A year behind schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Euro 2020 final is here, and London will stage a heavyweight clash between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
Roberto Mancini's Italy are seeking Azzurri's first European title since 1968, while England are only attempting to win a major tournament for the second time, having had their last success at the 1966 World Cup.
Italy coach Mancini and England manager Gareth Southgate have both revived the fortunes of their respective national teams since taking charge in 2018 and 2016 respectively, but Sunday's decision will be decided by the players on the pitch.
Will Raheem Sterling or Harry Kane propel England to glory? Or will the defensive outfit of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci pave the way for someone like Federico Chiesa to score another important goal for the Italians?
Both teams are unbeaten in Euro 2020 and the game is very close to the call. Here's how Italy and England stack up ahead of Sunday's match.
The goalkeeping department has been a position of strength for both Italy and England at Euro 2020 so far.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, who signed for Paris Saint-Germain this month following the expiration of his AC Milan contract, has justified his billing as Gianluigi Buffon's natural successor by providing presence, credibility and stature in goal for Italy.
At 6-foot-5, he cuts a commanding figure and has been beaten just twice in six matches. His save on Alvaro Morata during the penalty shootout win against Spain in the semi-finals gave Jorginho a chance to win it.
One of Italy's key forces at Euros has been the defensive pivot built between 22-year-old Donnarumma and experienced centre-halfs Chiellini and Bonucci. Together, they form a formidable entity.
For England, Jordan Pickford walked into Euro 2020 with question marks over his credibility. Despite consistently doing well for England, his club form for Everton last season was mixed, with the 27-year-old making a number of costly, high-profile mistakes.
That said, he has once again saved his best run for the national team and Pickford has excelled this summer, with some way out during the semi-final win against Denmark. His reflex saves and ability to get down quickly to make a save have cost him just one goal, and his kicking has often led to evasive attacks. And although he can take risks, he has cut many mistakes that hurt him at club level.
Both teams have largely done away with the last four, although England played with the back three during their round-of-16 win against Germany, with Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker alongside teammates John Stones and Harry Maguire. Went inside.
Italy coach Mancini is unlikely to withdraw from the last four, which has served him well throughout the tournament, although an Achilles injury sustained by Leonardo Spinazola during his quarter-final win against Belgium saw Chelsea send left-back Emerson. Promoted to the starting lineup against Spain in the semi-finals. .
Emerson is likely to retain his spot along with Bonucci and Chiellini, with Giovanni Di Lorenzo occupying the right-back slot. Everything is held together and controlled in a defense by Bonucci and Chiellini, who went 11 games without a goal until a round-of-16 victory over Austria, which Italy won 2–1.
England coach Southgate has a variety of options during his six matches. Walker and Kieran Trippier have both played at right-back, while Trippier started the opening game against Croatia at left-back.
Luke Shaw has since taken over that role and enjoyed an impressive tournament run, with Raheem Sterling being well-connected, and the Manchester United defender almost set to start on Sunday. Stones and Maguire will stay in the middle, but don't be surprised if Southgate Formation combine.
Calvin Phillips and Declan Rice have been England's defensive midfield pair throughout the tournament and Southgate have so far resisted the temptation to refit Jordan Henderson.
With Leeds and West Ham playing a double pivot role, Southgate have selected an attacking midfielder ahead of them, working behind centre-forward Harry Kane. Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Mason Mount and Jack Grealish have been given starts by Southgate, with the coach preparing his selections for the opposition. Mount is likely to start against Italy, but Southgate could go for the final with any of the other three in his starting team, or cement the field with Henderson.
Italy's selection in midfield has been more predictable and consistent, with Mancini dealing with a three-man midfield throughout the tournament. Jorginho, Marco Verratti and Nicolo Barella have started each of the three games in the knockout stages and are likely to form the same midfield for the final. Jorginho's control of the ball, Verratti's passing range and Barella's threat in attack make Italy the biggest challenge England have faced at the center of the pitch.
England's main threat came from Kane and Sterling, with the two forwards scoring seven of England's 10 goals.
Tottenham forward Kane failed to score in the group stage, but survived the knockout rounds by hitting the back of the net against Germany, Ukraine (twice) and Denmark.
Kane and Sterling will start on Sunday, but England have other forwards capable of making an impact. Marcus Rashford has been given just 83 minutes to play, while Jadon Sancho and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have also been used relatively little.
Italy have outsold England with 12 goals in six matches, but they have spread them around the team and have five players – Lorenzo Insigne, Ciro Immobil, Chiesa, Manuel Locatelli and Matteo Pessina – on two goals.
Immobile is likely to start once again with Andrea Belotti in reserve. With Chiesa scoring twice in two matches at Wembley, Mancini could start as a Juventus forward with Insigne or Domenico Berardi as third forward.
Sterling has been England's most consistent and most influential player in the tournament. He scored, scored, won penalties and generally provided an important attacking outlet for Southgate's team. His partnership with Shaw has been a big factor and an area the Italians would undoubtedly like to control.
Kane is clearly a match-winner, and needs one goal for the tournament to equalize with Cristiano Ronaldo and Patrick Schick with five goals – although Ronaldo looks set to win the Golden Boot as he completes all three with assists. is the only one. To win the Golden Boot, Kane must score at least two goals, or get one goal and at least two assists.
It is followed by Rashford, Foden, Sancho and Grealish, all of whom can easily grab headlines with match-winning performances.
For Italy, the team has been the star, with every field in Mancini's side when it matters. Chiellini has reminisced about the beauty of world-class defence, while Jorginho and Verratti have enjoyed a great tournament in midfield.
Ahead, Chiesa has delivered big goals at crucial moments, but Italy's strength comes from the collective unity of the team rather than from one or two outstanding individuals.
Abstraction (coaching, speed etc):
England have never beaten Italy in a major tournament, losing against the Azzurri at the 2014 World Cup, Euro 2012 and Euro 1980, and their last competitive victory came in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley in November 1977.
But Euro 2020 has been a tournament in which England have endured several negative streaks – they won their first game at Euros, beating Germany in the round of 16 to win a knockout Euro tie without a penalty shootout. For the first time ever, reaching the final for the first time by winning the semi-final against Denmark. No team has won a Euro on home soil since France in 1984, so England are also aiming to end that 37-year wait.
Italy have lost only once in six matches against England at Wembley, so the superstitious Mancini would believe the signs are in his team's favour. Italy won a knockout tie against Austria and Spain at Wembley on their way to the final.
England will have their 16th major tournament game at Wembley on Sunday, winning 11 of their last 15 and drawing four. The Euro 96 penalty shootout loss against Germany in the semi-finals, classified as a draw, has been level at the end of the game.
So going into the game, both teams will assume that Wembley is their lucky ground - but only one of them will be right.
Hard to call, neither team is an overwhelming favorite. They are two equally matched sides, both of which are chasing their respective destinies, with big-game players on each team.
England will play to win, while Italy's defensive and tactical discipline means they cannot and will play to lose. England should only be able to overtake Italy to take advantage of Mancini's players.
Italy has the experience and game management skills to defuse the home environment and make it a battle of truce for England, but they also have the attacking qualities to hurt Southgate's team.
If Italy manages to stick to its game plan, it will win. But it will be close.