The Mancunian Way: The ecstasy and agony

So football’s not coming home after all. Berlin 2024 can be filed alongside Italia 90, Euro 96, Saint-Étienne 98, Lisbon 2004 and Wembley 2021 in the drawer marked England’s agonising defeats.

But truth be told, last night wasn’t that agonising, at least not to these eyes. In the England mens team’s first-ever major international final on foreign soil, Spain were always the better side - as they had been throughout the tournament.

England, so gutsy and defiant, in coming back from a goal down in every knockout round leading up to the final, did it again - when Wythenshawe’s own Cole Palmer came off the bench to curl in a superb equaliser - sparking mayhem across the country.

But it wasn’t to be. Joy turned to despair 13 minutes later when Mikel Oyarzabal put Spain ahead once more with just four minutes left on the clock.

And so the wait goes on. When the World Cup comes again round in 2026 it’ll be 60 long years since England’s men lifted a trophy.

If you can stomach it you can relive last night’s drama and heartbreak here, as our team of reporters were out and about at pubs and fan parks across Greater Manchester.

One person who didn’t wake up with a heavy head this morning is What’s On editor Jenna Campbell. She kicked the booze a few weeks ago after one too many ‘anxiety-inducing hangovers’.

Here she shares what she learnt about herself during a month off the drink.

When they finally hang up their boots it’s unlikely any of last night’s England heroes will need to look for work. And they certainly won't end up running a chippy.

But that’s exactly what happened to Manchester United winger John Connelly. Here Ross Gregory takes a look back at the life and career of the forgotten hero of England’s 1966 World Cup