Families and members of England’s Three Lions were jubilant last night after Southgate’s side booked their place in the Euro 2024 final.
Loved ones of Kobbie Mainoo, John Stones, Bukayo Saka and Luke Shaw, to name a few, were among the smiling faces at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, where England beat the Netherlands in a nail-biting semi-final that saw the sides draw 1-1 until Ollie Watkins’ 89th-minute goal.
As a chorus of Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline rang out from the stands, the families of England’s stars were certainly in a celebratory mood, and danced the night away as the England men’s team officially advanced to their first tournament final outside of home soil.
Celebrations ranged from the muted and restrained to absolute ecstasy as fans realised they had once again reached the Euro final.
Megan and Jordan Pickford shared a passionate kiss at the end of last night’s match in which England beat Holland 2-1.
Substitute Watkins, who came on for captain Harry Kane (who had equalised with a first-half penalty to cancel out Xavi Simons’ wonder goal), shared an emotional moment with his mother and girlfriend.
After the match, Ellie Alderson posted a sweet photo of herself and the England heroine, proudly writing: “You had your moment and you seized it! I’m sooo proud of you.”
She also shared a professional photograph of her boyfriend’s ecstatic face as he jubilantly celebrated his winning goal, writing: “This might be my favourite pic ever” before later adding: “You deserve it” in another story.
Meanwhile, John Stones’ wife Olivia Naylor echoed the pride in her partner when, at the whistle, she took videos of the players celebrating and zoomed in on the image of her defender husband.
Olivia Naylor, John Stones’ wife, punched the air while holding her son, whose name has not yet been revealed to the public.
Ellie Alderson, the girlfriend of England substitute Ollie Watkins, posted an adorable post-match photo with her boyfriend describing her pride.
As the clock struck 12 and Olivia Naylor announced her birthday, she held John Stones’ hand as the crowd serenaded her.
The camera followed him as he ran around the field in his number 5 jersey (of which she also wore a replica in the stands).
And to make the celebration even more special, Olivia put her arm around her husband at midnight as the crowd sang Happy Birthday to her.
Meghan Pickford, the wife of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, filmed the crowd celebrating at the stadium at the end of the match and wrote: “What a night.”
She was also seen giving her husband a passionate kiss after he made some lethal saves that kept England in the tournament despite a hungry Dutch side.
A more subdued celebration came from Annie Kilner, who was seen drinking from a cup in the stands as ecstatic fans around her sang Sweet Caroline.
Kobbie Mainoo’s brother Jordan was one of many family members also in the stands watching the thrilling semi-final.
Jordan revealed that shortly before Ollie Watkins came on, he told a friend he thought the player would make a good substitution, ahead of his 90th-minute wonder goal.
Kieran Trippier’s father Chris was one of many England fans and loved ones who was caught in the rain on the way to the game, but he didn’t seem bothered by it at all.
This comes amid a difficult time for the couple, after it was revealed earlier this year that Kyle had fathered a second child with influencer Lauryn Goodman.
The WAG has been present at every England game so far, however, she has apparently vowed “not to play happy families” with her husband in Germany.
The mother-of-four instead opted for £35,000 round-trip flights on a private jet to travel to each game rather than staying in the country for the entire duration of the match.
However, despite not showing an ecstatic reaction to the victory, Annie still smiled and swayed to the celebratory song.
Kobbie Mainoo’s family also took part in the celebrations, with his brother Jordan wearing a No. 27 jersey and celebrating with other family members in the stands.
Jordan also revealed a screenshot of a WhatsApp message he had sent to a friend, which read: “I’d put Watkins in” – before the man of the moment walked onto the pitch and scored the winning goal for England.
The jubilation came after a disappointment for England fans and loved ones of the players, after many were caught in a torrential downpour on the way to the stadium.
Bukayo Saka’s girlfriend Tolami Benson shared a snap of her fellow spectator on the way to the stadium and joked: “Three hours getting ready… and then the rain.”
Meanwhile, Kieran Trippier’s brother
The Three Lions will now face Spain in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin on Sunday, as England fans hope and pray for the final to return to home soil.
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