Euro 2020 final pre-party gets underway on Wembley Way

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Victory would mark the men’s football team’s first major tournament win since the 1966 World Cup success. And ahead of the nail-biting match, England fans across the country have been putting on an excited display.

Huge crowds donning England football shirts and flags gathered outside Wembley Stadium hours before the game.

People were clearly in party mode ahead of kick-off at 8pm.

Rowdy Three Lions supporters even climbed on top of a bus outside the grounds as anticipation mounts in the run-up to the match.

With the game at home, fans of England are expected to outnumber those cheering for Italy among the 60,000-strong crowd.

The British Beer & Pub Association predicts football fans will buy an incredible 7.1 million pints on Sunday.

People started lining up outside the 229 music venue in central London just before 12pm to attend an impromptu gig by The Lightning Seeds which will include a performance of the Three Lions football anthem.

Comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner will reunite with the band to perform their 1996 hit in front of a crowd of 200.

Kate Genery, 35, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, said: “I’m feeling very pumped for the whole tournament. I’m riding on that wave.

“Considering with Covid-19, everyone’s had a shitty year. You can sense a real buzz in London today, it’s like something is about to pop.”

Meanwhile, a Twitter user shared a video showing a red flare set off at Victoria Station as chanting could be heard in the background.

And King’s Cross had to be evacuated after England fans triggered the fire alarm with red and white smoke.

In Coventry, a street has been plastered in England flag bunting ahead of the big game.

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Resident Jordan Branfield told Coventry Live: “It’s been 55 years since they got this far and after the last 18 months we’ve had we wanted to show some community spirit.

“We’ve already put bunting and banners up on around 15 houses, the whole way down the road, and around the corner too.”

And a football-mad dad has had “Euro 2020 England winners” tattooed on his right leg.

Lewis Holden, 26, from Oldham, had the declaration permanently inked on his skin on Thursday.

The tattoo also says “It’s Coming Home” in huge letters, along with a picture of a trophy.

The final – which is expected to attract a record television audience – is due to kick off at 8pm and will finish by 10pm if it ends in normal time, but could end closer to 11pm if there is extra time or a penalty shootout.

The Metropolitan Police has urged fans not to come to London unless they have match tickets or somewhere booked to watch the game.

The force said it will be deploying “a great many officers and specialist units to prevent crime and disorder and respond to any incidents right across London”.

Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate thanked fans for their “incredible support” throughout the tournament, which has seen England reach their first major final in more than half a century.

Captain Harry Kane said the team hope to do the nation proud when they take to the pitch.

Good luck messages have been sent by the Queen, Prince William, Boris Johnson and even Hollywood star Tom Cruise.

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