Euro 2024 final: Southgate believes in 'dream' win vs. Spain - ESPN

Gareth Southgate has reacted to claims England could be feted to win Euro 2024 by insisting: «I'm not a believer in fairytales but I am a believer in dreams.»

The Three Lions face Spain in Berlin on Sunday 28 years on from Germany's victory in London at Euro '96, a tournament forever remembered in England for Southgate's decisive semifinal shoot-out penalty miss as a player.

This summer, England required a 95th-minute equaliser to force extra-time before winning their round-of-16 tie against Slovakia before beating Switzerland on penalties in the quarterfinals.

Southgate and captain Harry Kane were asked at Saturday's pre-match news conference whether the pair believed in fate given they could now turn the tables and win in Germany. Kane said: «You can answer that one. You were about in '96. I was only three!»

Southgate replied: «I was around, very much around — probably one of the more popular Englishmen in Berlin, I would imagine.

»Look, I'm not a believer in fairytales but I am a believer in dreams, and we've had big dreams.

«We've felt the need and the importance of that, but then you have to make those things happen.

»And fate, the run that we've had, the late goals, the penalties, that doesn't equate to it being our moment. We have to make it happen tomorrow. We have to perform at the level that we need to perform.

«Of course it would be a lovely story but it's in our hands and our performance is the most important thing.»

Southgate, who has all 26 players available for Sunday's final, has overseen a huge transformation in England's fortunes since taking charge in 2016, guiding England to back-to-back Euros finals either side of a 2018 World Cup semifinal and a quarterfinal in Qatar.

But the 53-year-old admitted