All language subtitles for The New Generation

Good evening.

I hope you've stopped worrying
about work in the morning

and instead are looking ahead

to a night that could change
the story of football forever.

No England team has ever won a
major tournament on foreign soil.

Sporting immortality
is within their grasp.

Past the midway point
of the second half

as Spain try and
see the final out.

Next opportunity, England will
get Ollie Watkins into the match.

Carvajal's given it to
Watkins and recovered.

And all of a sudden,
they're under pressure.

I don't think you quite realise,
like, how special it is.

-Yeah.
-That's why I get so emotional,

'cause I think England
wasn't even on the cards.

Time for change
again. Cole Palmer on.

And that's not to take anything away
from Kobbie Mainoo's performance tonight

or in the tournament as a whole.

Do you feel the magnitude
of it when you're in it?

Yeah.

-Bro, it was mad.
-Damn.

Guéhi wasn't expecting it, and
he's having to fight to keep it.

-He's been fouled.
-He reads it really well here.

He's been impressive,
hasn't he, this tournament?

When you're growing up playing football,
that's the furthest thing from your mind.

-Where we're from, you don't think...
-You don't think about that.

Palmer. Now Saka
with some space.

Oh, yes!

Ice cold precision from Palmer.

I thought, "Oh,
shit. It's gone in."

Like, I've just scored
in the Euros final.

-Like...
-Mad, innit?

All the kids in the Academy

all think they're gonna
be a famous footballer…

Okay, everybody.
Everybody, come here.

…but the reality is hardly
any of them are gonna make it.

Some people are on the pitch.

They think it's all over.

It is now.

There's obviously something
that happened to us growing up

that forms you and
makes you who you are.

England's World Cup is over!

We are hardheaded,
we are stubborn,

but we will get to our goal.

Non-league football
toughened me up.

Why have England
not won a tournament

when you look at the quality
of players that they've had?

With this group of
players that we've got,

we have to win
something, don't we?

Write us off at your peril.

The English Dream is over.

Defeat for England again.

One kick in the game,
and it goes wrong.

All fans are on you.

Pressure on a 19-year-old.

It makes you think, "If
I go and play for England

and I do something wrong, am
I gonna get this," you know?

Everyone feels pressure.

Just try not to let it
get the better of me.

This has got to be one
of the earliest ones.

Look at your little
happy face there.

Hmm.

Is that when you had spiky hair?

Nah, nah, nah. That
was a different one.

Do you remember yourself?

Your kit.

Wish I could go back
to that age, man.

Nah, you just didn't
care, did you?

You know, there's no pressure.

You just go and play with
your mates and mess about.

Allez!

When you was younger,
when we was doing this,

does it feel like a
million miles away, or…

Ah, it feels like last week.

It actually does.

-Really? You remember it?
-Yeah.

For someone who don't like the cold,
you'd come out in the cold quite a bit.

Mmm.

Would it be fair
to say you kind of,

almost taught him
everything he knows?

Yeah.

Nah, he did… he did teach me.

But he's just a Sunday league player,
innit? It's not like he was good.

Yeah, think like that.

All right, don't put that out
'cause he looks like an idiot.

Can you go over there?

When we went to the park, then
that's where the magic happened.

If you'd go park and
there'd be kids on there,

we used to play
Wembley or whatever

and try and dribble past each
other and slap each other and that.

Yeah, 'cause he was only little
and some of the kids were big.

And he was good. They didn't like
it and used to try and kick him.

But then if it was
only just me and him,

we would just do stuff like
control the ball, protect it.

Hey! Allez!

I used to play for the
Black Boy football team.

He used to come and watch me
play, from probably about…

-Maybe two?
-…two, three?

Tiny. He used to
come to every game.

Just sitting on a bag of balls.

He just grew up in the team.

'Cause we've watched
him growing up,

just feels like he's one
of our own, doesn't it?

Yeah, he's one of us, isn't he?

Still comes and watches us play
football on a Sunday when he can.

Exactly. He's just exactly the same
as he was when he was that little kid.

Like, the same
personality-wise and...

Just him, innit? Running
around Firbank and Withy Park.

Cole was there just with a
football all the time, wasn't he?

Non-stop, yeah.

Jermaine is a tough
taskmaster, like.

Remember when we used to go
watch Cole at the City Academy?

And he'd have,
like, a great game,

score two goals, set
up two. City win 4-1,

and Jay'll say, "Yeah, but you
see that in the second half

when they come down the left wing
and he didn't pass it inside?"

I used to go, I'd
go, "Come on, Jay."

He was, like, tiny compared
to all the other kids.

A foot or two
shorter than anybody.

'Cause he was so skilful,

and Jermaine made him work on
his strength and his skill,

and then you were just
hoping for the growth spurt.

Thank you.

Thanks, mate.

What you fancying?

What am I eating? You?

We met when we were 17.

I think he knew me through,
like, mutual friends.

I think he probably
had his eye on me.

Sing me a song.

You want me to sing you a song?
No, I'm not singing you a song.

You sing me a love song.

Oh, he's warm and cuddly.

Well, with me. Hopefully
with no one else.

What did you actually feel like when
you got the call to go to Euros?

I don't know. I didn't really feel
anything until I was on the plane.

I just thought, like, "I'm
actually going to Euros."

When you know how much
someone wants something

and you know that's someone's
dream, you just feel so proud.

It was mad though.

He had such an amazing season.

And then, for him to be called
up, I think Cole was just…

That was when he felt like, "Oh, my
God. It's actually happening now."

Everything was kind
of falling into place.

Who do you think are, like, your
closest friends there in camp?

The closest friend I
probably made was Kobbie.

Favourite mobster movie?

I think "Godfather".

Yeah? I don't know if I've
seen the first one, you know.

I need to watch a trailer.
I think I might have.

-The first one's a joke.
-I think I have.

Young Al Pacino. Like,
very young Al Pacino.

-Mmm. I-Is it Corleone, his name?
-Yeah.

Don Corleone's, like, the big
boss, and he's getting old.

And then he has one son, Michael,
who wasn't involved in it,

-who's Al Pacino.
-Mm-hmm.

His dad got shot. And
then he basically…

Basically, Michael coming back and
him becoming the head of the family

-and stuff like that, but it's sick.
-Mmm.

Okay, so, the Euros.
Did the gaffer call you?

No, no. The squad just comes out.
There was, like, a provisional squad.

-Mm-hmm.
-Then when we was in the camp,

there was… they started to tell
people who weren't in the squad

-that they wasn't gonna be in the squad.
-Oh, fair.

-They didn't tell you?
-No, no.

So they'll only tell people that they
weren't gonna be in the squad, innit?

Mm-hmm.

So it's like some of the players got
told that they would have to go home.

Then they drop the proper squad, and
you have to pack up your stuff and go.

It's crazy talking about it
because it all happened so quick.

-Yeah.
-Couldn't believe my eyes

because, obviously, I've been watching
that line-up come out for years,

and it's always the same.

-Yeah.
-And your name's just in the mixer.

-Yeah.
-Crazy.

-Crazy experience.
-Ah.

He video-called me and he's
just in the whole England kit

with a beanie on and that.

I don't know why, I just got super,
like, emotional in a super happy way.

Let's how far he can go.

I think for me, as a brother,
I've seen what you can do.

So I was so excited for the world
to see what you were capable of.

-Mmm. Wow, sick.
-Damn.

Plenty were calling for this,
weren't they? And now it's happened.

Kobbie Mainoo has just received
his call-up to the England squad.

That's what everyone's
been talking about,

likelihood of Kobbie Mainoo
coming into England's midfield.

He's only 19,

but, gosh, what a year he has
had so far for Manchester United.

Are you comfortable
there and relaxed, yeah?

I feel… The chair's a bit…

I'm not even gonna lie to you,
the chair's a bit skinny, man.

-I look thin, but I ain't thin.
-Yeah.

I should point out what an
extraordinary story it is.

Southgate has decided to
go with a number of players

who've never been to
a tournament before.

Of course, everybody's expectation is,
when we have so many talented players,

is for us to win.

Kobbie Mainoo.

Cole Palmer, who ended the
season in excellent form.

Ollie Watkins.

I think he can handle
starting for England.

Marc Guéhi, he's the man filling the
shoes of the injured Harry Maguire.

They're all unknowns. How are
England gonna cope with it?

When it comes to Marc Guéhi,

to throw him in from the start, I think
that's a little bit more of a surprise.

There's a lot of weight
on the shirt for sure.

I look at it as, "No,
this is just a blessing."

You grow up watching all these
great players play for England,

and for me, it was
never in my mind.

It was just, you know… It
almost seemed too far away.

England get us underway.

Guéhi. Does really
well to defend.

The only thing I'm trying to be
is as consistent as possible,

show I'm a reliable player,
a reliable teammate.

Someone that the
manager can trust.

Marc Guéhi has done well
in those 1v1 duels so far.

That was all that
was on my mind.

Walker again, looking
to set him free.

And this time he has snuck in behind the
back, and it was a swift challenge in!

And England scored!

They went 1-nil up.

One-nil. We'll take the W
but… Yeah, a bit boring.

I think, with how poor the
performances were in the group stage,

there's always that nagging
doubt then going forward.

There is the full-time whistle.

And look at the
Slovenian celebrations.

Gareth Southgate is
facing accusations

of not getting the most out of one of
England's most talented generations.

They're not playing as
good as they should,

and then he's on the bench.

You're thinking, "Come
on, Gareth, get him on."

England go on to play Slovakia

at the Arena AufSchalke
in Gelsenkirchen.

Will he have the balls to
leave one or two big names out

and put in a Palmer or a Mainoo?

I'm 19.

I'm not expected to be jumping
into the starting eleven

and playing every game,

but I was obviously always hoping
that that would happen, you know?

I was just looking to get
started with the football.

It's mad watching all
this back, you know.

The age gap's ten years
between me and Kobbie,

which is mad because if you
saw us hanging out together

you'd just never guess.

Maybe I'm immature,
I don't know.

Moon head.

-I even remember...
-Do you remember that?

I was, like, one. What do
you mean do I remember it?

-True. Just about standing.
-I don't think I could speak then.

The shades were
actually hard though.

I don't know.

Kobbie joined us at age five.

Came into sort of our soccer
school on a Sunday morning.

And literally, within the
space of a few minutes,

it was almost like
a double take.

"What a player this kid is." And
I've never seen a player like that.

He was just so strong.

He had a fantastic,
powerful shot.

Before we knew it, he
was gliding past players,

slamming the ball in
the back of the net,

and it was just… seemed
all too easy for him.

With me, it just felt like there was
always a football around, you know.

My mum would always moan
at me, every time we say…

she'd take me anywhere,
like walking anywhere,

I'd be just trying to
find something to kick,

whether it was
leaves or a rock or…

I'd just be looking for
something to dribble with.

I don't really remember
life without it.

-That's cute.
-With Haribo in your hand.

-Shock.
-Shock.

The first time I seen Kobbie, we
all thought he was a top player.

Kobbie was different.
Kobbie was very talented.

Very mature.

Every week, every month, every year
he was getting better and better.

Even when he was younger,

Kobbie just carries
himself quite differently.

I mean, he's super intelligent.

That and a combination of genuinely
being interested in something,

it's dangerous.

There must have been an element of
you that fell in love with the game.

It was just fun, like.

I never really think
about the bigger picture.

Obviously I wanted to be a footballer,
but, you know, deeply, like,

"This is the start of the journey."
You're just playing for fun.

As a young player, you've just
got to wait for your chance,

and when you get
your chance, take it.

So we knew he was gonna be a talent.
We knew he was gonna be a footballer.

We didn't know he was gonna go
on to that level that quickly.

Kobbie Mainoo, the
18-year-old midfielder,

makes his first
Premier League start.

With Kobbie,

first of all, his temperament's
phenomenal for his age, um…

Any game that he goes onto,
he's not worried about.

He goes and plays his game.

Rashford linking with Mainoo.

Could be certain times when he'd
make runs or he'd make passes

and sometimes, maybe, no one
would get on the end of it

or no one would understand
his vision for the run,

and I could see him kind of getting
frustrated, and, like, on the pitch.

And as a brother, I'm, like, looking
on the pitch thinking, "Ugh," like…

I mean, your full debut, it
felt like a long time coming

'cause you kind of was
on the fringes of it.

In preseason. I had
a sick preseason.

He's able to slide them balls
through to the forward line.

Over the top again, through…
Kobbie Mainoo is superb.

He can skip past players quite
easily over that six or seven yards.

The burst of pace he's got is exceptional,
and, yeah, he's a superb talent.

Calvert-Lewin.
Good save. McNeil.

Mainoo off the line!

Right beneath his own crossbar.

That was a good win.

Eye-catching full league
debut from the 18-year-old.

This is gas.

I remember watching that
game, just in awe of Mainoo

because I was thinking
how young he was.

There's a young man we'll
be seeing plenty more of.

The biggest thing that maybe stopped
players producing at the highest level

is the temperament.

Can they do the things that they
do on a normal week-to-week basis

at the biggest moment
of their career?

FA Cup final against City.

Yeah, a dream.

Broski, smashed it.

And then you got called
up for the Euros.

Yeah.

Yo.

-Hi, Bro.
-You okay?

Hi, sis. What's going on?

-Nothing.
-Just at the studio. What are you doing?

Watching a bit of TV.

Yeah? And you've got a game tonight as
well, right? How you feeling about it?

Um, yeah, the FA Cup. We
need to win it to win.

Mm-hmm. By all means necessary.

-Need some fire in it.
-You've got it though.

Kobbie's never been a
challenging kid to deal with,

like, he's always
been very pure.

Obviously, coming from his sisters…
I know you're trying to get, like,

"Oh, he's a little shit."
He's not. He's literally not.

Kobbie being the youngest, he
was… I don't know how to put it.

-He's the baby boy!
-He's the baby boy, yeah.

The importance of family has always
been at the forefront for sure.

-It's kept him really grounded.
-Yeah.

When Kobbie comes home,
he's not Kobbie Mainoo,

-like, number 37, England player.
-No.

-He's just Kobs. Know what I mean?
-It's Kobs.

Hair's looking good. Look
at me. I'm catching up now.

She actually is.
She actually is.

-I'm gonna need a headband soon.
-That's what I'm saying.

'Cause even now when the ball's
in the air, and I look up,

sometimes it gets
caught in my eyeline.

Bye!

I didn't have any doubt that
he wasn't gonna make his mark

and show what he's capable of.

-That kid, man.
-That kid.

Need to get him a headband.
Get him one like yours.

-He said he wants to take it back.
-Oh, I know exactly the vibe.

What's it giving?
It's giving Grealish.

When we found out that Kobbie
had been selected for the squad,

it was like a mix of emotions.

I was so excited because, like,
this is a huge opportunity

for him to have so young.

And then I got a bit
nervous 'cause, obviously…

…there's something about being a
young, black boy on the England squad.

We go to penalties at Wembley.

To get to a final, it was mad.

Any time with penalties is
just… It's hard to watch, innit?

'Cause it can go any way.

It's a team game,

but it's not so much a team
game when it comes to this.

In our squad, we had some of the
best penalty-takers in the world.

Harry Kane.

It's an individual examination.

And Jordan Pickford
wins that battle.

The pressure is at its highest.

On, with penalties in mind,
substitute Marcus Rashford.

It's hard enough taking
a penalty anyway,

but taking a penalty when you've
only been on the pitch a few minutes

was really difficult
for those individuals.

Oh, he's missed it.

It is agony to watch.

Jadon Sancho.

Oh. And Italy are almost there.

I remember being sat downstairs.

Saka still has to
score, of course.

That whole game, he had been
unbelievable, to be honest.

Everyone watching, I think I had that same
sort of feeling when he was stepping up.

Pressure on a 19-year-old.

And no! Italy win!

Devastating.

It's just crazy to
see the reaction.

Marcus Rashford, Jadon
Sancho and Bukayo Saka

all subject to
racist online abuse.

Just disappointed. Um…

People should be
better than that.

People should know
better than that, really.

Today, a mural dedicated
to Rashford was defaced.

The police investigating what they
called racially motivated vandalism.

That small amount of people
and their opinion, um,

they don't speak for
the entire country,

and they don't speak, you know,
for… for many, many football fans.

Obviously it makes
you think, "Damn.

If I go and play for England
and I do something wrong,

am I gonna get this?" You know?

Welcome to Gelsenkirchen.

England are back to
where they started,

with the knockout stages giving them a
fresh start, which many think is needed.

Lose to Slovakia for
the first time ever,

and that's it for
England's Euro 2024.

There's just one
change for England,

with 19-year-old Kobbie Mainoo
preferred to Conor Gallagher.

-Mental. Mental.
-Mental.

Like, this 19-year-old kid just
starting for the Euros, this is serious.

-This is very serious.
-Yeah.

They put up… me in the
starting team before training.

Obviously, my name was there
starting, so I was happy, innit?

But I can't really, like, go away
with the clouds too much, you know?

I was like, "Okay." Just trying
to keep my head at one level.

Me, my sister and my
mum, we were in a wreck.

-Yeah.
-We were not cool.

We didn't inherit his
level-headedness, his calmness, at all.

Come on, boys. Come on!

And away we go. England in the
last 16 at the Euros again.

Mainoo…

Mainoo gets into a
little bit of room.

Deflected. Corner. Nice.

Bit of expression.

Driving run.

I like to have the ball. My
feet like to be in control.

I like to go forward with the ball,
whether it's passing or running with it.

Yeah, just anything with a ball
at my feet, really, I'm happy.

Mainoo.

Saka again. Kobbie
Mainoo through to Saka.

He's helped up nicely
towards Strelec.

Strelec has support…
What a chance this is!

And Slovakia lead!

England behind.

I think, you're going
to play for England,

the expectation is to
win every single game.

And it does weigh
on your shoulders.

You either carry it and accept
it or don't play for England.

And it comes from
Foden, and it's wide!

Will England get a
better chance than that?

The simple truth is,
they have to have one

and they have to take it.

Time's moving fast.

Where I was playing on the side, I
was right next to the Slovakia bench.

So, you can see their
bench getting up,

'cause I think they're
getting ready to celebrate,

and at that moment it's like, "There's
no way we could be going home."

Right.

He's made the half yard!

Off the post… Kane! It's gonna
go over the top and wide.

Anybody else getting
that feeling?

It's just not going in.

All feels a little
bit forlorn, that.

What hope remains for Gareth
Southgate's Three Lions?

Faith has helped me get
through many, many challenges.

A lot of the values that I
have today is because of that.

Challenges and storms, it's all part of
the process. It's all part of living.

Walker… helped on.

And it's in!

Jude Bellingham!

A moment of brilliance
from Bellingham

has got England's
world in motion!

As I flick it on, I turn around

and you see Jude… …he's
doing a bicycle kick.

And I just couldn't believe it.

Honestly, it's like, the relief in
your heart when that goes in is just,

oh, such an amazing moment.
Such an amazing moment.

From nowhere, Bellingham
has saved England.

And we're going to extra time.

Slovakia are the nation
now that have to regroup.

Here it comes from Palmer.

And there it goes from Eze,

and deflected back in by Kane!

A turnaround in two
precious minutes.

It was definitely a very important
moment for us in the tournament.

England, 2. Slovakia, 1.

For me to overcome that challenge,
it was a lot of hard work,

a lot of resilience
and strength.

I remember my dad saying, "Give your
all, do this to the best of your ability,

and, you know, the
family are behind you,

so whatever happens,
we're supporting you."

When did it all start? Drumming?

Uh, I'd say, about seven, eight
years old just at church, um…

All self-taught, so I've never…
never had lessons or anything.

I was born in the Ivory Coast.

Came to England at the age
of… well, months old, really.

My dad came first,
and I came later.

Growing up in South London's great.
You can really see a community.

So many different cultures as well,
so many different backgrounds.

It's just a good vibe.

-Chilled weekend?
-Yeah, chilled weekend.

What about you?

I'm doing the, uh, 7:00
to 11:00 challenge.

-What's that?
-Don't eat past 7:00,

can start eating at 11:00.

First day was a
very big challenge.

I have known Marc
for many years.

I am the heaviest
I've ever been.

You meet a lot of
people in football,

but not so much that
you'd class as friends.

He's someone that you
could class as a friend

because he's just… a
very special human being.

We've obviously got a
South London connection.

We didn't grow up too
far from each other.

Around the corner.

Obviously, where we grew
up, you don't have a lot.

But you make do
and you enjoy it.

It's the same story. You
don't have a lot growing up,

but Mum and Dad find a way to
always put food on the table.

Always got clothes on your back.
You know, you always got a shower.

My parents worked a lot, a lot.

Maybe not jobs that
they liked to do.

A lot of cleaning jobs.

You know, you're coming
from a different country,

and not afforded the same, maybe,
opportunities as some others.

They'd actually take me along with
them just to see what they were doing,

and I think when you're a young kid
and you see your parents doing that,

it's not great to see,

but you know they're doing
the best that they can

just so that you could
have some sort of a life.

The picture in the painting
about South London in his eyes…

-Yeah.
-…poverty, deprived and blah, blah, blah.

But that's what forms you
and makes you who you are.

Typical African
parents, I'd say.

Obviously wanting their kids to
have the best education possible.

It's not that they didn't want me to
play football, but they were just…

They wanted me to focus
a lot more on education.

Um, you know, God
had other plans.

Everyone around the area, whether it
was friends, whether it was cousins,

constantly playing
football in cages.

The amount of players in the
Prem or just around the world

that have come from
South London is crazy.

Playing in cages was great.

It's a very London thing.

You know, walls and railings
around you. Playing on concrete.

Coming up against some
really skilful players.

You have to find and manoeuvre
your way in such tight areas.

That's where you see a lot
of players from South London

that are so technically gifted.

I'm not sure about myself. I
was more rough around the edges,

kicking people around, which
is exactly what the cages were.

It was a rough environment.

You know, builds up a lot
of resilience and strength.

Um, something that we still
enjoy today to be honest.

Welcome to the Düsseldorf
Arena, the quarter-finals,

where England take
on Switzerland.

When you're near an exit of a tournament
that you believe that you can win,

you know, it plays with
your mind a little bit.

So, you know, to get over that
hurdle in the way that we did,

it 100% gave the team belief.

Doing a cross,
could go anywhere!

It's in!

It's taken that Embolo goal.

We all knew that the performance
wasn't as good as it could have been.

Cole Palmer ready to come on.

Being a footballer's not
all, like, smooth sailing.

There's always
people doubting you.

It's all about overcoming obstacles
and just bettering yourself.

When you was little, growing up, did
you ever think you'd get to this point?

When you're growing up,
when you're younger,

everyone thinks you're gonna
get to this stage, don't they?

Like if you're in an academy.

-But when you get older and older…
-Yeah.

…you see, like, how hard it actually
might be to actually get there.

When he was at City
in the Academy,

he had two years where from
under-15s to under-16s,

he was tiny, and
he had a new coach

who was more about
pace and power.

I don't think they got on
too well, so he struggled.

Because I was so small,

and, like, the coach just had a
different way of seeing it or whatever.

Because up to that point, like,
most coaches would like me,

and we'd get on and they'd play me
no matter how small I was and stuff.

But this coach was different.

When I was doing stuff
when I was younger,

what, like a step over and
send the guy and go that way,

but then 'cause I was so small and
not strong, like, the guy would…

The skill would be good, but I just
wouldn't be able to go away from him.

Yeah, he'd catch you easily.

Yeah, he was really tiny.

These kids are bigger than
him and older than him,

and they're just smashing
him all the time.

You know, they measure
a bone in your hand…

-They did that test, didn't they?
-…and then that tells you

how big you're gonna be.

So they said he
was gonna be 5'9",

and then he nearly
got let go by City.

P-Proper brutal.

Yeah, I just thought there's
no way he's gonna be 5'9"

'cause he'd be one of the
smallest in the family.

'Cause we're all about my size.

If he's anything like me, he'll
grow when he gets to about 16,

and then we'll know
how big he's gonna be.

I never believed that though.

You thought you
was gonna be small?

It's always tough being
in an academy as a kid.

It's like a… like a meat market.

Kids are coming and
going all the time.

Yeah, it is tough.

I know loads of people
that have started playing

and maybe not got a scholarship and
dropped further and further down.

You've been trying to
do it your whole life,

and you… then you can't do it,

or you get told you're not good enough
and you see all your mates do it.

Like, it's gonna make you
feel a type of way, innit?

And I'd get dead upset,
and then it can affect you.

You know, I had a friend
called Jeremy Wisten.

We was at the Academy together,

and then, sadly, he
took his own life.

We obviously grew up at
the same school and stuff,

and we used to go to, like,
parties or whatever together.

Um…

We also trained every
day together and stuff.

And, yeah, he was…

Like, you would never think
he was sad or anything.

Like, he was
always, like, funny,

he would always, like, be up to
do stuff and stuff like that.

And everyone liked
him, so, yeah…

It affected him. He was… He was
devastated because he was his friend.

He just seemed a fun kid.

He was always
laughing and joking,

and, um, I just think
it came from nowhere.

All the kids in the Academy all think
they're gonna be a famous footballer,

but the reality is hardly any
of them are gonna make it.

Cole's just been one of the
really, really lucky ones.

The only thing I was worried about is
if he fell out of love with the game.

And I was expecting there
to be a time in his life

when he said, "Ah, I
can't be bothered, Dad.

Can I just go and
play with my friends?"

We're from a council estate,

so you're gonna know a lot of
people who do dodgy things.

There was a worry that, if
he didn't play football,

it could go down that path.

Fuckin' hell, eh?

I was floored when
I first met you.

Yeah, and I thought
you was a knob.

I did. And then that
was it, wasn't it?

Joined the party
and we had a laugh.

Growing up around Wythenshawe, everyone
else was footing drugs, to be honest.

-Well, yeah. We went the right way anyway.
-Mmm.

-There's, like, two paths.
-Yeah.

Like everything though, innit?
Two paths to everything.

You did well to stay away from all
the trouble and all that, though,

which was a big part of it.

You're switched
on, aren't ya so?

Don't know. I think that
was more my dad though.

Even when we was all out anyway,
you'd never drink anyway, would ya?

-Nah.
-Hardly.

And then that was a big part that
was your sacrifice, wasn't it?

I don't know. I just
think I love football, so…

No, it is good that you got
away from it all though,

'cause I'm sure people have,
um, been in your position

maybe when you was younger,
and fell into all that.

You did well to concentrate
on your football

and realise what mattered
from a young age.

That was probably what's, um,
got you to where you are today.

Don't get there
with no graft, yeah?

No. Most important part.

Mmm.

People in deprived areas, they
do what they can do to get by.

I'd get in that too there.

There's never been a time that
we've had to worry about that path,

because he's always
been on… on this path.

He knows how lucky he is.
We know how lucky we are,

and, thankfully, he's
doing what he's doing.

There we are. That
was your signing day.

First contract. Pro signing.

I'm thankful that I'm playing
football every day and it's my job,

because I have no idea what I'd
do if I weren't a footballer.

Like, I actually have zero idea.

Did you think you'd made it as a pro
when you singed your first contract

-as a scholar for City?
-Nah.

-When did you think?
-When did I think I made it?

-When I got called up to the Euros.
-Really?

Cole Palmer, readied by
Gareth Southgate to come on.

He knows we're proud of him.

And now he's in an England
shirt, the fight starts again.

You've gotta fight to
start in that team.

You're always just fighting
to get to the next step.

Full time after extra
time in Düsseldorf.

England, 1. Switzerland, 1.

To penalties we go, then.

Here before at a Euro, England lost
the final to Italy on spot kicks.

So, it will be England to take
the first of the penalties.

Cole Palmer, who has
had a standout season

for Chelsea in the
English Premier League,

has the responsibility.

Long walk, you know.

I weren't nervous.

Like, I don't know why.

It's amazing, the pressure,

the size of the occasion
and what it can do to you.

When I put that ball down, I remember
looking at the net, thinking,

"This net looks tiny."

What do you think goes through your
mind when you take these penalties?

-What goes through my mind?
-Mmm.

Not much.

-There must be something.
-Obviously, I think score.

What else am I gonna think?

You know what I mean though?
The ball's on the spot.

-Did you feel any pressure? Do you...
-Yeah, obviously I feel pressure,

but I was trying not to show it.

It's Cole Palmer for England.

And Palmer scores.

Confident penalty
from the substitute.

And having been on
the cusp of going out,

England have rescued
themselves again.

None of this stuff is easy,

but we're in a third
semi-final in four tournaments.

It's not where we
want it to end.

Thank you very much,
everyone. Thank you.

Gareth got a lot of stick over the
tournament for his substitutes.

You know, they're too
late not bringing them on.

Obviously Cole came on
and performed how he did.

You've also got Watkins,
who can play up front.

That little bit of X factor
that could now start a game

or come on for 15 minutes
and change the game.

Am I just looking into
the camera the whole time?

-No, to me, man.
-All right, cool.

Everyone who watched football growing up
wanted to, you know, play for England,

and I look back at my
journey and I think,

"Ah, you've… you've done
well to get where you are."

-How was Marley?
-Marley walked straight in.

Didn't even look back.

I'm gonna start him at
football for toddlers. Yeah.

I just hope he's
not a goalkeeper.

Why?

You don't wanna be
a goalie, do you?

Ollie's a typical male, I guess.

Immature.

We met through one of my friends
who went to school with you.

-Yeah.
-So I knew, like, about you,

but I didn't know that
you were actually good.

-You thought I played Sunday league.
-Yeah.

We went on a double
date, didn't we?

Pizza Express or something.

-Yeah, it was. Pizza Express.
-Newbury.

In your Converses and
your leather jacket.

Don't get me started
on your outfit.

And then you wouldn't
leave me alone.

Got put in the
graft, didn't you?

He's, like, the
biggest wind-up joker,

but when it comes to football, he's
always been really professional.

Him having a family was one of
the best things he could have done

for his career.

He's got something
else to focus on.

Hello, big girl.
What are you doing?

Can you give me a hug?

Hello.

You're me girl.

He gets to come home
and switch off from it.

And it's not something that we
really talk about that much.

Hello, hello, hello.

-I don't want to.
-Say…

He's not got time to dwell
on things for too long

because to them it's, "Daddy's
home," and it's time to play.

I don't want to.

-Hello.
-Good boy.

Come on.

Obviously, when I see you guys come
to the games, when they're cheering,

I think that's what
spurs me on, to be fair.

-Yeah.
-It's a nice feeling.

But, like, I never thought I'd be playing,
like, for Villa, playing for England.

What is crazy, there's not many people
that played in the Prem from Exeter.

-Or even for England, really.
-Yeah.

Looking back at my childhood, I
was… You know, I was fortunate.

There was no crime.
It was very peaceful.

A lot of older people,
charity shops, beaches.

I wouldn't change
it for the world.

Here's a little photo of
me when I was a youngster.

Look about three or four. I may
bring back the hoop earring, I think.

No.

I never had a local football
team or anything like that.

I was just always playing out
in the street, in the alleyway

with my older brothers.

One of my friends, he asked me
one day to just come with him.

I turned up and end up being
one of the better players, so…

I thought I should probably
end up joining this team.

Some of my friends
were at Exeter Academy.

That's why I had a trial there,

which I didn't get into
because I couldn't concentrate.

I was away with the fairies.

I went back a couple
of years later,

and then that's when I
got into academy football.

And then I thought I'd made
it once I signed my first…

my first year pro, yeah.

Obviously getting ready
now for your first year

as a fully fledged
professional footballer.

Yeah, just gotta try
and prove to the manager

and try and get a
spot for the season.

It's good to know that he believes
in us and he's given us a chance,

so now you got to show what you can do.
'Cause if you don't make the most of it,

then there's gonna be other
players brought into your position.

Going from academy
football to men's football,

the game was a lot different.

I made a couple of appearances, but
the manager thought I wasn't ready.

And then I went out on loan
in non-League football.

It is hard. It was hard.

But it toughened me up.

I realised it was a job, and people,
you know, have jobs on the side,

and, you know, people
have bills to pay.

And that's where my mindset changed
and I think something clicked.

Think it brought
the best out of me.

I went back to the
first team at Exeter.

And that's when I kicked off.

Watkins has opened the
scoring for Exeter.

I moved to Brentford.

You know, I adapted really
well. I scored so many goals.

I knew it was my time to transition
into Premier League football

and challenge myself
in another league.

He was sat outside with his agent,
and he walked in the kitchen

and went, "Pack your bags,
we're going to Birmingham."

Watkins. It's Ollie Watkins.

It is two.

On to his right foot,
squeezes it in brilliantly.

All kinds of problems.
And Ollie Watkins.

Watkins…

And Ollie Watkins is now enjoying
his most prolific season.

One, two, three. Olivia
Buzaglo with Ollie Watkins.

If you think about how much has
happened in the last seven years…

-Mmm. Yeah, it has.
-…it's a lot.

It is a nice little achievement.

Little? It's a big achievement.

When you look back, so much has
happened in such a short period of time.

England wasn't
even on the cards.

And I don't think you quite
realise, like, how special it is.

Last Euros I was in
the pre-camp before,

and I found out quite early on that
I wasn't gonna be in the squad.

I was devastated, to be fair.

But obviously, it transitioned
to me making this one.

When I found out that he
was going to the Euros,

I just cried.

Because… Sorry.

Because the Euros before that, we
were all sat downstairs watching it.

And you don't even consider,
like, that could be him.

Yeah, it was just, like,
pure happiness for him.

Sorry.

Now played a thoroughly
engaging half hour.

It's been an excellent
semi-final so far.

But England have never won a
tournament semi-final on foreign soil.

Someone's gonna have to be
brave enough to win it somehow.

You just wonder whether
fatigue will play a role here.

Does look like the energy's
gone out of the performance.

There may be changes afoot,
you know, for England.

Every player doesn't like to
be on the bench, but, you know,

I understood that I'm up against
world-class players at the end of the day.

Watching Ollie at the
Euros, it was difficult

because I wanted to watch him do what I
and all of his family know that he can do.

Here's the change.

Interesting one. Ollie Watkins.

And Cole Palmer. Double
change for England.

When I saw Cole coming on with
me, I really then believed it.

Because in training
before, we were in sync.

So I think we just had
that natural chemistry.

And I said to Cole, "I've got a
feeling you're gonna set me up here."

And I was just laughing.

And he was just like, "Yeah. All
right, all right." Like he is.

Didn't really think
anything of it.

Inside the last ten minutes,

a game waiting for
its defining moment.

I have never felt nerves
like it in my life.

I actually felt sick
because of that pressure.

And I just want him to succeed.

Only a couple of minutes to go.

Dec tried to play the ball to Cole,
and it originally got cut out.

Somehow it found
its way to Cole.

Palmer. Watkins!

Bang on 90 minutes!

I don't think I've hit a ball
that sweet before, to be honest.

It is over.

The Three Lions are
bound for the final.

I think we were
all just screaming.

Remarkable. That's the
only word I've got.

All I remember is hearing
everybody sing Ollie's name.

♪ Duh duh, duh duh ♪

♪ Ollie Watkins ♪

I'm gonna cry again.

Yeah. It's like a stadium full to the
brim, and people singing his name.

And it was just like…
It's like a dream.

It's one of the best days of my life.
And I wasn't the one who scored.

I'm just watching
it with pure pride.

I manifested it, and
as soon as he turned,

I knew to make the move.

The amount of people that
have messaged me today

saying I'm going to score tonight
when I come on is ridiculous.

And obviously, they've put
it out into the universe.

So, hopefully they can
do the same for the final

or even give me the
lottery numbers.

When I look back and, you know,
where I've come from, my journey,

I never thought I'd be scoring
a goal like that in the Euros

in such an important
stage of the tournament.

You start believing again.

You know, can England win
it? It's only one game.

But we were coming up against
the best team in the tournament.

Good evening. I hope you've
done your Sunday chores,

stopped worrying about work in the
morning and instead, are looking ahead

to a night that could change the story
of football in our country forever.

Sporting immortality
is within their grasp.

The England side
is changed by one.

That leaves eight in the team
who've started every match

for Gareth Southgate
in the tournament.

Calls for Cole Palmer to start have
again been resisted by Gareth Southgate.

Cole Palmer brings
a special talent.

With his season that
he had for Chelsea,

there were lots of people shouting
that he should've started in the final.

Obviously it was
really frustrating.

I feel like I've been in this situation
where I've not started all my life,

you know what I mean?

Constantly having to, like, prove
myself that I'm good enough.

Manchester City are aware
of interest from Chelsea

in their forward, Cole Palmer.

He's a young player,
21 years old.

Uh, he's grabbed the headlines
a few times already this season.

So he's a player who's got
a big future ahead of him.

I was so adamant for ages, like.

Nah, I'm not going.

-Didn't wanna move way from home, did ya?
-I didn't wanna move.

Like, I've never moved
out of Manchester, like…

I've always lived at my mum's.

I don't know. I just, like,
really didn't wanna go.

When I was at City, you
get a bit disheartened.

You think, like, "Why am I
not getting a chance to play?"

You just know when
you're ready to play.

Can you do a "One, two, three"
if you score a hat trick as well?

-What about four?
-Three likes. Huh?

-What about four?
-Do it.

We thought he'd be at
City for all his life.

He didn't really want to leave
City. He wanted to go out on loan

because he knew he
wasn't gonna play much.

But they refused him a loan.

So he said, "Right, well, I'm
gonna have to leave then."

It would be strange for him to move
from Manchester City to Chelsea

because, would he necessarily get
that much more game time at Chelsea

with the size of their squad?

Till the minute that he went,

I really thought that City would be on
the phone saying, "Actually, don't go."

But that never happened,
so off he went.

So then when I come here, I
thought, "Right, well, this is it."

Probably the best
decision I ever made.

Palmer. A cheeky jab, eh?

He's got it back again.
Oh, he's scored again.

What a young man this is.

Still going. Palmer!

Palmer with a chance.
Palmer with a goal.

He's given it away. And…

It's the most
extraordinary hat trick.

Cole Palmer was
sensational last night.

Four more goals.

He is a star for Chelsea,
isn't he? Superstar.

Cole Palmer…

Eleven goals in his last
six Premier League games.

Palmer again! Hat Trick
Hero, Cole Palmer!

Back-to-back hat tricks. He is
creating his own piece of history.

Cole Palmer. Deep breath.

One-nil to Chelsea!

The summer signing
from Manchester City

who has proved to be one of the best
Chelsea signings of recent times.

I don't he would have
been doing this at City

'cause you've got to
play a certain way,

where now he can just freestyle.

So it worked out well.

Can you be happy for
an Academy player

that goes on to another team?

-Yeah. There's no regret?
-Of course.

I didn't have any doubts about
his quality. A star player.

Jackson for Cole Palmer.

That is a lovely
touch. What a goal!

Cole Palmer gets his second…

Ice-cold finish
from him, wasn't it?

Yeah, that's why they call
him Cold Palmer, innit?

He's ice-cold, and that's why you
see him with this celebration.

Ice-Cold Cole Palmer.

Playing like he's
in the playground.

He's waving to
people in the crowd.

You think he's not bothered,
but he's just having fun.

I think his superpower is
he knows it's just a game.

It's just football.

People are different, though. Some people
have to take it more serious than others.

Not that I don't
take it serious, but…

I just try and put
on a show for 'em.

I just think these, what,
50,000 people there,

they've paid money to
come and watch, like…

Try and put a bit of fun into
it. So that's what I try and do.

I missed.

If you miss it in real
life, you get shouted at.

If we think he's being a bit
big time, he'll get told.

If he's been rubbish, I'll
tell him he's been rubbish.

He accepts criticism quite well.

He has to, really, doesn't he?

Yeah.

He's burst onto the scene
in the last year and a half,

but it's not been a
quick thing for us.

For us, it's been
a long time coming.

His biggest challenge
is just fame.

Doesn't really want
to be a superstar.

I don't think it comes
naturally, too, to Cole.

The football side of it
he handles really well,

but the fame, having
to speak to everyone,

that's where he struggles.

I'm chilled. I'm clever for
everyone who says I'm dumb.

Mmm.

You don't like that
though, do you?

What's that? Like, vinegar?

-No, it's oil and balsamic vinegar.
-Oil?

-Try it.
-No, I do like it.

I've never seen you eat that.

Dunk it in.

Like that?

Yeah, you're not gonna like it.

Just oil.

And vinegar.

-Ugh.
-See?

Ew.

Cole now is still the same
Cole that I met when I was 17.

Obviously, he's
changed. He's grown up.

And his life now is
completely different.

But he's still the
same boy that I met.

He's still laid-back Cole.

Do you prefer being
here than Wythenshawe?

What do you actually think
is the biggest difference?

-Everything.
-Mmm, everything is different.

The accent, the size
of it, the people.

No one knows each other in
London 'cause it's so big.

-Yeah, everyone…
-Like, even on my road, yeah?

Like, if that was Wythenshawe,

people would be stood in
the garden in their pyjamas.

You know what I mean?

Like, just chatting to each
other, having a cup of tea.

-Well, yeah. You don't see that here.
-It's just a completely different way.

Oh, Cole couldn't become
a Londoner, are you crazy?

Have you ever spoke to him?
That accent isn't changing.

No, he's a Manchester boy.

Like, imagine being… going from
Wythenshawe to meeting people in Chelsea.

It's just complete
different ends of the…

-Spectrum.
-Yeah.

I didn't know how to
say that word, but yeah.

I was gonna say "scale".

Spectrum, babe.

Cole will adapt to
whatever situation he's in.

He's not bothered that
he's that far from home

because all he wants
to do is play football.

And if it means
that leaving home

and being in a place that's completely
different to where he's from,

you know, he'll do it.

-Do you like it?
-It's quite nice, this.

-Mmm.
-You made this?

I wish.

-Can I have some ketchup, please?
-Okay.

He's not bothered about
the fame side of it,

and he's not bothered
what people think of him.

He is only just bothered
about scoring goals

and doing well for his team,
doing well for his country.

And you've got to
love him for that.

I knew if I got the
opportunity with England,

the form I was in
and what I just did,

I could replicate it.

So I was hoping to
start the final,

but I didn't.

I hope this England
team go for it,

have no regret and make history.

Cucurella.

Williams.

Long spell of typically neat
and tidy possession from Spain.

Kobbie Mainoo's not been able
to get involved at all yet.

We didn't have as much control in
the game as we had in other games,

so it was a bit more like, "Okay, we
need to get a foothold in this game."

That's Mainoo winning the ball.

With disdain brushing
Williams off him.

Dani Olmo does really
well for Spain.

This game, I think,

could be set up for
subs to make impact.

I wanted us to win and stuff.

But I didn't understand, like,

why I weren't at least coming
on, you know what I mean?

Dani Carvajal.

An opportunity to run the corner for
Yamal, and he's succeeded in that.

It's gonna go over
to Williams now!

Spain 1, England nil.

When they scored that
goal… …it was hard to take.

We haven't got going yet.

The name of Ollie Watkins is
being sung by England supporters.

And that's the change
we're about to see.

When they were calling for me to come
on, they started to sing my name,

and, yeah, I didn't expect it.

England have been a moments
team in this competition.

Who's gonna produce one now?

Time for change again.
Kobbie Mainoo off.

Cole Palmer on.

And that's not to take anything away
from Kobbie Mainoo's performance tonight

or in the tournament as a whole.

I wanted to stay on. Obviously, as a
player, you hate coming off the pitch.

Especially leaving the game
when it's 1-nil down still.

He can be very, very
proud of his efforts.

When Cole came on, the energy
in stadium changed a little bit.

It gave the team a lift.

Here's Palmer.

Now Saka with some space.

Bukayo was running
down the wing.

-Taking on Laporte.
-Then he played inside to Jude.

Come out to me, I was thinking,
"Don't sky it. Don't try to smash it."

Bellingham tries
to tee up Palmer.

Oh, yes!

And it went in.

The feeling was just mad. Like, I
actually just scored in the final.

Yo! We could actually do it.
This could be our moment.

That England spirit
is alive again!

What a finish!

Park football on
the biggest stage.

It's like, we're back in the game. You
know, our dreams are still possible.

Spain, 1. England, 1.

With 20 minutes left, you're thinking,
"Yo, can we create one more chance?

Can we do one more thing to just
take us over the finish line?"

And all of a sudden,
England on the front foot.

Cucurella charging
down the left.

He's gone the other
way first to Oyarzabal.

Cucurella gets it back in!

Oyarzabal scores for Spain!

And not long left for England
to do anything about this one.

Spain on the verge of glory.

Probably the worst feeling ever.

For England, the
interminable wait goes on.

Devastating.

There's not much you can say after…
after losing a game like that.

Come so far in the tournament, to
lose at the last hurdle is, um…

Yeah, it's tough. Tough to take.

Everyone was upset.
Everyone was gutted.

Just one of them things.

For me, I'm disappointed

because of the fact that
there's players in this squad

that could be their last
time playing for England.

Players that have given everything
for England and just didn't get there.

I think it was the right time for Gareth
Southgate and England to part ways.

I'm thankful for what he did.
But new beginnings. Now move on.

I really do believe
with this talented group

that there's something there for
them to aim at and go and get.

I think when you look
at this England team,

you can still get
excited about the future.

I mean, how can you not be
excited as an England fan

when you're talking about players like
Saka and Phil Foden and Cole Palmer?

To see three local lads, Cole
Palmer, Phil Foden, Kobbie Mainoo,

lifting a major trophy
in an England shirt,

I think there'd be a unanimous sense
of pride amongst people from Stockport.

You know, all the kids who are playing
for these local football teams,

-it makes it a reality.
-If they can do it, why can't you do it?

-They've gotta do it, yeah, so let's see.
-Yeah, exactly.

One day we'll do it. For
sure. I have no doubts.

And you go in there,

and there's loads of
questions marks about you.

And then by end of the tournament,
the vindication blew my head off.

It's your time now.

A lot of things in my life,

I've tried, it hasn't worked.
I've tried, it hasn't worked.

You just have to keep going,
and eventually, you get there,

and the satisfaction
is unbelievable.

You've pushed through adversity,
gone through difficult moments.

It just makes it
that much sweeter.

I believe England will get their
hands on a piece of silverware.

-It's been a good year, man.
-Yeah.

When I look back at it, it's
like nothing but fond memories.

-Yeah, man.
-I almost miss it, like…

Staying in the little hotel room,
but, like, it was home for a while.

You know what I mean?

As a brother, just super
happy for him. Proud.

You put that much effort and sacrifice
of your childhood into something

you kind of reap the rewards for it
and, um, you know, it's just the start.

Thank you.

You reckon you could
cook this for me?

-I cook this for you?
-Yeah, at home.

Yeah.

I feel like the future's
just exciting for Cole.

Really excited
for the World Cup.

And when your boyfriend is
probably gonna be, like,

the main star of the World
Cup, you know, it's amazing.

Imagine a little Cole.

Little Cole what?

Like, looking at you on
the plane going there.

Hey.

The World Cup's next year.

Just gotta try and prove to everyone
why I should be starting, and…

hoping to win.

This is, like, my
little treatment room.

Used to be an office, but, um…

just ended up being a little bit
of a memorabilia sort of room.

This is, like, the number that
I wore in the Euros. Number 19.

Not a bad moment.

It's been a good
journey, to be fair.

I think I get emotional about it because
he doesn't quite get what he's achieving.

Every England player, it's their
dream to be part of the team

that wins a trophy.

It's been so long
since we've done that.

The core of the team is young
still though in their twenties.

They could play for another
two tournaments together.

The only thing that matters right
now is that World Cup in America.

And it's about winning,
and it's nothing else.

I never really think
about the bigger picture.

But this is the
start of the journey.

Do you think England
can bring it home?

Yeah, a hundred per cent.