England have never come closer to ending what is by now 55 'years of hurt'. In beating Denmark, the Three Lions reached their first major final since their famous 1966 World Cup win. England fans have had to console themselves with the fading memories of that victory for far too long, as the list of painfully close calls and disastrous campaigns only got longer.
Considering the on-paper strength that England has regularly boasted over the years, fans were not always unjustified in the bitter disappointment they felt each time it all didn't quite come together at the right moment. The Euro 2020 tournament has been a different story though. Building on manager Southgate's semi final run at the 2018 World Cup, England have shown the patience and resilience - accompanied by the essential dose of good luck which so often eluded them in the past - to make it all the way to the final.
The team awaiting them in Sunday's Wembley final though, is an Italy side on an even more impressive run of form and results and will represent a challenge so far not encountered by England in this tournament. As our infographic shows, history is also firmly on Italy's side, especially in major tournaments where England have not yet managed to beat them in their three meetings on the biggest of stages. Anything can happen in a final though, with both sides striving to write a new glorious chapter in their country's footballing history.
