Robbie Savage has revealed that he’s desperate for Wales and England to meet at Euro 2020.
England are in Group D along with Scotland, Croatia and Czech Republic, while Wales have faced Switzerland, Turkey and will play Italy in their final Group A encounter – but the two home nations could yet meet in an unlikely knockout clash.
“The games I always looked for were against England – I always wanted to play against England,” Savage told FFT.
“I remember I was sent off against Northern Ireland and missed the game against England at Old Trafford in 2004, and I was gutted.
“We've always been the underdog, as a country of three million people, going up against a country with vastly more players to pick from we always wanted to show that we could match them.”
The last time England and Wales met at an international tournament was at Euro 2016, as the Three Lions came from behind to win 2-1 in injury time in their Group B encounter.
But it was Wales who eventually went further in the tournament as they beat Belgium en route to the semi-finals, where they were knocked out by Portugal.
England, meanwhile, were stunned by Iceland in the last 16, and Savage has admitted his joy at witnessing their demise.
“You could see how much it meant when Wales finished above England in the World Cup group and then the reaction of the Wales players when England lost to Iceland,” he says. “I shouldn’t laugh, but it was quite funny.”
But Savage, who won 39 caps for Wales and scored two goals, admits that he expects England to go far in the tournament. “If England don’t get to the final, then they’ve failed with their attacking options,” he said.
“With the number of English players who have been involved in the Champions League final, Manchester City and Chelsea players, they should go far. Will it be another disappointment for England? Time will tell.”
