THE UNLIKELY LADS

TO LITTLE more than half of this England squad, Sunday’s European Championship Final will be an occasion like no other, the game of their lives that might come around again, well, who knows when?

- Malik Ouzia

For the rest, of course, they have lived it all before, just three years ago at Wembley — and we all know how that went.

That contrast is a product of the split dynamic in the group Gareth Southgate brought to these Euros, one that at one stage threatened to doom the campaign, but now appears England’s strength, a bunch of eager, in-form unlikely lads having stepped up, mainly off the bench, to supplement the old guard and forge a path to Berlin.

Southgate did not leave the last World Cup in Qatar thinking his squad was in need of major overhaul. His team had progressed, striking the best balance yet between solid base and free-scoring attack, and come close, closer probably than a quarter-final exit suggests.

Yet, when he named his final 26-man squad for this summer, exactly half of the Qatar group had been culled, a remarkable turnover in 18 months, and even more so, given it really took place in just half that time.

As recently as last October’s qualifying win over Italy, which booked England’s place at this tournament, the core remained unchanged and appeared to be tracking well. Eight of that night’s matchday squad, though, would not make it to Germany, including five of the 14 who played.