England fans are 90 minutes away from seeing their men’s national team win a major tournament for the first time in half a century after Harry Kane sent the Three Lions to the Euro 2020 final.
Skipper Kane bundled home the rebound after his weak extra-time penalty had been saved.
But England held out for a 2-1 victory, much to the delight of jubilant supporters, including the Duke of Cambridge, David Beckham and Boris Johnson at Wembley.
It was a night of mixed emotions for home fans, after Denmark took an unlikely lead only to concede an own goal equaliser 10 minutes later.
England fans outnumbered their Danish counterparts by six-to-one inside Wembley due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions.
So it was little surprise the majority of the 60,000 supporters roared as players embraced at the end of a gruelling extra-time period.
In pubs and fan zones, supporters lobbed several of the estimated 10 million pints bought on Wednesday into the air in celebration, while others removed their shirts, embraced strangers, or simply wept.
Many also sang, and it was no surprise the anthemic Three Lions and its familiar “It’s coming home” refrain reverberated around Wembley at the final whistle.
Fans released red-coloured smoke and sang as they swarmed out of the stadium following England’s win.
Addi Hassan, 21, described the win as “absolutely incredible, absolutely world class”.
England fans Scarlet Devereux and Lucy Millard, both 18, were elated as they left Wembley.
Ms Devereux said: “It was a brilliant game, the atmosphere was absolutely amazing.”
Ms Millard added: “It’s the first time in so many years we’ve been in the semi-finals so it’s absolutely amazing. It’s coming home.”
And John Engall, 65, who was a schoolboy during England’s only previous major triumph – the 1966 World Cup final – said he felt “absolutely fantastic” after watching the match from BOXPARK in Croydon.
“I remember 66 but I’m much more ecstatic now than when I was 10,” he said.
“It was a brilliant game, it could have gone either way but well, it seems to have gone our way.”
Fans at Trafalgar Square waved England flags and merged together in a huge crowd after the final whistle.
One supporter, Oliver Ways, 28, said: “This time it’s coming home, the momentum is with us, I don’t care what anyone says.
“I’m so drunk but I don’t care – the game was just how we wanted it.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this but England are in a final.”
Another England fan Vic Richards, 22, said: “I’m still trying to compute what happened, I’ve never seen England make a final.
“It’s beautiful, it’s unbelievable, I love this country, the players gave it their all.
“This is an historic occasion, we may never see this again – now we can start to believe.”
Many fans tried to stay out late to enjoy the win, with a few dozen supporters in Leicester Square climbing on top of a number 9 double-decker bus to Aldwych, cheering and holding a St George’s flag aloft before crowds were broken up by police.
Met Police later said 20 arrests were made in London, with alleged offences including “common assault, public order and assault on police”.
England’s men last reached a major final in 1966, while the women’s side were losing finalists at Euro 1984 and 2009.
The final against Italy will take place on Sunday at 8pm.
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