Gareth Southgate's young guns can win Euro 2024 to end 58 years of hurt for the country, Paul Gascoigne told the Mirror.
The Three Lions legend is backing his old England team-mate Gareth Southgate to finally end our quest for that elusive silverware in Germany. The hero of Italia 90 and Euro 96 said: "He has to win it now.
"I just wish England could do it and someone could get a hat-trick, to finally lay to rest the Geoff Hurst thing. We keep on talking about 1966, it is a nightmare."
And he believes Southgate has what it takes as a manager to win our first trophy of his lifetime. "He was brave enough to bring in all these young kids," he said, paying tribute to the new generation including Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo, 19, and Adam Wharton, 20, of Crystal Palace.
"He has some great young talent. I saw Gareth at Wembley, he was saying how much he enjoys the job, and to take it on is real bravery. All England managers take so much stick.
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"Graham Taylor was hammered, Bobby Robson got his fair share. What Gareth has achieved with these kids is incredible." Gazza, 57, recalled the agonising moment when he was a whisker away from a winner in the Euro 96 semi-final defeat to Germany.
"We were close when I just missed that chance in 1996. I cannot watch it now. You need that bit of luck to win. If it goes to penalties, I don't think Gareth would complain if anyone misses."
Paul Gascoigne sat down for an exclusive interview with Mirror Football (Tim Merry/Mirror Express)Southgate, 53, England boss since 2016, had his penalty saved in the now infamous Euro 96 semi-final defeat at Wembley. But Gazza believes the new generation, including superstar Jude Bellingham, can finally deliver a trophy this time.
"The kids are fearless," he said. "Bellingham's finish (against Serbia) was lethal, the way he timed it was brilliant, it reminded me of Bryan Robson." He had seen little of the 20-year-old from Birmingham until he watched Real Madrid this season.
"People were talking about him," he said. "I saw him briefly for England, then I watched him for Real Madrid. He was just outstanding, and I thought 'look at that, he is going to be great'. And of course he is, he is a great player.
Gascoigne rolled back the years to do some keepy-ups (Tim Merry/Mirror Express)
The England legend was in high spirits during the chat (Tim Merry/Mirror Express)"At Italia 90, I had Peter Shilton, Bryan Robson, Chris Waddle, they had so much experience. Bellingham is going to have to be a leader in this group because they are such a young squad."
To win the tournament, England will have to improve on their opening 1-0 victory over Serbia last Sunday. But they had 'amazing' support in Gelsenkirchen. And they will, with our 40,000-strong army of support, always be a firm favourite with the fans, according to Gazza.
"The less fancied teams are all getting better, Albania went 1-0 up against Italy, so this is going to be a tough tournament to win for any of them," added the ex-Newcastle United, Tottenham, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Everton star, who played 57 times for England.
The legendary midfielder poses for a snap with Mirror reporter Jeremy Armstrong (Tim Merry/Mirror Express)
Gazza, 57, recalled the agonising moment when he was a whisker away from a winner in the Euro 96 semi-final (Offside via Getty Images)"Denmark are strong, England have to get at least a draw against them, it will be a game of nerves." He predicts a 1-1 result against the Danes, but believes we can beat outsiders Slovenia 2-0 on Tuesday.
"After that, it is a knockout," he said. "Italy, France, Germany, Spain, they are all top teams. Italy love nothing more than beating us. They will always be tough.
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"I saw England win 7-0 against Montenegro in 2019, I was with the team in the dressing room, it was hard because I miss it so much.
" Terry Venables was a different class, Bobby Robson was too, you play for managers you love, it is the same with Gareth. These kids are right behind him. He told me how much he was enjoying it.
Gazza has backed England to win this summer's Euros in Germany (Tim Merry/Mirror Express)"I could have gone to Manchester United as a young player; then they had Becks, Scholes, the Neville brothers. Gareth is the same now; if I were him, I would stay on as manager because he has such a young talented team."
Gazza was starting out on his career as the Liverpool legend Alan Hansen was coming to the end of his. But he met him early on and said he was glad to hear of his recovery from serious illness, 'for the Liverpool fans and all the lads who used to play alongside him'.
And he paid tribute to his old Everton team mate Kevin Campbell. "I cannot believe that he has passed away," he said. "He was only 54. I played with him and he was such a lovely fella, quiet, and a great player."
Gascoigne performing his iconic Euro 96 'Dentist's Chair' celebration (Getty Images)Gazza finds it hard watching football these days, as he misses the game so much, and we reminisced about his early life. We played together for Redheugh Boys Club under 14s in our hometown Gateshead, alongside his childhood friends Les Joyce and Paul Donnelly.
"Your face rings a bell," Gazza told me. "Did you play with Stanley Matthews?"
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