An emotional end for Germany
Julian Nagelsmann was left ‘fighting back tears’ after Germany’s Euro 2024 exit yesterday.
The hosts saw their tournament come to an early end in Stuttgart as Spain won their quarter-final clash thanks to Mikel Merino’s 119th-minute goal.
Nagelsmann was left gutted that he couldn’t give the home support more to cheer this summer with the usually stern-faced manager almost crying in his post-match press conference.
He said: “I’m fighting back tears. When the players talk about the last few weeks, it’s emotional. A special time is coming to an end.
“I’ve always said that we need the fans in the country behind us. From March onwards, it was clear that the fans felt something.
“We made decisions that not everyone would have made, people felt that we wanted to change things.
“When we see the videos of fans, it’s emotional. We would have liked to have given the fans even more.”
‘He is an unbelievable, unbelievable person’
Kieran Trippier believes the record of ‘remarkable’ England manager Gareth Southgate has not been fully appreciated.
The Newcastle full-back said: “I think what Gareth’s done since he took charge has been nothing but remarkable, really.
“When I first arrived, we had many meetings about what it means to represent England and he really installed that real togetherness in the squad from when he first took charge to now.
“You’ve seen how much he’s developed. And I think what he’s done for England is nothing but remarkable.
“Everybody’s entitled to their own opinion, but I think Gareth certainly knows, from myself, the players, what we think of him. He is an unbelievable, unbelievable person and somebody that we all, every single person in this camp, respects.”
Victory over Switzerland – who have never won a quarter-final in a major tournament – would see England face either Turkey or Netherlands in the last four.
Trippier said of the Swiss: “They are a very well drilled side, organised.
“They have got very, very good players. Obviously the 3-5-2, system, they play, they have played that for a long time. So it’s one we’ve worked on really hard this week against that press, and it’s about us delivering now.
“Of course, they’ll be going into the game with great motivation to win a quarter-final against England.
“We’ve always got to respect our opposition. We know that it’s going to be a tough game, but we’re ready. We’ve prepared well, and we’re all calm and really looking forward to the game.”
100 up
England’s quarter-final clash with Switzerland will mark a major landmark for Gareth Southgate.
Tonight’s Euro 2024 showdown will be Southgate’s 100th game in charge of the Three Lions.
In that time, Southgate has finished runner-up at Euro 2020 and third at the UEFA Nations League as well as making the World Cup semi-finals in 2018.
He’ll now be eager to guide England into another major tournament semi-final this evening.
Southgate has a win percentage of over 60% and his sides have had a goal ratio of more than two a game.
Blame game
Tony Cascarino believes Portugal manager Roberto Martinez hindered the nation by ‘indulging’ in Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 39-year-old was quiet as France knocked Portugal out on penalties.
He ended Euro 2024 with no goals from 23 shots – the most attempts of any player in the competition.
Ex-Republic of Ireland striker Cascarino told talkSPORT: “How can you justify it? How does Martinez as a coach, manager, justify keeping him on?
“He had nothing to say in that game. And you can say previous games, he backed him and talked very highly of what a great professional he was.
“But you’re watching that game last night, and if he was a young lad, he’d have been hauled off at half time.”
Cascarino added: “You’ve been beaten by a French team, okay, and it’s gone to penalties.
“They couldn’t have played as poorly as they did last night, the French. They were really disappointing again. And all their top players didn’t turn up.
“No one was that exciting. Dembele came on, and probably Saliba did as well as anybody. Even Kante didn’t have his best game.
“And they’ve knocked you out. I think as the days roll on, it will be a huge disappointment.
“And I’m afraid he’s played a part in the reason why they haven’t got past France, the manager, because he indulged something that was hurting his team.”
Police action
Two England fans were arrested on Friday night ahead of the quarter-final against Switzerland in Dusseldorf.
Around 5,000 fans arrived in the German city ahead of the last-eight clash on Saturday.
talkSPORT understands the vast majority were well-behaved but a small pocket of disorder had to be dealt with by local police.
Videos on social media showed some England supporters getting into altercations with German locals following the host nation’s defeat to Spain.
No injuries were reported despite the skirmishes.
Swissing it up
Gareth Southgate is expected to field a new England formation against Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarter-final on Saturday.
The Three Lions boss has been under pressure from fans and pundits alike to change his starting line-up for the clash following his side’s lacklustre performances in the tournament so far.
Now, Southgate is set to make one change in personnel but a complete system rethink for the clash at the Dussesldorf Arena in Germany – which you can listen to live on talkSPORT at 5pm.
It is understood England will switch from a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-4-2-1, with Bukayo Saka and Kieran Trippier as wing backs, along with Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden both operating as No.10s.