England secured their place in another European Championship final after a thrilling comeback victory over the Netherlands. The match took place on Wednesday in Dortmund, Germany, sending even King Charles III on an emotional rollercoaster.
Substitute Ollie Watkins emerged as the hero, scoring a dramatic winner in the first minute of stoppage time. This capped a tournament where England had a knack for late heroics, with a stoppage-time equalizer from Jude Bellingham securing a win over Slovakia in the last 16 and a penalty shootout victory against Switzerland in the quarterfinals.
King Charles III reflected the nation's collective anxiety in a congratulatory message, urging the team to "secure victory before the need for any last minute wonder-goals or another penalties drama."
Watkins' goal, a fitting conclusion to a dramatic match, came as a surprise. Having only played once before in the tournament, he was brought on by manager Gareth Southgate in the 80th minute, a bold decision that paid off handsomely.
Receiving a pass from fellow substitute Cole Palmer, Watkins controlled the ball with his back to goal before unleashing a powerful shot from a tight angle, finding the bottom corner of the net.
Unbelievable – I've been waiting for that moment for weeks," said Watkins, the Aston Villa striker. The win vindicated his hard work, proving his value when the opportunity arose.
Dutch coach Ronald Koeman rued his team's missed chances. "I had a feeling toward the end of the match that maybe we could score," he admitted, "and for sure in extra time I'd have put money on us."
England now face Spain, led by the in-form Lamine Yamal, in Sunday's final in Berlin. This will be England's first major final played on foreign soil, aiming to add to their 1966 World Cup victory and avenge their Euro 2020 loss to Italy.
It's going to be unbelievably tough – a really difficult game," acknowledged captain Harry Kane, referring to Spain's dominant performance throughout the tournament. "One more game to make history."
