The whole discussion on penalties is sad for one fact, it hides the fact that Southgate lost the game for England way before it went to penalties

England didn’t lose because of the penalties, they lost because they played terribly (coach’s tactics mostly) for probably 110 minutes

Nobody gives Italy credit for 70% posession?

It amused me that some pundits an other channels seemed to be suggesting that the Italians were ungentlemanly in having such a large goalkeeper!

When you try to defend a 1 goal lead for 88 minutes, you have already lost the game. Seriously, England just stopped attacking after they scored and just went into a shell. No counter, no ball movement or control just sit back. If anything Southgate should be fired for that.

This argument is pi**ing me off! Are we going to ignore the fact that Southgate should've brought subs on earlier to try and win the game? Poor game management! He had no faith in Rashford and Sancho throughout whole tournament but brings them on "cold" to make their first touch a penalty in the final.

Jadon Sancho would have been an asset had he entered the game earlier.

When your leading 1-0 at early stages of the game, normally you have to continue to secure the game with a second goal. Leading 1-0 at early stages dont mean anything unless you work hard for a second and maybe a third goal.

"The biggest risk you can take, is to not take risks" - Pep Guardiola Southgate didn't play to win, he played not to lose. Fortune favors the bold and his conservative tactics cost England the match potentially. I would rather be defeated while playing to win than sitting on my hands and praying

Forget the penalties (which Eng stuffed up anyway).....Southgate was out thought and out coached.....aside from the first 10 mins of the game, Eng did ZERO....no pressing, no attacking, no joy, no flair.......dreary, dull and negative

It was like watching Spurs, with England trying to defend a 1-0 lead and inevitably failing.

Italy were the best team in the tournament if I'm totally honest !

Southgate doesn’t understand the psychological impact of the situation. It’s not about who took the best penalty in practice, it’s about who can handle the pressure of such a moment. Also, having that shot as their first touch of the ball makes it almost guaranteed to fail. I hope he got these notes written down so we don’t make the same mistakes in the world cup.

The most important thing is that Italy played much more positive/attacking football throughout the tournament. It's better for the game. Nobody deserves to win anything playing the miserable football England insisted on. As spectators we want the ambitious teams in the world cup to actually play and not just grind their way to a trophy.

Nedum & Steve got it wrong. Statistics give empirical evidence: players who enter to take a pen at the 120, these two, like Zaza for Italy in 2016, Carragher in 2006, all missed. The same reason why an otherwise excellent Maguire terribly mispasses to Pickford (to give a corner) in the 1st min or why Di Lorenzo missed Shaw's run on the 2nd. It's the nerves and pressure of starting a big game, over time you shake it off as you get more and more involved. As you walk to the spot from the middle, your heart beats faster and your stomach cramps, while most others on the pitch had the benefit of going through that 120 mins earlier

Practice is different from when the pressure is on

Every ex player outside of England: you cant train penalties. Its not about the skill, its about the pressure in a Stadium with 70.000 people screaming. You cant replicate this Situation in Training. Southgate: so yeah i picked the best penalty takers from Training

-playing in home soil with full spotlight. -playing defensive after an early lead while they can do more damage. -dragging the game to penalty without changing playing style when they can -making super late subs with a player that didnt even appear ready to come in. -placing teenagers 1v1 against one of the best keeper in footballing world to date. and after losing, whole spotlight shifted to penalty taker decision. it was the whole game management from southgate that made england lose. penalty shootout is the consequence for southgate didnt try to be more attacking in 90min+extra time.

Why has no one mentioned the great saves that both goalkeepers made !!

Hello guys remember that Roberto Baggio of Italy missed a decisive penalty that gave Brazil the world cup 1994. So I agree that it's a lot of pressure to just come on and take one.

Stevie makes no sense. Could have brought Sancho and Rashford in earlier and try to win the game. Southgate parked the bus from the 3rd minute on.

They are lunatics if they think being warm with a few touches wouldn't help you take a penalty vs coming in and taking one cold. Madness to think otherwise.

Instead of talking how England players failed on penalties you guys could've talk how Italian players were amazing throughout the final game. What a waste of 19 minutes segment.

Donnarumma never lost a penaltyserie. Won twice with Italy, 3 times with Milan.

Trophy came from Portugal stayed for couple of hours in England and then took a flight to rome😂😂

Nedam the new spokesperson of Southgate...😂😂😂😂 You are here to analyse the game not to give your sympathetic views for the coach....

I'm italian, sport is in my heart and would like to say that I was really shocked seeing english players taking off medals as they did. That was unjustified unsportmanlike behaviour, why to do that? The players were unpolite having regard to the whole organisation and to the crowd. British fairplay, I'm not happy to see the fall of a myth.

9:25 *Southgate brought on Subs far too late when watching the game. Could not believe it.*

Sending a 19 year old who isn't even a starter at this own club to kick the biggest pen in 55+ years. 😂

England once again prove that their nickname as “Tottenham of Europe “ is not false after all

I saw it live, and I was flabbergasted! Pickford did a superhuman job, saving two penalties.

I think Southgate made a grave mistake and in the press conference made sure to shift the blame on himself in order to save Saka's reputation and the team's

Southgate blew it before penalties. Too conservative with subs - it’s a final - go and win it.

ESPN learning from sky sports with HEATED debate

Watching England lose isn't just a hobby, it's a lifestyle, a reason to breathe, an escape from this cruel world filled with pricks. It's art, it's the first gift you open on Christmas, a hug from a loved one, it's everything you wanted, it's everything you need.

I think Nedum is spot on here, they picked Saka because he is clearly good at taking penalties in training. Whether you're 19 or not, you're playing for the senior team, you should be able to step up and take a pen. He missed it, it happens, I feel bad for the lad but I think we're going on about him being only 19 too much. Saka also had a great tournament and often looked like England's most confident player on the ball at times.

"Those who win celebrate, those who lose explain" cit. Julio Velasco.

Disagree with Onuoha about not needing to get warm before a penalty. Anybody who has ever competed at any level will tell you that you're more nervous/anxious at the very beginning of your play time. But once you've had some touches, passes/shots, tackles, ect. you get into a flow state where you're less nervous and get into a rhythm. Rashford/Sancho never got into that rhythm of the game. They were at their most anxious just entering extremely late and that was compounded even more by having to take a penalty with the tournament on the line.

We took 2nd place and made it to a FINAL! We're progressing folks! This is good news for fans of England and the Premier League! Proud of the boys!

Donnarumma stopped a kick that was ON NET from Saka. Give credit to the 22 year old goalkeeper . You’d think from all these critics comments that he wasn’t under any stress either .

Really no point arguing how the penalties should have been taken. For England their record told us the last thing they want is a shootout in any tournament. They took an early lead and should have won it before the need for a shootout had they got their tactics right!

Being the best penalty taker and training is a ridiculous argument you don’t sit on the bench through training and take penalties you’re part of the action those guys came off the bench frustrated a little defeated because they weren’t playing and asked to save the day that they have not been a part of

ITALIA 🇮🇹⚽⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006 ......... ITALIA 🇮🇹⚽🏆🏆 2 EUROPEAN CUP CHAMPIONS 1968, 2020 ....... SO MANY TROPHIES WOW 😲 ITALIANS REALLY KNOW HOW TO WIN 🇮🇹⚽✝️🙏❤️👑

Thought Luke Shaw had a blinding tournament!! Each game he was continually strong on the ball, great passing and he read every game to a tee. Along with Pickford he was our strongest, most focused player.

Leave the penalty it was Italy all throughout the match expect for the goal by Shaw.. Italy pressed, dominated and fouled whenever necessary.. It felt Italy would win within the 90 min.. lucky it went to penalties..

this discussion was ALMOST as painful to watch as the shootout

That Italy goalie sent the entire England into a penalty debate. 😂😂

While Italy was about to take a corner at min 120, Southgate brought out a defender and a holding midfielder both of them tall and defend well set pieces and put in 2 forwards. At that specific moment Italy could have scored and put the game to bed and that should be the real issue with Southgate.

The difference between them is really interesting: Stevie and Nedum don't want to lose the game, Frank and Ale want to win the game. Just like the Italians. And that is why they did win.

100% with Ale on this. England lost because they were too cautious!! Bringing on Rashford and Sancho would have potentially won the game for England in regular time.

I love how this same panel of ' experts' are now talking about how difficult it is to take a penalty, yet Cristiano Ronaldo's record is somehow tainted because he is the primary penalty taker in his domestic and national teams.

Grealish (Too worried about his hair) and Sterling (Olympic diver) want to be "stars" but they went hiding when it was time to take a PK.

Nedum, when I play golf my first few swings in the warm up are nearly always awful. You need a few touches and passes to get a feel for the ball. This is a very simple fact. The subs should've come on sooner

I saw Grealish saying i take one live, was i the only one!? Saka was looking down the ground, standing hiding in the corner.... which means frank is right southgate forced sake to shoot instead of grealish who was mentally ready

Italy was the strongest team at this tournament.

This was one of the best analysis i ve seen in a while by these guys. Differing opinions (some more factual and some more emotional) but it was diverse views and very engaging

Nedum, bruh, it's literally clear now why you never made it in football. Even playing at a semi pro level i know that getting a few touches in relaxes the nerves. It's literally impossible to come in and take a cold kick. You 100% need to feel the flow of the game.

Southgate’s entire game management in the final was absolutely horrendous, not just the penalty shootout.

16:11 why is nedum shaking his head? 😂😂 i think frank and alan shearer have a better understanding than nedum in this situation

Siamo noi , siamo noi , i campioni dell'Europa siamo noi !

What stevie says at 12:45 is the exact reason why England are never gonna win with this kitten's mentality. Southgate, my man made a career out of missing a penalty and he played the extra time in a way to take it to the penalties. Rashy and Sancho arent bad players ! They could have actually done something on the pitch even in 10 minutes you dont know !. they're as good a player as Phillips or sterling why not sub them off and put sancho and Rashy on and have a go at the weary italian defense in the last 10 minutes or so

Fantastic debate. I’m with Ale and Frank 100 percent

I know Ronaldo has nothing to do with this conversation but it's funny how these pundits go from "all he did was score penalties" to " not everyone can take a penalty kick" 😂

donnarumma played extremely good all the game,thats it

Ain't no way Saka should have been in the starting 5 takers...Grealish, Sterling, Shaw and Walker should all have gone before Saka

Southgate was too conservative! This is a final you have to throw in everything. If I were him I would have brought in Rashford and Sancho immediately after the first half of the extra time and tell them I want you to go and score the winning goal. He delayed his substitutions to the last meeting of the game🤦

What was Trippier saying to Gareth Cautiousgate at the end of the match ,it looked heated!!

I would like to know what was written on the bit of paper that was handed to Maguire by the sub!!

Doesn't matter. Italy were the best team in the tournament and it would have been unjust for England to have won.

I love saka but when Italy,s probably best penalty taker missed one I shouldn’t be watching a nervous teenager with almost no minutes on the pitch coming to save the day.If he chose them to come in for penalties then first give them decent minutes and put them first and leave the pressure to the ones who have have put in 90 minutes.

Italy was a better team the whole entire game. And the game was played on foreign field. It was an away game for Italy. England did not lose a game, Italy won the game. The better team won! Roberto Mancini was the difference (my opinion).

Brazil will always remember germany 7-1...England will always remember italy 3 missed penalties

I still felt like Grealish should've gotten a chance.

Totally agree with Frank and Ale! 👍

England has waited fifty years for this moment. They will have to wait another fifty years 😂

Except for Jorghino’s miss, I called every single one by looking at the players eyes. Everyone who missed was extremely nervous and looked fearful, everyone who scored looked confident with Jorginho being the outlier, although he also didn’t look too confident. Anyway, if I can see that on the TV, Southgate should’ve seen it 10 times better. And I agree that the young players should’ve gone first. And I also agree that subbing in a player for the exclusive reason to score that one penalty in the final is madness. That just increases the pressure many folds. Rashford and Sancho didn’t have the opportunity to make a difference in the 120 minutes before, so they understood that this one shot was what they would be judged by, in a final no less. One can only imagine what that does to the mind of a young player like this. An experienced player who has seen it all may be better equipped to deal with this pressure, though it would have been tough even for him.

Look at the way they went into the penalty shootout, Italy was loose, smiling etc. England was full of tension, they looked liked the queen had died. It was over before it started. The tone was set after they scored their goal 2 min in. They did nothing the whole game.

The rest of the world would have a lot more sympathy for English fans if they could do these 3 things: 1. Stop the “It’s coming Home” tactic 2. Don’t racially/verbally abuse your own team or other countries 3. Who am I kidding England fans can’t even do the first two...

So virtue signaling had nothing to do with it? The team that was virtue signaling throughout the whole tournament?...lol

Maybe not nerves maybe they were not properly warmed up. Like pitchers and goalies that warm up on sideline before they come in to sub.

Would England ever get a better path to final than this one ??? No, at least not in coming years.

I remember Italy 2006 penalty, where all the leader takes the penalty, Pirlo, Alex, Grosso, De Rossi, Matterazi, not all of them "the best Penalty taker", but they are most ready to shoot mentaly. Hendo, Walker, Sterling should take it, but then again, that's not a guarantee to england win, in the end penalty is about mental and luck. you score then good, if you missed, so be it.

I think we would all be more sympathetic to England's plight if they would all tone down the "It's Coming Home" rhetoric. One international title in 100 years (and we won't mention how that was gained...) doesn't make it a national football powerhouse. At best second tier - wins do the talking, not what ifs. If they faced the football world with a little more humility they probably would fare better than they have so far and be a little more "tolerable". Club football (with all the foreign talent that fodders it) does not count in this context.

14:00 *Well done Italy - no sour Grapes - you played brilliantly and dominated the second ½ by miles - Congrats to you at the end of the day.*

No matter which way you look at it making Saka go 5th was so dumb when you have grealish and Sterling not taking any! 🤯🤯🤯 he’s 19 and his first competitive penalty! 😔

How should Nedum know ? He barely even played for city when they got taken over and never went far with England what does he know about big games, he got relegated and joined the MLS

Thank you so much guys you give us the best debate.from uganda

That was exactly the point. Saka should have gone first or second so, in case he missed or his shot got saved, there would have been other chances to put the shootout back on track. As Italian who remembers Roberto Baggio missing his penalty at the 94 world cup final, I very well know the consequences of that mistake. Roberto Baggio's career got stumped and his reputation as a penalty taker was in tatters. He ended up playing for mid-ladder teams and not being capped again for the national team in spite of his great results at team level with those mediocre squads. I really feel for Saka and I hope that he can play for a great team in the future. Pedri and Saka were the youngsters who caused a lot of problems to our backline. That's an accomplishment in itself.

You would think England has three or more trophies they are always in the headlines for taking L's😂😂😂

Southgate had decided beforehand. Rashford can onto the pitch with the list. It was a predetermined list and order. Southgate deserves all the heat he's getting

if Bukayo Sako was old enough to make it into the squad, old enough to play in the final then he was old enough to take a penalty.

These muppets say nothing about the reality that England were out shot 6-1. 600%. The best team won. Espn UK and England were not one of them.

Grealish coming out and saying I said I wanted to take one, makes the situation worse.

Nedum clearly has a crush on Southgate. Defending his horrendous decisions no matter what. It's like listening to Ole's mates defending his every horrible move at United.

11:00 they're arguing not touching the ball before a shot has no impact? This is insane. In what sport do you just walk on the field and do something without having warmed up and got a feel for it.

Guaranteed if Sancho and Rashford were brought on earlier and England conceded they’d be saying why not bring them on in the last minute

My condolences to England. I'm enjoying the post mortem. I think Yan is the best pundit on ESPN🙌

For a second I thought this discussion was going to go to penalties.

I've never seen a massive support for a national team like the one for our Italy. Reading comments it seems like World vs England

Great result I'm glad I won't have to listen to the English going on and on if they had won as they do about the 66 win. Well done Italy