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Italy v England: What the stats say ahead Euro 2020 final

This is Italy’s 10th major tournament final (6 World Cup, 4 EURO), with only Germany (14) having played in more among European nations. Italy won the European Championship in 1968, but have lost their subsequent two final appearances in the competition (2000 and 2012).

 

This will be England’s first ever appearance in a European Championship final, and their first in the final of a major tournament since winning the 1966 World Cup. It’s the longest gap between major finals (World Cup/EUROs) for any European nation (55 years).

England are the 13th different nation to feature in a European Championship final (counting Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic as one) – just three of the previous 12 lost their first ever final in the competition: Yugoslavia (1960), Belgium (1980) and Portugal (2004).

Italy have finished as runners up of the European Championship on two occasions, losing to France in 2000 and Spain in 2012. Only Germany and USSR (3 each) have finished as runners up more times than Italy in the competition.

EURO 2020 will see England participate in the final while hosting the showpiece, the 11th instance of a European nation competing in a major tournament final as hosts (World Cup/EUROs). England also did so at the 1966 World Cup, beating Germany 4-2 at Wembley. Both of the last two European host nation finalists lost the final (Portugal at EURO 2004 and France at EURO 2016); only one of the first eight had lost their final prior to this (Sweden at the 1958 World Cup).

Italy have never lost against England at a major tournament (W3 D1), winning 1-0 in EURO 1980, 2-1 at both the 1990 and 2014 World Cups, and drawing 0-0 before winning on penalties in EURO 2012.

England have won just two of their last 14 meetings with Italy in all competitions (D5 L7), winning 2-0 in June 1997 and 2-1 in August 2013 – both in friendly matches. Indeed, England have won just one of their eight competitive meetings with Italy (D2 L5), 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in November 1977.

This is the third major tournament (EURO/World Cup) final to be held at Wembley Stadium. The previous two were both won in extra time, with England beating Germany in the 1966 World Cup, and Germany beating Czech Republic in EURO 1996.

Italy are unbeaten in their last 33 matches in all competitions (W27 D6), scoring 86 goals and conceding just 10 in this run. This is their longest unbeaten stretch of matches in the nation’s history.

England have won 15 of their last 17 matches at Wembley Stadium in all competitions (D1 L1), scoring 46 goals and conceding just five in this run.

England are unbeaten in their last 12 matches in all competitions (W11 D1), keeping 10 clean sheets and conceding just two goals in the process. The Three Lions have conceded just one goal so far at EURO 2020, with four of the seven previous sides to concede just once in a European Championship tournament winning the trophy (Soviet Union 1960, Italy 1968, Germany 1972 and Spain 2012).

England’s 2-1 win over Denmark in the semi-final was their eighth win in a major tournament match (World Cup/EUROs) under Gareth Southgate, moving him level with Alf Ramsey for joint-most victories by an England manager across the two competitions.

Italy have had 12 shots and scored three goals as a result of a high turnover (open play sequences beginning 40m or less from opponent’s goal line) at EURO 2020, more than any other side.

Between them, England (2.2) and Italy (2.3) have faced fewer shots on target per game than any other sides at EURO 2020. England also have the lowest expected goals against tally in the competition so far (3.2).

Harry Kane has been directly involved in 28 goals in his last 27 appearances for England in all competitions (19 goals, 9 assists). One more goal will see him become England’s outright highest goalscorer in major tournaments (World Cup/EUROs – currently 10, level with Gary Lineker).

‘Same again', Southgate tells England before Italy final

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England’s Raheem Sterling has attempted (32) and completed (18) more take-ons than any other player at EURO 2020. Seven of these have been in the opposition penalty area (the joint-most), one of which led to England’s penalty against Denmark in the semi-final which led to their winning goal.

Only Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (15) has started more open play sequences ending in a shot than Italy’s Marco Verratti (9) so far at EURO 2020. On top of that, only Kevin De Bruyne (13) has created more chances at EURO 2020 than Verratti (12).

Italy’s Roberto Mancini will be just the second manager to have won the English top-flight title to take charge of a European nation in a major tournament final (World Cup/EUROs), after Alf Ramsey who won the English top-flight title with Ipswich and the 1966 World Cup with England.

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