As the Italy and England teams prepare for the final at Wembley, top players, top teams, and, above all, the title of premier competition in the sport of football will be on the line. A few significant rivalries will determine the outcome of the quest for EURO 2020.
The Euro 2020 final on Sunday at Wembley between Italy and England is widely expected to be a competitive encounter determined by small margins.
Here are five critical on-field skirmishes that could decide the game in one team's favour:
BATTLE 1: KANE VS CHIELLINI – ITALY VS ENGLAND
Neither Kane nor Chiellini have had easy journeys through the tournament, but both will be critical to their team's chances of winning.
Kane, England's captain, was the top scorer in qualification, but he appeared out of sorts in the group stage after failing to score.
But the Tottenham striker, who won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup, has since come back to lead England to their first major event final in 55 years with four goals in three knockout matches.
Veteran central defender Chiellini was injured in the first half of Italy's second Group A match against Switzerland, and did not return until the quarter-final win over Belgium.
BATTLE 2 STERLING VS LORENZO – LIVE ITALY VS ENGLAND
Sterling, a Manchester City winger, has been the driving force behind England's run, scoring wins against Croatia and the Czech Republic in the group stage before scoring the first goal in England's 2-0 last-16 triumph against Germany.
He also wore down a tired Denmark in the semi-finals after setting up Kane's opener against Ukraine in the quarter-finals, and he scored the game-winning penalty.
On Sunday, Di Lorenzo will most likely be the man in charge of preventing Sterling.
The Napoli right-back has had a strong Euro 2020 campaign, but he struggled at times against Jeremy Doku's pace against Belgium, surrendering a penalty for an unnecessary foul on the teenager.
BATTLE 3 JORGINHO VS PHILLIPS ITALY VS ENGLAND
Jorginho has been the heartbeat of Italy's midfield and one of the driving forces behind a tactical adjustment that has seen Roberto Mancini's side have more possession than past Italian teams.
In the semi-final against Spain, though, the Champions League winner was not as dominant, with Barcelona's young wonder Pedri flourishing in midfield.
Only Jorginho and Pedri of Chelsea have covered more ground in the competition than Phillips, who plays for Leeds and is managed by the notoriously tough Marcelo Bielsa.
Phillips will be hoping to put his energy to good use and neutralise Jorginho's effect, as he did for long periods in England's first encounter against Croatia.
BATTLE 4 CHIESA VS LUKE SHAW – ITALY VS ENGLAND
On Italy's right wing, two of the tournament's top players will face off.
Chiesa, a Juventus youth, has wreaked havoc on defences with his speed and talent, scoring spectacular goals against Austria and Spain.
Left-back Luke Shaw will be charged with stopping him, but the Manchester United defender has also been a threat offensively, assisting on three occasions.
Both teams will be hoping that their guy in this duel can block the other from running into space by keeping the other engaged defensively.
BATTLE 5 IMMOBILE VS MAGUIRE – ITALY VS ENGLAND
Immobile hasn't been firing on all cylinders for Italy so far at Euro 2020, but he's still scored twice and has a fantastic goal-scoring record for Lazio.
But he'll have to be at his best to trouble Maguire, who has impressed in every encounter since returning from injury for the last group game.
Immobile could also be tasked with pressuring Maguire to prevent him from launching England attacks with his forward passes, as he has done frequently since his return to the team.
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