England face Spain in Sunday's Euro 2024 final in Berlin and Kyle Walker says playing away from home this time could help
(Image credit: Getty Images)
England defender Kyle Walker believes playing away from home in Sunday's Euro 2024 final against Spain could be beneficial to the Three Lions following their defeat to Italy on penalties at Wembley in the Euro 2020 showpiece.
There was a packed crowd at Wembley for that match, which was played in July 2021 as the tournament was delayed for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with thousands of fans forcing their way in to the national stadium without tickets.
Ahead of the game, England's players were also cheered all the way from their training ground by passionate fans hoping to see their team win a first major honour since the 1966 World Cup.
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And it started well as England took the lead inside two minutes through Luke Shaw, but the Three Lions later conceded to Leonardo Bonucci midway through the second half and went on to lose the shootout 3-2 as Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka all failed to convert their spot-kicks.
England are now in the Euros final again, having edged out the Netherlands in the last four on Wednesday, and the Three Lions face Spain in Sunday's showpiece in Berlin this time around.
"The emotion of Wembley was completely different, with miles and miles of people chanting you and cheering you on as you leave St George's Park," Walker told BBC Radio 5 Live.
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Kyle Walker in action for England against Italy in the final of Euro 2020. (Image credit: Getty Images)
"We're on a different turf now and maybe that might work to our benefit, where there's not so much pressure on us.
"But as people and players, who have experienced these finals before, we have to deliver on the big occasions."
Walker, who has played for England since 2010, is set to win his 90th cap for England in Sunday's final.
Ben Hayward is the Weekend Editor of FourFourTwo. A European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.
