England fell just short of winning its first Euro Championship on Sunday, and the way it lost was as heartbreaking as it gets.
After jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the second minute, England lost to Italy on penalty kicks. It had an early advantage in kicks before missing their last three. Not only was England trying to win its first Euro Cup, but the event was held at Wembley Stadium. That made the loss even more painful.
A Royal Disappointment. pic.twitter.com/gm6jEoiEU5
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) July 11, 2021
Maybe next time England? pic.twitter.com/U8xgscARQ4
— theScore Bet (@theScoreBet) July 11, 2021
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, in 90 seconds: pic.twitter.com/JZhVNCXgmZ
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) July 11, 2021
England fans: “It’s coming home!”
Italy: pic.twitter.com/FUrLAMqGgD
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) July 11, 2021
FORZA AZZURRI! #Euro2020 #ITA pic.twitter.com/7aolxVKeNh
— Josh Sánchez (@joshnsanchez) July 11, 2021
Harry Kane and Harry Maguire both made their kicks to begin the penalty shootout. Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka then all followed with misses, allowing Italy to capture the championship for the first time since 1968.
England had a better chance than ever this year to end its Euro drought, but all it was left with was its first runner-up award. That loss is going to sting for a while.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!