Euro 2020 final: England fans head to the pub as early as 6am ahead of Wembley match
Queues formed outside pubs across England ahead of the historic match, with fans turning up long before the 8pm kick-off
England fans queuing outside the The Faltering Fullback pub in Finsbury Park (Photo: PA)
By Benjamin Butterworth
Late Editor and Senior Reporter
July 11, 2021 4:55 pm(Updated 5:07 pm)
Football fans have been queuing around the block for pub opening times as millions of Britons prepare for England's first major final in 55 years.
Fans were seen outside watering holes as early as 6am to get a spot ahead of the big match.
The atmosphere near the Uefa fan zone in Trafalgar Square, central London, is said to be lively ahead of the Euro 2020 final against Italy. Pubs are packed and large crowds can be seen holding England flags and wearing shirts with Three Lions on the chest.
Fans without tickets for the fan zone are also gathered in the area, and some can be heard chanting and singing the national anthem. Many have already been turned away from venues as they fill up.
Neil James, 32, from Horsham, Surrey, said: "I'm so fortunate to be here, I never thought I'd see anything like this in my lifetime. I can't even comprehend the idea England could win something, I just want to drink and drink tonight, work tomorrow is on the back burner. It's all about tonight."
A man walks past a pub sign advertising the Euro 2020 final (Photo: Getty)
People were seen queuing outside the Faltering Fulback pub in Finsbury Park from 6am. Writing on Twitter, one resident said: "Approach everything with the dedication of the England fans who started queuing for the Faltering Fullback at 6am."
Approach everything with the dedication of the England fans who started queuing for the Faltering Fullback at 6am pic.twitter.com/MGfj8N5zxe
— It's Cumming Home (@edcumming) July 11, 2021
Kings Cross station in Camden was evacuated at lunchtime after smoke from the flares are believed to have triggered fire alarms, with passengers advised to replan their journeys. British Transport Police said that they received reports of an incident at 12.40pm and it was reopened half an hour later.
Ahead of the match, Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate thanked fans for their "incredible support" throughout the tournament, which has seen the England team reach their first major final in more than half a century.
Good luck messages have been sent by the Queen, the Duke of Cambridge, the Prime Minister and even Hollywood star Tom Cruise, as the players prepare for an epic showdown at Wembley Stadium.
In a video message on the official England football Twitter account, Southgate – who has been praised for his leadership of the team – said the fans' support has given them a "huge lift".
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