Not England’s nervy opening-game win against Serbia, nor the subsequent uninspiring draws against Denmark and Slovenia. Not even the nervy knockout wins against Slovakia and Switzerland.
Because in the end, it didn’t really matter.
By securing a dramatic semi-final win, Gareth Southgate’s side have given themselves another chance to end their long-running drought in men’s major tournaments, even if it hasn’t been plain sailing up until this point.
England arrived in Germany as the bookie’s favourites and with a star-studded squad to match but delusions of a new golden generation romping to glory quickly dissipated as the sluggish, safety-free England of old began to reappear in the group stages.
Phil Foden appeared a fraction of the man that lit up Manchester City’s title charge last season, while England’s alarming lack of balance became all the more apparent every time makeshift left-back Kieran Trippier cut back inside onto his preferred right foot.
Perhaps fans had a right to have heightened expectations, especially in a group where England were almost guaranteed to progress, but that clamour for perfection almost threatened to derail a campaign that had barely had time to get off the ground.
Southgate bore the brunt of that anger, clapping fans as they lobbed beer cups back at him, but the Three Lions boss has been there before and was fully aware of what it takes to go deep in international football tournaments.
It’s the same reason that under Didier Deschamps, France, a team littered with attacking prowess, have rarely looked the most threatening side but have also reached the final of the last two World Cups.
Success in international football requires solidity over expansiveness and while that shouldn’t absolve Southgate of all his decisions, it has successfully brought England to the latter stages of major tournaments on multiple occasions.
Now, though, as they gear up for Sunday’s final in Munich, one thing is clear: winning is all that matters. Three years ago, at Wembley, the England boss was chastised as his side spurned a golden opportunity against Italy.
On this occasion, if Southgate’s methods and cautious philosophy are to be vindicated, England can afford no slip-up.
Facing off against England this time, however, is Spain, the team of the tournament in Germany so far this summer and a sterner test than Roberto Mancini’s Azzurri from 2021.
If international tournaments represent a balancing act between gung-ho attacking and the unpredictability of knockout football, then Spain under Luis de la Fuente have had their cake and eaten it so far at Euro 2024.
While in previous recent major championships, La Roja were stunted by a blind commitment to possession, this current side’s pragmatic approach has unshackled their attackers and made them the best attacking side at this tournament.
Rodri and Fabian Ruiz have been the heartbeat of the team in central midfield, providing a platform that has afforded Yamine Lamal, Nico Williams and Dani Olmo the freedom to flourish further up the pitch.
They represent a formidable task for England who, having produced their best display of the tournament – perhaps of any tournament in recent memory – to oust the Dutch in the semi-finals, may have to go one better still to taste victory in the final.
Or perhaps they don’t. Perhaps, at this stage, it doesn’t matter.
England’s players have navigated their way to this point of the tournament by trusting Southgate’s careful stewardship and by producing moments of magic like few England teams before them.
That bicycle kick from Jude Bellingham; that perfect penalty from Trent Alexander Arnold’s perfect penalty; that long-range finish from Bukayo Saka; that pinpoint one from Watkins.
Control and dominance was how England wanted to win this tournament, but it is in the chaos and unpredictability of international football that they have truly shone this time around.
It hasn’t been pretty up to this point, but, now more than ever, England don’t need it to be.
After all those years of hurt, and all those generations of near misses, all England fans are asking for now is one more moment of magic from Southgate and his men.
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