England have to remember boyhood dreams and seize the moment.
No regrets, no hesitancy, no lost cause or ball unchased, no runner left untracked. Now is the time for total concentration, commitment and ambition. England have proved a team of moments in this tournament, flashes of vivid individual virtuosity rescuing them, and tonight they have to seize the moment here in Dortmund.
Harry Kane, John Stones, Kyle Walker and company need no reminding of the seismic significance of this Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands at the Westfalenstadion. Reaching a second successive European Championship final would be an immense achievement, remarkable given England’s three previous attempts: did not qualify in 2008 and exits in the first knockout round in 2012 and 2016. Even losing to an outstanding Spanish side in the final would be no shame. Just get there.
Reaching Sunday’s showdown in Berlin would intensify the revelry of their 10s of thousands of fans descending on rainy Dortmund and trigger even more parties back home. England’s travails earlier in the tournament would be forgotten. The players know how much it means to the nation, and how much it means to their friends and families currently congregating here.