‘The whole country is behind you’: Prince William issues video message to England team ahead of final

The Duke of Cambridge is one of the many notable guests set to attend tonight’s final

Prince William has issued a video message to the England football team just hours before players take to the pitch at Wembley for tonight’s historic Euro 2020 final.

The Duke of Cambridge, who is also president of the Football Association (FA), urged the team to “bring it home” and said the entire country would be behind them.

“Gareth [Southgate], Harry [Kane], and to every member of the England team on and off the pitch, I just want to wish you the very best of luck for tonight,” he said in the message.

“I can’t really believe this is happening. So exciting and I just wish you the very best of luck”.

“You bring out the very best of England and we are all behind you. The whole country is behind you. So, bring it home.”

The prince’s well wishes come amid an outpouring of support ahead of Sunday’s much-anticipated match, which is set to become the most-watched television event in UK history.

Gareth Southgate and his players also received personal messages from the Queen and Boris Johnson as they prepared for the biggest game in more than half a century.

The Queen praised the England manager for his team’s “spirit, commitment and pride” and recounted memories of handing the World Cup to Bobby Moore in 1966 – the last time England won a major tournament.

Tonight’s match will be the first time the England men’s football team has reached a European Championship final and their first in any major tournament since the 1966 World Cup.

The England women’s football team has reached the Euro finals twice – in 1984 and 2009 – and has reached the quarter-final stage in the World Cup on three occasions.

The Duke of Cambridge and Mr Johnson are among the host of big names expected to attend the Wembley final alongside the Italian president Sergio Mattarella and London mayor Sadiq Khan.

The official guest list for the tournament includes former England captain David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Italian-born former England manager, Fabio Capello, as well as Tom Cruise and Kate Moss.