Three Lions.
July 6 – vs Switzerland: The quarter-final ended 1-1 after extra time with Bukayo Saka‘s reply to Breel Embolo’s strike. England won 5-3 on penalties.
July 10 – vs Netherlands: Another last gasp goal – this time by Ollie Watkins – saw England head into the final against Spain. Harry Kane scored from the spot to cancel out Xavi Simons’ 9th minute goal.
July 14 – vs Spain: England are in their first final on foreign soil and will be hoping to see off the challenge of Spain who won the Euros in 1964, 2008 and 2012.
They then won the tournament back to back in 2008 and 2012.
England made it to the final after seeing off Holland at the Signal Iduna Park.
Harry Kane‘s penalty cancelled out Xavi Simons’ opener before Ollie Watkins stole the headlines with a 90th-minute winner.
A supercomputer has backed the Spanish to make it four tournament triumphs on Sunday.
It suggested that England only have a 45.3 per cent chance of winning compared to Spain’s 54.7 per cent chance.
England vs Spain record
England have played Spain 27 times in total - here is a look at every result...
- May 1929, Spain 4-3 England – International Friendly (L)
- December 1931, England 7-1 Spain – International Friendly (W)
- July 1950, Spain 1-0 England – World Cup (L)
- May 1955, Spain 1-1 England – International Friendly (D)
- November 1955, England 4-1 Spain – International Friendly (W)
- May 1960, Spain 3-0 England – International Friendly (L)
- October 1960, England 4-2 Spain – International Friendly (W)
- December 1965, Spain 0-2 England – International Friendly (W)
- May 1967, England 2-0 Spain – International Friendly (W)
- April 1968, England 1-0 Spain – European Championship (W)
- May 1968, Spain 1-2 England – European Championship (W)
- March 1980, Spain 0-2 England – International Friendly (W)
- June 1980, England 2-1 Spain – European Championship (W)
- March 1981, England 1-2 Spain – International Friendly (L)
- July 1982, Spain 0-0 England – World Cup (D)
- February 1987, Spain 2-4 England – International Friendly (W)
- September 1992, Spain 1-0 England – International Friendly (L)
- June 1996, England 0(4)-(2)0 Spain – European Championship (W)
- February 2001, England 3-0 Spain – International Friendly (W)
- November 2004, Spain 1-0 England – International Friendly (L)
- February 2007, England 0-1 Spain – International Friendly (L)
- February 2009, Spain 2-0 England – International Friendly (L)
- November 2011, England 1-0 Spain – International Friendly (W)
- November 2015, Spain 2-0 England – International Friendly (L)
- November 2016, England 2-2 Spain – International Friendly (D)
- September 2018, England 1-2 Spain – Nations League (L)
- October 2018, Spain 2-3 England – Nations League (W)
Overall, England have won 14, drawn three and lost 10 matches against Spain.
England ratings vs Holland
ENGLAND stormed into the final against Spain thanks to Ollie Watkins' last-minute strike in the 2-1 win over Holland.
It was a brilliant team performance, but how did each player rate?
SunSport’s Tom Barclay ran the rule over Southgate’s boys, and here’s how he rated them.
Jordan Pickford: 7
Bigger goalkeepers may have got a stronger hand to Xavi Simons’ early stunner – though that was being hypercritical. Solid stop to deny Virgil van Dijk after the hour.
Kyle Walker: 7
Looked re-energised after some lumbering displays and bombed on at times in the first half, despite his role on the right of a back three. Last-ditch tackle on Cody Gakpo was spot on.
John Stones: 7
Strong in possession. He looks to have benefited from regular game-time after rarely featuring for Manchester City in the last few months.
Marc Guehi: 6
Came back into the side after suspension ruled him out of the Switzerland game. Had an unenviable task of making the big man Wout Weghorst after the break.
Bukayo Saka: 7
Razor-sharp in the first half, winning tackles, making runs and dribbling the ball proficiently. Less of an impact after the break, had a goal ruled out for offside and was booked.
Declan Rice: 6
Lost possession for Simons’ thunderous opener but grew into the game, mopping up where necessary. Poor pass when Kane was open midway through the second half.
Kobbie Mainoo: 8
Was England’s youngest-ever player to play in a major-tournament semi-final, aged 19years 82 days, and had a stormer in the first half. Great bursts forward, vital tackles, and his interplay with Foden was a joy.
Kieran Trippier: 6
We all know by now that he is playing out of position, so again he was limited going forward and reliable defensively. Subbed at half-time for the more natural Shaw.
Phil Foden: 7
The first 45 minutes was by far and away his best half of the tournament. Thought he’d scored when his shot was cleared off the line by Denzel Dumfries, and cracked the post with a cracker. But was then surprisingly subbed.
Jude Bellingham: 5
Back at the ground where he made his name but struggled to make much of an impact on his old stomping ground. Fortunate it was not he that was subbed.
Harry Kane: 6
Won and dispatched the penalty to go joint top-scorer in the tournament with three goals. Had looked more mobile initially but still tired badly after the break and was taken off.
SUBS
Luke Shaw (for Kieran Trippier, half-time): 6
Looked assured for a man who has been out for so long.
Ollie Watkins (for Harry Kane, 81): 9 and STAR MAN
Surprisingly given the nod over Ivan Toney as striker sub as Southgate looked for more pace in behind. Brilliant finish into the corner to win the game – you could not ask more from him.
Cole Palmer (for Phil Foden, 81): 7
Had his big chance in the final minutes but shanked it horribly wide – but then fed Watkins for his wonderful winner.
Gareth Southgate: 8
His switch to a back three against Switzerland helped dig out the win there, and here it had his team finally playing some great football in the first half. The team went into their shells again as the game wore on and you feared the worst – but you have to say his decision to bring on Ollie Watkins was a masterstroke.