Euro 2024: England match-winner Watkins swears goal planned - ESPN

England match-winner Ollie Watkins swore on his life that he planned the decisive goal set up by Cole Palmer on the sidelines before coming on as substitutes in their 2-1 victory over Netherlands at the European Championship on Wednesday.

With the game tied 1-1, Watkins and Palmer came into the game at the 80-minute mark and connected on a goal that will go down in England history, as the Aston Villa striker beat Dutch keeper Bart Verbruggen in second-half injury time to send the Three Lions to a second consecutive Euro final.

«Unbelievable. I've been waiting for that moment for weeks, for weeks,» Watkins said after the game. «It's taken a lot of hard work to get to where I am today, and grateful that I got the opportunity and I've grabbed it with both hands and I'm delighted.

»I swear on my life. I said to Cole Palmer, 'We're coming on today and you're going to set me up,' and that's why I was so happy with Coley.

«I knew as soon as he got the ball he was going to play me and you've got to be greedy, touch and finish and when I've seen it go in the bottom corner, it's the best feeling ever.»

It was a sweet victory for England and Gareth Southgate, who have been subjected to major criticism from supporters for the lacklustre nature in which they navigated their way through this year's tournament in Germany.

But critics aside, Southgate, who took over in 2016, has now led them to at least the quarterfinals in the past four major tournaments, the only European side to achieve this feat.

They lost to Italy on penalties in the final of Euro 2020, but now have the chance to go one better against Spain in Sunday's showcase in Berlin and win the first major men's trophy for England since the 1966 World Cup.

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