Unstoppable England U21s Led by Captain Taylor Harwood-Bellis Poised to Conquer European Championships

England U21 captain Taylor Harwood-Bellis goes into Saturday's European Championship final with full confidence that his team deserves to win the trophy. Lee Carsley's squad has been unbeatable throughout the tournament, winning all five games, including three at the final venue, without letting in a single goal. They now aim to prevent Spain from securing their sixth title at the Batumi Arena in Georgia.

Manchester City's defender, Harwood-Bellis, confesses that he fantasizes about the moment when he will finally hold the silverware. However, he acknowledges that there are numerous challenges to overcome before he and his teammates can revel in their first triumph in the competition since 1984. Addressing the media during England's pre-match press conference, he expressed, "It's gratifying to envision oneself lifting the trophy, yet there remains a considerable distance to cover before that becomes a reality. We have, at the very least, 90 minutes ahead of us."

Image:

Lee Carsley's team achieved a 3-0 victory against Israel in the semi-final on Wednesday evening. The potential significance of winning cannot be overstated. The immense effort exerted during the past two years, along with consistently performing at a superior level, makes the squad deserving of hoisting the trophy.

England's journey in Georgia and Romania has been calm and composed, emerging as the leaders of Group C after securing back-to-back 2-0 triumphs against the Czech Republic, Israel, and Germany. They then narrowly defeated Portugal in the quarter-finals and convincingly overcame Israel once more in the semi-finals.

Image:

England beat the Czech Republic, Israel and Germany in the group stages of the tournament

Spain, the reigning champions from 2019, are expected to present a significantly tougher challenge, but Carsley is confident that his team still has room for improvement. "Finishing in sixth place prior to the tournament, reaching the final is a tremendous accomplishment. Escaping the group stage was already a notable achievement. However, I believe this team is capable of elevating their performance by two or three more levels."

In the knockout stages, we are aware of our single opportunity to succeed. A victor will emerge tomorrow, and despite anticipating pressure, I trust the players to respond appropriately.

Due to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view this.

Open Privacy Options

"We have closely observed Spain throughout numerous matches and have come to recognize them as a remarkable team. My players have displayed exceptional performance during this tournament, and now they have an opportunity to demonstrate to everyone back home their potential as future senior international players."

Abel Ruiz, the captain of Spain, along with coach Santi Denia, as well as teammates Antonio Blanco, Sergio Gomez, and Juan Miranda, aim to achieve a remarkable feat by securing a treble victory. Notably, they have already claimed victory in the U17s European Championship in 2017 where they triumphed over an England team featuring notable players such as Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho in a penalty shootout. Moreover, they achieved an impressive triumph in the U19s edition two years later.

Ruiz said: "We know England well - there are one or two of them who played against us at U17s level.

Twitter

Due to your consent preferences, you’re not able to view this.

Open Privacy Options

"We anticipate a fiercely competitive match. They have maintained an impressive record of shutting out their opponents. Understanding the challenge, we must perform exceptionally to find the net against them and secure the championship."

Denia remarked, "Our aim is to strive for perfection in our gameplay. We must come as close as possible to achieving that to surpass England. Although it is challenging, it is the requirement to succeed."