England fans are dreaming of a national bank holiday if the Three Lions win Euro 2024 this weekend.
And new prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has not ruled it out, insisting ‘we must mark the occasion in some way’.
Gareth Southgate’s men face Spain in Berlin on Sunday night following their stunning last-gasp semi-final victory over the Netherlands.
Substitute Ollie Watkins scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner to put England in their second-consecutive European Championship final.
The nation have not tasted major tournament success for 58 years, since their sole triumph at the 1966 World Cup, and victory would spark wild scenes across the country.
Many are already calling for a bank holiday to mark the possible occasion – and prime minister Starmer was among those calls back in 2021.
When England were preparing to take on Italy in the Euro 2020 final, a match they would go on to lose, Starmer was leader of the opposition and urged the Conservative government to call a bank holiday in the event of a Three Lions victory.
He said back then: “The whole country is incredibly proud of what Gareth Southgate and our England heroes have achieved already. History has been made.
“If we win on Sunday, the country should get the chance to celebrate it properly with an extra bank holiday, granted in the name of the England team.
“I’ve got a strong feeling, it’s coming home.”
Starmer also supported calls for a bank holiday when England’s women’s football team made it to the World Cup final last year.
Now, speaking in Washington at the NATO summit, the recently-elected Prime Minister did not rule it out.
When asked about an extra Bank Holiday, he said: “We should certainly mark the occasion.
“I went to the last Euros finals. I don’t want to go through that again so I don’t want to jinx anything.
“We must mark it in someway but the most important thing is getting it over the line on Sunday.”
talkSPORT host Jason Cundy doesn’t see the point in calling an official Bank Holiday, though.
The former Chelsea defender joked that employers should just take a relaxed approach about when their workers turn up on Monday morning… or if they turn up at all.
Trying to get out of hosting The Sports Bar, Jason?
“I think win or lose, on Monday if you own a company you’d expect your employees to come into the office anywhere after 11am,” he said ahead of Sunday’s final.
“Who cares about a Bank Holiday? What, are they going to announce it? So Kier Starmer, he’s in charge of the country now, is he just going to announce on Sunday evening, ‘Right, there’s a bank holiday tomorrow’? How does that work?”
Meanwhile, former Trades Union Congress general secretary Frances O’Grady backed Starmer’s calls from back in 2021.
She said: “If England bring it home on Sunday, government should allow the country to celebrate by announcing a special bank holiday.
“But it can’t just be a one off. UK workers get fewer bank holidays than most of our European counterparts. The TUC has long called for more public holidays. So come on England!”
As of now, there are no official plans for a bank holiday if England win on Sunday.
Starmer is a lifelong Arsenal fan and still plays the game regularly.
On Wednesday, he was filmed taking a break from his first NATO summit to watch Harry Kane equalise from the penalty spot against the Netherlands.
The 61-year-old wrote on social media: “What a game @England and what a winner. Berlin here we come!”
Starmer will be in attendance when the Three Lions face the Spanish at the Olympiastadion in Germany’s capital city.
Has has written a letter to Gareth Southgate and his squad, wishing them the very best and stressing the whole country was behind them.
He said: “On behalf of the whole nation, I wanted to wish you all the very best ahead of today’s final.
“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.
“You don’t need a running commentary from a politician on what you should or shouldn’t do.
“You’re here not because of luck, but because of your graft and hard work. You’ve earned it. As you did three years ago, you’ve made the country proud.
“Whatever happens, you should know that you have united the country, and we are all behind you.
“So enjoy tonight. I know that up and down the country, we all will.”
talkSPORT will bring you live commentary of the Euro 2024 final on Sunday as England bid to make history against Spain. Tune in via the website or the app, and follow our live Euro 2024 blog for all the build-up.