Point of view: A glimpse of future for England

It was 55 years. Then it was 45 minutes. However, England yet again missed out on their first major silverware since Hurst, Charlton et al defeated West Germany at Wembley all those years ago in 1966.

On Sunday night, it was all going so well and that albatross was on its way after Luke Shaw gave England a dream start against Italy in the Euro 2020 final in London — 60,000-plus fans roaring in delight as the Manchester United man seemed to choose a perfect stage to score his first goal for the ‘Three Lions’.

Gareth Southgate’s men seemed to be in the ascendancy and had chances to double their lead before the break.

However, the true grit of Roberto Mancini’s men in blue began to tell and they levelled through Leonardo Bonucci after the break, when he poked home after England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had done well to push Marco Verratti’s effort on to the woodwork. Chances came and went at either end as the game wore on and soon enough we were through 120 minutes and England were facing another penalty shoot-out.

We all know the story from there ... More heartbreak from 12 yards for England as they went down 3-2 on spot-kicks. It may seem like a so-near-yet-so-far tale for Southgate’s men as

This is not another pity story full of Gazza tears and Robson injuries. What Southgate has done should be embraced as the future. Definitely not as another miss.

they succumbed to another harrowing demise — on penalties of all things yet again. But this is not another pity story full of Gazza tears and Robson injuries.

This is a new dawn.

What Southgate has done should be embraced as the future. Definitely not as another miss. This bunch of lads, many of whom were playing in their first major finals, have achieved what the likes of John Barnes, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Paul Gascoigne, David Beckham, Paul Scholes (I could go on) could never do. They got to the final of a major competition — and very nearly, unbelievably, took football ‘home’.

It is overused — especially by me when describing this team — but to a man they were outstanding over the three weeks. This is no sad failure. This is a triumph, a revelation, and things will be bigger and brighter from here on in. Maybe, just maybe, with a silver lining next time.