Luck runs out as nation's hopes dashed yet again...

THEIR place in history is secure. Their feats have won the hearts of the British public and galvanised our sense of national pride.

- LEO McKINSTRY

In reaching England's first ever final overseas in a major tournament, Gareth Southgate's side broke new ground. Along the way they displayed impressive resilience, in addition to their high levels of skill and tactical awareness.

Even in the early rounds when they were not at their best, they always found a way through.

Critics said that they were lucky, but, like all the best teams, they made their own fortune through their determination to keep going.

This was the fourth successive tournament where England reached at least the quarter-finals, a record that far surpasses anything previously achieved.

Central to the side's appeal was its success in blending the modern and the traditional. In its diversity, with the majority of its players of migrant heritage, it was strikingly representative of changing Britain.

That is a key reason why, in contrast to the past, ethnic minority communities have been unequivocal about supporting England.

One of the most moving images of this tournament has been the sight of the flag of St George flying proudly in multiracial urban neighbourhoods.