………as Mission Impossible star, Tom Cruise, phones team luck
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth has sent a message to the England soccer manager to wish the team luck ahead of the country’s most anticipated game since the 1966 World Cup final.
England are due to play Italy on Sunday in the Euro 2020 final at London’s Wembley Stadium, prompting excitement across the country, with beer sales soaring and special permission for children to start school late on Monday, reports Reuters.
With just over 24 hours to go before kick-off, Elizabeth wrote a letter to manager Gareth Southgate in which she recalled her memory of presenting the World Cup to England in 1966 and seeing the joy that brought.
“I want to… send my good wishes for tomorrow with the hope that history will record not only your success but also the spirit, commitment and pride with which you have conducted yourselves,” she wrote.
While England have only once previously reached the final of a major tournament, this will be Italy’s 10th such final, but in England’s favour, the 60,000-strong crowd will be overwhelmingly supporting the home nation.
Of the other nations in the United Kingdom, Scotland and Wales were knocked out in earlier stages of the tournament while Northern Ireland did not qualify.
Support has swelled in recent days across an expectant nation – with the players even receiving a call from Hollywood star Tom Cruise.
The Mission Impossible and Top Gun actor, who is currently in London, called the players to wish them luck, captain Harry Kane revealed.
He told BBC Radio 5Live: “I think he was over here in the UK and he just dialled in and FaceTimed us just to wish us the best as a group, so that was nice of him.
“I’m not sure if he will be there at the final or not, but football is such a big part of the world and it’s nice to have that support from all different types of businesses, I guess.”
Kane has acknowledged the strength of public feeling that was behind the team and national excitement that has built throughout the tournament.
“They’ll all be cheering us on around the country and we just can’t wait to hopefully try to win the game for them,” he said.
Fans lined the road and waved flags as they waved the team bus off on Saturday from the England training complex.
A video was tweeted from the official England team account with the message: “Wow… what a send-off! Amazing scenes as the #ThreeLions depart St. George’s Park for the final time.”
A good luck message from David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and the Lightning Seeds – who are behind the anthemic Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home) – has been projected onto the white cliffs of Dover ahead of match.
