Prince William fist pumps as he celebrates England’s ‘nail-biting’ Euros shootout win
Prince William went through it just like the rest of us watching England once again leave it late, eventually seeing off Switzerland on penalties to reach the Euro 2024 semi-finals.
The Prince of Wales showed a range of emotions at the Dusseldorf Arena as he cheered on Gareth Southgate’s men. William, who is president of the FA, was seen out of his seat and punching the air after England equalised in the 80th minute, around five minutes after Switzerland scored the first goal.
He could also be seen with his head in his hands as the game finished 1-1 after extra-time, before getting back to his feet to celebrate Trent Alexander-Arnold’s winning spot-kick.
Congratulating the Three Lions, William later wrote on social media: ‘Nail biting to the very end. Well done @England! Semi-finals here we come! We believe. W’
The prince earlier joined guests including UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin in the stands for the rendition of ‘God Save the Kick’ before Saturday’s quarter-final kicked off.
He was previously seen at the Three Lion’s match against Denmark last month, joined by Danish King Frederik X.
Three years on from being denied the European crown on spot-kicks, England had to fight their demons from 12 yards to continue their quest to go one better in Germany.
Bukayo Saka cancelled out Breel Embolo’s opener to take the quarter-final to extra-time and onto penalties after it ended 1-1, with the England star converting to bury the ghosts of his Euro 2020 final miss.
But Pickford was the star as he saved Manuel Akanji’s penalty, with Trent Alexander-Arnold wrapping up a 5-3 triumph to spark bedlam in Dusseldorf and seal a semi-final spot.
It was a dramatic end to an edgy encounter and England’s first shoot-out win since beating the Swiss in the Nations League third-placed play-off five years ago in Portugal.
England fans were pictured celebrating as they watched from a series of screenings, including at BOXPARK, Wembley, Sandown Park, Esher and Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire.
One man crowd-surfed shirtless at Millennium Square in Leeds to celebrate Saka’s strike.
The match went to extra time with the two teams drawing 1-1.
In BOXPARK, fans danced to Tubthumping by Chumbawamba singing, ‘I get knocked down, but I get up again’, as they prepared to watch extra time.
After 30 minutes of no goals, the two sides entered into a tense penalty shootout, which England won after netting all five attempts.
The Switzerland clash was Southgate’s 100th game in charge of the senior national team and his 24th match as England manager at a major tournament – nine more than anyone else in history.
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