Euro 2024: Dorset managers predict England to beat Spain

Weymouth, Dorchester Town, Portland United and Bridport have all got involved, lending their verdicts and score predictions.

So, who will they choose? Are Spain the obvious option, or is football coming home?

Here's what the quartet had to say.

MARK MOLESLEY

Mark Molesley chose a slender win for England (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Position: Weymouth FC manager

Verdict: “I just think the better teams we play start to bring out the best in our players. You saw that (Wednesday) night. We played a very good Dutch side and you saw people like Phil Foden, (Bukayo) Saka really show their personality and how good they are. England seem to get better when the challenge gets more difficult. This Spain side has been by far the best team, they’re definitely deservedly in the final. They’ve got the old school Spain possession-based technicality but they’ve almost got English wingers, flying exciting wingers with pace who can run in behind. They can jab you to death or they can knock you out with their wingers. It’s definitely a very tough game but I look at this group and they seem to respond to adversity and the challenge. We have to be at our best, no doubt about it, but I think Spain might do that for us, bring it out of us. I’m going for an England win, it’s coming home!”

Score prediction: 2-1 England.

TOM KILLICK

Tom Killick opted for the same scoreline as Mark Molesley (Image: PHIL STANDFIELD)

Position: Dorchester Town FC manager

Verdict: “I think it’s sort of a 50/50 game. When you get to this level of football, the margins are going to be so fine. It’s difficult to call a lot of these matches. I thought England on the whole were better than Holland but in a lot of the other games there hasn’t been much between the sides. It’s the same on Sunday. I don’t think either team is going to blow the other away, it’s going to be very close and it’ll just be those real key moments. England got that penalty decision which was a little bit generous but it was such a huge moment. There’s been a transformation. There was a lot of negativity around and that seems to have flipped and there’s a lot of positivity around externally and you can see internally. That bodes very well.”

Score prediction: 2-1 England.

KYLE CRITCHELL

Kyle Critchell expects a tight game between the European giants (Image: IDRIS MARTIN)

Position: Portland United FC manager

Verdict: “I’m going to be patriotic and say England are going to win but I think if we’re going to win, we might have to come from behind to do so. I’m going to be nice and positive because I haven’t been for the rest of the tournament. In terms of margin I think there will be a maximum of five per cent possession either way. However, England have got some fantastic players. If they play in the manner that they did in the first half (against the Netherlands), Spain will be more open and willing to come out and try and score. I think it could be quite an open and entertaining game.”

Score prediction: 2-1 England.

CHRIS HERBST

Chris Herbst believes England will win the Euros (Image: STEPHEN BARRETT)

Position: Bridport FC manager

Verdict: “Spain will have a lot of the ball. We’ve got to win, this is the time. The games previously we’ve been getting through them. Spain are quality and it will be tough. The first half of the Netherlands game, if we implement that we’ll create chances. If we can just sit in and catch them on one break, it will be someone like (Jude) Bellingham to pop up.”

Score prediction: 1-0 England