Pallade Veneta - Hope turns to familiar disappointment for England fans in London

"I am really gutted, really sad," 21-year-old Nadia Alya, wrapped in an England flag, told AFP on the steps of London landmark Trafalgar Square.

"I hoped for a win, a miracle in the final minutes," she added.

After decades of underwhelming performances, England have now come tantalisingly close under manager Gareth Southgate to breaking their curse in the last two European Championships, having lost on penalties to Italy in the last final.

Hopes lifted when Cole Palmer fired in a second-half equaliser to make it 1-1, but Mikel Oyarzabal's 86th-minute winner shattered the dream.

"I'm feeling terrible, absolutely gutted," said 17-year-old Owen Jack.

"Now it's time for Southgate to leave," he added, suggesting a new leader was needed to take England to the next level.

Fans flocked to central London hours before kick-off, filling the capital's pubs and hoping to later flood its streets for the mother of all parties.

But the excitement was tempered by anxiety, with expectations weighed down by the prospect a formidable Spain opposition and the burden of history.

The shouts from pubs around Trafalgar Square ebbed and flowed as the game swung one way and then the other, while others watched on their phones outside.

It was a similar scene at the O2 Arena in east London, where thousands of fans decked in England shirts and flags watched the game on a big screen.

The excitement was a far cry from a few short weeks ago, when fans turned on manager Southgate after his superstar-laden team limped through the group stage.

They were within seconds of being beaten by Slovakia in their last 16 encounter, but star man Jude Bellingham conjured a spectacular overhead kick to keep their tournament alive.

It was the first of a series of memorable moments that galvanised the team and fans, including Wednesday's stunning last minute semi-final winner against the Netherlands.

Since then, the fans had again dared to dream that captain Harry Kane could lift the country's first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup, and finally fulfil the prophesy of their favourite song, "Football's Coming Home", originally written for the 1996 Euros.

Fans watching their phones in Trafalgar Square screamed with delight went Palmer equalised, but a stony silence fell when Spain nicked the winner and the fans quickly dispersed after the final whistle blew.

"I really believed we would win, it's so disappointing," said Keith Jackson, 42.

"It was a good Euro though, we had some good matches," he added.

It was a sentiment echoed by London's most famous resident, King Charles III.

"Hold your heads high," the monarch said, telling the team that getting to a final was a "really great achievement."

U.Paccione--PV