Gareth Southgate has said he takes full responsibility for England’s penalty kick defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 final.
With the score level 1-1 after extra time – thanks to goals from Luke Shaw and Leonardo Bonucci – the game went to get kicks. Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho were the unfortunate trio of the Three Lions, who failed to convert which ensured that the trophy went to Rome.
Southgate won a second medal / Marc Atkins / Getty Images
Speaking to the BBC after the match, Gareth Southgate took all the blame for the defeat and said: “It’s up to me. I decided on the penalties based on what we have done in training. No one is alone. We” I have won together as a team and it is absolute for all of us that we can not win the match tonight. As for the penalties, that is my call and it is entirely up to me.
“We were well prepared and we started well. Unfortunately, the boys could not convert tonight. They can not look at themselves in terms of how it was practiced because they could not have done it more.”
Southgate also reflected that England’s performance in the second half was sometimes shaky, although he said his players should focus on the positive and use disappointment as motivation.
“Sometimes we played really well, sometimes we did not hold the ball well enough, especially at the beginning of the second half. But they can not be prosecuted, they have been a joy to work with. They We have gone further than we have gone so long but it is of course incredibly painful in that locker room, he said
“They have given the country some incredible memories. Tonight it will be extremely difficult for all of us and you have to feel that disappointment because the chances of winning trophies like this are so rare. When they reflect on what they have done they should be incredibly proud of themselves. themselves. “
