Graham Potter is firm favourite for England manager job as three-horse race emerges to succeed Gareth Southgate

IT will take a while for me and every England fan to get over this, writes Jack Wilshere.

To come so close to winning that trophy, only to be beaten in a second Euros final in a row, is a huge disappointment.

Especially when it really felt like this was our time.

It seemed that everything was coming together for us to end the long wait for a major title.

But Spain deserved it. They were the better team in the final and the best team of the tournament.

We will all — supporters, players, coaches, the FA — have to move on and go again.

Because English football is still in a good position.

Gareth Southgate has taken us to two finals, a semi-final and a quarter-final in four tournaments. We have never produced a run like that before.

The challenge now is to maintain this level of competitiveness and make England even better.

Southgate and his staff have done a fantastic job in changing the whole environment and narrative around the national team.

Whether Gareth carries on or not, the wider culture he has put in place must be preserved.

This tournament was the biggest test of that culture the team had to go through.

They overcame the problems and went all the way, only to fall at the final hurdle.

But there is every reason to believe we can challenge at the World Cup in 2026 and beyond.

We’ve got a really good group of players, many of them young, who can go on playing and performing for England for years.

Jude Bellingham, Kobbie Mainoo, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer — to name just five — have plenty more tournaments in them.

This tournament will also be an inspiration for the next generations of players. Unfortunately there isn’t the trophy lift to take that to a completely different level.

But England have delivered moments in Germany that will be replayed forever.

The Bellingham overhead kick and Ollie Watkins’ semi-final winner will be recreated in playgrounds and cages up and down the country.

What I would like to see now is England continuing to develop, to become a team that can consistently dominate opponents and can give a real identity to English football.

We now have players who are comfortable on the ball and technically very good.

The biggest disappointment of the tournament was that we didn’t see that as often as we would have liked. That leaves us with a ‘what if?’ feeling.

England must not lose that old-school mentality of finding a way to win even when you’re not playing well — that never-say-die spirit which got us through this Euros more than once.

But the next step is to allow other qualities to shine through, to give the players that our system is creating the platform to show  everything they can do.

The job for me and for other coaches is to keep producing players that are comfortable on the ball and understand how to perform under pressure at a high level.

English football is in a good place but we need to keep going. Then we will finally get over the line.

Real all of SunSport columnist Jack Wilshere's Euro 2024 columns...

Graham Potter - 11/10

Eddie Howe - 2/1

Mauricio Pochettino - 4/1

Jurgen Klopp - 10/1

Lee Carsley - 10/1

Pep Guardiola - 14/1

Ange Postecoglou - 16/1

Michael Carrick - 20/1

Steven Gerrard - 20/1

Thomas Tuchel - 20/1

But what were the best - and worst matches - from the popular gaffer's eight-year reign before that devastating Sunday night in Berlin? Here we take a look.

THE HIGHS:

Colombia 1-1 England (3-4 on pens,) 2018 World Cup

This was the night that long-suffering supporters finally started to believe that it was coming home.

Despite conceding a late equaliser, England held their nerve to advance to the quarter final of the World Cup 2018 on penalties.

It was our first shootout victory for 22 years.

Spain 2-3 England, 2018 Nations League

Following on from the World Cup, England won in Spain for the first time in 31 years with a brilliant Uefa Nations League victory.

Southgate’s boys stunned the Seville crowd into silence with a thrilling performance that saw them lead 3-0 at the break thanks to a Raheem Sterling brace and Marcus Rashford.

Although the hosts scored two after the break, the way the Three Lions tore La Roja apart excited every fan.

England 2-1 Denmark, Euro 2020 semi-final

Southgate led England to their first major final in 55 years as they beat Denmark after extra-time in the Euro 2020 semi-final.

Having fallen behind after half an hour, the Three Lions battled back to send it to extra-time courtesy of an own goal.

Then it was captain Kane who converted a rebound after Kasper Schmeichel originally saved his penalty in extra-time to win it.

England 3-0 Sengal, 2022 World Cup last 16

England had already blown Iran and Wales, 6-2 and 3-0 respectively, away in the World Cup 2022 group stages before they breezed past Senegal.

The free-scoring Three Lions recorded another big win to set-up a mouthwatering quarter-final against France - what could go wrong?

Italy 1-2 England, Euro qualifiers, 2023

On a night when Harry Kane became England’s all-time top scorer, the Three Lions recorded a first away win over Italy since 1961.

It was the first game since their 2022 World Cup exit, and it ensured a perfect start to their Euro 2022 qualifying campaign.

England 2-1 Holland, Euro 2024 sem-final

The nation doubted Southgate's men in the semis of Euro 2024, but they responded with a barnstorming display.

Xavi Simons opened the scoring for the Dutch but Harry Kane's penalty drew us level.

And Ollie Watkins slotted in a brilliant winner in injury time to see the Three Lions into their second successive Euros final.

AND THE LOWS....

Croatia 2-1 England, World Cup semi-final, 2018

Having led England to a first World Cup semi-final since 1990, Southgate men made a dream start as Kieran Trippier put them ahead in the early exchanges.

But Ivan Perisic equalised as the Croats began to take control.

Some of Southgate’s substitutions were then questioned after his team were beaten in extra-time, although many gave him the benefit of the doubt as he returned a hero.

Italy 1-1 England (3-2 pens) Euro 2020 final

Will probably never get a better chance to have secured a trophy for the Three Lions than this final of the last European Championship.

Luke Shaw gave us the lead after just seconds, but just like against Croatia three years earlier, we sat back and let our rivals back into it.

Leonardo Bonucci duly equalised in the second half and the game eventually went to penalties.

The unfortunate Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were all brought on to take a spot-kick, but the brave trio all missed as the Azzurri broke our hearts to take the prize.

England 0-4 Hungary, Nations League 2023

A year on from the Euros and it was utter embarrassment for Southgate in this Nations League game at Molineux.

It was our biggest home defeat since 1928 and the result led to England being relegated from the top group of the Nations League and back to one that contained the Republic of Ireland, Finland and Greece.

England 1-2 France, World Cup 2022 quarter-finals

Another case of what could have been.

Having been free-scoring throughout Qatar 2022, many fancied us to go all the way at the World Cup despite taking on the holders in the quarters.

We fought back from going behind to level through Kane and many believe that France were then there for the taking had Southgate deployed a more attacking approach.

Instead, they seemed content with what they had until Olivier Giroud pounced 12 minutes from time to win it.

But there was still one more twist of the knife for England as the usually-reliable Kane skied a late penalty over the bar uncharacteristically as we crashed out.

COLE PALMER came off the bench to be England’s star man - but his heroics were unable to stop heartbreak against Spain, writes Tom Barclay.

Mikel Oyarzabal struck a late dagger through the hearts of the Three Lions to seal a 2-1 Spanish victory.

And that ensured that 58 years of hurt will go on.

Here’s how SunSport’s Tom Barclay rated each England player in the crushing defeat:

Jordan Pickford: 8

Carefully controlled a blast of a backpass from John Stones on his line in the first half. Could do little to stop Williams’ opener but made two terrific stops to deny Yamal, only for Oyarzabal to poke home at the death.

Kyle Walker: 6

Had his hands full with Williams but managed the Spanish livewire pretty well but could not get near his powerful opener. 

John Stones: 8

A colossus again as he played every single minute of this Euros, despite lack of Manchester City game-time. Superb block on early Williams shot, was often in the right place at the right time and at one point dribbled all the way up the pitch.

Marc Guehi: 6

Solid alongside Stones and overall it has been a brilliant first tournament for the Crystal Palace star. But Oyarzabal nicked in front of him for the winner.

Bukayo Saka: 7

Most consistent attacker for England across the tournament and had a good battle with pantomime villain Marc Cucurella here. It was his cross that Bellingham laid off for Palmer to work his magic.

Declan Rice: 7

Went past his boss Gareth Southgate’s cap haul by winning his 58th here and he is still only 25. Was in the thick of it in the midfield battle throughout. 

Kobbie Mainoo: 5

Just 19 and starting a major final for England in the middle of midfield. Fewer bursts forward though than in recent games as his side struggled for possession and was subbed for Palmer as Southgate searched for a leveller. 

Luke Shaw: 7

Looked so sharp for a player making his first start since Luton away on February 10, winning his battle against Lamine Yamal in the first half. But Yamal got the better of him after the break to tee up Williams’ opener.

Phil Foden: 6

Out of possession it was his job to man-mark Manchester City colleague Rodri, until the Spanish maestro went off injured at half-time. Had a half-chance just before the break but could not beat Unai Simon.

Jude Bellingham: 7

Shunted wide left when England did not have the ball - which was a lot of the time. Riskily flew into a few tackles, but it was his clever lay-off that teed up Palmer.

Harry Kane: 4

His lack of involvement was summed up by England fans calling for Ollie Watkins in the 57th minute. They got their wish on the hour.

SUBS: 

Ollie Watkins: 6

Semi-final hero was introduced far earlier here to get some legs in behind, though he did not have too much impact this time.

Cole Palmer: 9

What an impact after emerging with just twenty minutes to go. Yet another of Southgate’s subs paid off handsomely as Palmer curled a peach of an equaliser with 17 minutes remaining, sending most of the Olympiastadion potty.

Ivan Toney: 6

Thrown on right at the end but could not make an impact.

Gareth Southgate: 7

The game was a chess match for the first half and Southgate was never going to go early with his bold moves.

His subs were excellent to be fair, with Palmer brilliantly getting his team back into it.

Critics will say England did not play attacking enough but Spain are one hell of a side - and Southgate’s men pushed them all the way.