Jurgen Klinsmann insists England were favourites to win Euro 2020 ‘right from the start’ of the tournament as the German legend says ‘the mix is right’ for Gareth Southgate’s side to beat Denmark tonight and go all the way
Jurgen Klinsmann has claimed England were always ‘favourites’ to win Euro 2020 as Gareth Southgate’s side look to book their place in the final tonight.
The Three Lions have never got to the finals of the European Championships and are trying to qualify for their first final at a major tournament since the 1966 World Cup.
England have beaten Germany and Ukraine in the knockout stages so far and go up against Denmark in the final four tonight in front of 60,000 fans at Wembley.
Jurgen Klinsmann has claimed England were ‘favourites’ to win Euro 2020 from the start
The German legend believes ‘the mix is right’ for Gareth Southgate’s side to go all the way
The Three Lions take on Denmark in the semi-finals at Wembley on Wednesday night
But Klinsmann, who has been working as a pundit for the BBC throughout the competition, has insisted the Three Lions were favourites to lift the trophy before a ball had been kicked.
Speaking to Goal, the German legend said: ‘For me, England were favourites for the title right from the start.
‘They have a very good defence and the mix is right, and up front they have that scoring power and greed to score goals.’
Southgate is expected to make just one change to the team that swept Ukraine aside in Rome on Saturday night.
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka will be recalled to the starting XI after he missed the last game through injury. It means Jadon Sancho will drop down to the bench.
Mason Mount is likely to continue in the No 10 role ahead of Declan Rice and Kalvin Philipps and just behind captain Harry Kane with Raheem Sterling and Saka on the flanks.
Klinsmann believes Germany could have beaten England if Thomas Muller took his chance
England’s most impressive result of the tournament so far came against the Germans at Wembley last week.
It was the end of another disappointing competition for the Germans after they were also beaten by France and drew with Hungary in the group stage.
Discussing his own nation’s performance at the Euros, Klinsmann added: ‘ You have to look at all the games separately.
‘France was 50-50, decided by an unfortunate own goal, the game against Portugal was tough, against Hungary we were under enormous stress to equalise.
‘The game against England could have gone our way with the chances of Timo Werner and Thomas Muller.
‘But of course the overall balance is negative because we were eliminated far too early in the round of 16 and never developed a high level of consistency in the tournament.’