Queen Elizabeth sends message to Gareth Southgate ahead of Euro 2020 final

Queen Elizabeth has written a letter of encouragement and praise to Gareth Southgate and his England players, sending her 'congratulations' and 'good wishes' ahead of the Euro 2020 final against Italy on Sunday evening.

This group of players is the first to have reached a major final of an international tournament since the World Cup winning side of 1966, whom Queen Elizabeth herself was there to congratulate 55 years ago.

And Her Majesty has penned a letter to coach Southgate and his stars, congratulating them on their achievements, and praising them for the 'spirit, commitment and pride' shown over the past month.

"Fifty-five years ago I was fortunate to present the World Cup to Bobby Moore and saw what it meant to the players, management and support staff to reach and win the final of a major international football tournament," the Queen wrote.

"I want to send my congratulations and that of my family to you all on reaching the final of the European Championships, and send my good wishes for [Sunday] with the hope that history will record not only your success but also the spirit, commitment and pride with which you have conducted yourselves."

England will face the Azzurri at Wembley on Sunday, where they'll be hoping to make history by becoming the first Three Lions side to win the tournament, and the first to win any major silverware since the World Cup success of 1966.

Southgate's men have defeated Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Ukraine and Denmark on their path to the Euro 2020 final, and have conceded only one goal in the six games played. Captain Harry Kane was the man who fired the Three Lions into the final, scoring the rebound from his own missed penalty to hand England the win in extra-time of the semi-final.

The Tottenham Hotspur man will now be dreaming of becoming only the second England captain to ever lift a trophy for the Three Lions.