England reach Euro 2020 final: Ex-captain felt like crying at win

Former England captain Terry Butcher said he "felt like crying" after the men's national team made it to their first final in 55 years.

England defeated Denmark 2-1 in their Euro 2020 semi-final to set up a final against Italy at Wembley on Sunday.

Butcher said he was "on cloud nine" after Wednesday's win.

His ex-team-mate Peter Shilton added that the final would be "all about taking your chances and little moments in the game that go for you".

The match against Italy, who will be playing their 10th major tournament final, will be England's first final since their World Cup victory in 1966.

Butcher and Shilton played in England's 1990 World Cup semi-final loss to West Germany on penalties, and the side have fallen at the same stage in the 1996 Euros and 2018 World Cup.

The Ipswich Town legend told BBC Radio Suffolk: "I was very emotional when the final whistle [against Denmark] sounded because there's been so much heartache and so many tears and everybody downbeat.

"I've been to so many tournaments for radio and playing - it's just horrible when England exit, it's horrible what could have been and should have been.

"All these failures we've had, it's just been swept away in one magical night. It felt like just a rush of energy of emotion... I actually felt like crying, just sitting down and crying."

England went behind against Denmark to a stunning Mikkel Damsgaard free-kick before equalising through a Simon Kjaer own goal, and Harry Kane followed up a missed extra-time penalty to win the tie.

Former goalkeeper Shilton told BBC Radio 5 Live he was "just so ecstatic at getting the result".

England's record cap-holder, who now lives in Essex, said manager Gareth Southgate had mentioned the penalty decision "may have been a little bit soft", but Shilton said: "We've had bad luck in the past.

"I remember in 1990 in the semi-final we hit the inside of the post in extra-time and we would have been in the final. Those are the sorts of bits of luck you need, a decision goes your way."

Butcher said following the victory he "felt sorry for a lot of the players, brilliant players that never made it to a final and a lot of the fans that never got there, the people that missed out and not had this".

"Two or three generations have missed out seeing England get to a final. I was there in 1966, just a young schoolboy and it sort of passed me by - this one certainly won't.

"I'll certainly enjoy it on Sunday, no matter what the result, we're in the final."

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