"That save from De Gea was a massive boost for Spain. Saka did everything perfectly in that move. From receiving the ball, to combining with Kane and Foden, to getting into the box, calmly adjusting twice to beat Alba, then shooting immediately. The whole sequence was excellent."
"In the Premier League, that probably goes in. But De Gea has produced exactly the kind of performance you expect from him in a UEFA European Championship final."
After making the save, De Gea took a moment before getting back to his feet. The first half was almost over, and once he took the goal kick, the UEFA European Championship final went into halftime.
The broadcast cameras stayed focused on De Gea.
Spain's goalkeeper calmly made his way back, then spotted Leo and jogged a few steps to catch up before walking beside him.
For a moment, Spain's supporters felt as though they were seeing the De Gea of years past again.
The younger De Gea from the FIFA World Cup.
The De Gea at his peak.
The De Gea whose place in the starting lineup no one ever questioned.
Back then, he could stand alone in front of goal and make it seem as though he could stop any shot in the world.
He feared no one.
That was the real De Gea.
But in recent years, Manchester United had gone through manager after manager, while their results had continued to decline.
And somehow, the way fans viewed De Gea had changed along with it.
He was still the same goalkeeper who could make save after save to rescue Manchester United.
But trophies seemed to be moving farther and farther away from him.
Gullit was thoroughly enjoying the match.
Scholes, meanwhile, was nervous, excited, and more than a little frustrated.
"I think plenty of England fans feel exactly the same way I do."
"You have to make a UEFA European Championship final look like a UEFA European Championship final."
"In a match like this, you're supposed to show your very best."
"England played better when they eliminated every previous opponent than they have in this final."
"Why do I always feel like England become a completely different team the moment they reach a final?"
Scholes wasn't only talking about Kane's generation.
He was also talking about his own.
Poor performances in finals almost seemed like a long-standing problem for England.
"Stam, I know you watched the first half very carefully and barely said anything."
"What do you think England need to do in the second half if they want to beat Spain?"
Scholes wanted a measured opinion from Stam, and Stam gave him one.
"I think England will struggle to beat Spain no matter what they do, unless they're willing to abandon the usual thinking and actually put players where they belong, doing what they're best at."
"I think Foden should be moved out to the left."
"Let him play left wing instead of keeping him in that central attacking role."
"He can still contribute with his passing there, but keeping him in the middle doesn't bring out his best qualities at all."
"And if you're already starting Walker and Saka together, while also playing Luke Shaw, then there's no need to keep Trippier on as well."
"Bring Bellingham on for Trippier."
"Put Walker at right back, Luke Shaw at left back, and go back to a back four."
"Then let Bellingham play as the attacking midfielder and create chances for Foden and Saka."
"Wouldn't that be more effective than this three-center-back system Southgate has set up?"
"I still don't understand what Southgate is actually trying to achieve with this back three."
Stam had barely finished speaking when the studio received England's substitution news.
Bellingham was indeed coming on.
But Phil Foden was the one going off.
"Southgate has brought on Bellingham for Phil Foden."
"From one perspective, Bellingham brings a very different attacking profile, and he's also stronger defensively than Foden."
"But Bellingham is still a very young England midfielder."
"He's talented and has attracted plenty of attention, but that doesn't automatically mean he'll perform well in a UEFA European Championship final."
"Hopefully, bringing him on can change something for England."
Ashley Cole completely understood how Kyle Walker must have been feeling.
"If I were Kyle Walker, I'd rather force my way back to fullback than keep playing center back."
"Spain targeted Walker throughout the first half."
"Olmo and Sarabia kept taking turns going at him."
"When does Kyle Walker ever become the player an opponent specifically targets?"
"That almost never happens at Manchester City."
"It's only happening because Southgate insists on using him at center back."
"That's why Spain have been able to pick on him."
"I'll admit Southgate deserves plenty of credit for how far England have come."
"And I genuinely think he's been very important for the national team."
"Before Southgate took over, England were still disorganized."
"In major tournaments, forget making deep runs. Sometimes even reaching the knockout rounds was difficult."
"Southgate put England back on track."
"But shouldn't he also be willing to evolve as a coach?"
"Only then can he truly lead England to something greater."
Southgate enjoyed a great deal of support back home.
Plenty of famous players supported him, and even members of the royal family were fans of his.
Inside the dressing room, Southgate was searching for a way to beat Spain.
That was why he brought on Bellingham.
And he wanted Bellingham to play completely differently from Foden.
"Bellingham, whenever we attack in the second half, move the ball quickly and connect the play for your teammates."
"And when the chance comes, make sure you get into the box and attack the shooting areas."
"Kane, keep looking for passing lanes with Bellingham."
"The two of you can create more chances inside Spain's penalty area."
Hierro learned that Southgate had brought Bellingham on.
After discussing it with Zubizarreta, he decided to make a substitution of his own.
"Aspilicueta, you're coming on for Alba."
"Gaya, move over to left back."
"Aspilicueta, you take right back."
"Saka will definitely keep attacking in the second half, and Bellingham also likes making runs toward the right."
"Gaya, you're going to be under a lot of pressure."
"Busquets, shift your position closer to Aspilicueta."
"That way, when we have the ball, you can help relieve some of the pressure on Gaya."
"Rodri, be ready to help Gaya defend whenever necessary."
"For the entire first half, we really did play like this was a UEFA European Championship final."
"So in the second half, I want every one of you to remember one thing."
"This really is the UEFA European Championship final."
"And we are going to win it."
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
p-@-treon/GhostParser (65 Chapters Ahead)
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.