For the longest time imaginable – forever in fact – Malta has had a football itch that has remained frustratingly and agonisingly out of reach.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, that itch is going to get the absolute crap scratched out of it tonight when England and Italy meet in the final of a major football tournament for the first time.

The significance of this moment for Malta cannot be overstated, being, as we are, rightly or wrongly, a nation where thousands and thousands of people support these teams.

Yes, the Azzurri and the Three Lions have met before, many times, but never in a final. Never when the prize on offer is being crowned champions of Europe. Never on the biggest of stages.

Now, Gareth Southgate and Roberto Mancini, guided gently by the football gods, have set up a clash that is huge for Italy, immense for England and enthralling for Malta.

To be fair to Italy, it’s not their fault this game has taken so long to happen. They get to major finals on a regular basis and often conspire to win them.

England, however, are somewhat less successful, currently reaching the final of a major tournament on average once a century. (Just to be clear, I intend to be around for the next one when I’m a sprightly 104).

Both teams, in my opinion, are fully deserving of their slots in tonight’s big match.

Italy are the team I have enjoyed watching the most at Euro 2020. Their high-tempo, quick passing game has been a pleasure to behold, especially compared with the dull, defensive Italy of old.

Mancini stepped in to manage his country when it was on its knees, having failed to qualify for the last World Cup. And he has spent the last three years reinventing the team, creating a collective package which is greater than the sum of its parts.

Having beaten Belgium and Spain in the knock-out phase, they won’t be overawed by the prospect of facing England. But they will treat them with respect.

England, meanwhile, have been reborn under Southgate. Before a ball was kicked in this tournament, I was convinced – utterly convinced – that he wasn’t the right man for the job. I thought he was clueless, to be honest.

To my eternal surprise it turns out he did have a plan after all, not the one I would have gone with, but one which has undoubtedly worked. Six defensive players and four attacking players sounds all sorts of wrong, especially considering that policy means some hugely talented players are not getting on the pitch.

But his methods have worked, and worked more effectively than any other England manager since Alf Ramsey. I thought Southgate was a ditherer, a manager who couldn’t make his mind up on anything.

It turns out he had made his mind up long ago and knew exactly what he wanted. He just wasn’t really giving too much away in the build-up to the tournament.

So I will hold my hand up and say I was wrong; very wrong about Gareth. I completely misjudged the man. And given that he comes across as such an honest, grounded, utterly likeable chap, I genuinely couldn’t be happier to be wrong.

England reach the final of a major tournament on average once a century. (I intend to be around for the next one when I’m a sprightly 104)

As a team, England have grown during the tournament, with slightly uninspired performances in the group stages gradually improving up to last Wednesday’s victory over Denmark.

While we are on that subject, let’s address the elephant in the room. That was never a penalty, not only because there were two balls on the pitch but because the contact with Raheem Sterling was miniscule.

Yet that doesn’t mean England didn’t deserve to win, because they did. Apart from a spell in the first half where Denmark looked lively, England dominated the game. And isn’t it about time England had a little tournament luck anyway?

But back to tonight’s match. So, who is going to win? Which half of Malta will be out dancing in the streets and which will be left at home licking their wounds come 10.45pm (or possibly 11.30pm)?

Well, sorry, but I don’t have a clue.

England have the upper hand in terms of this being a home game, played in familiar surroundings with a partisan crowd roaring them on.

Italy, on the other hand, have the experience of being in more finals than Southgate has knitted ties. If any team in the Europe knows how to cope with big game pressure, then it is Italy.

Possibly England have the edge in terms of the quality, with a squad so strong that Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford and Jude Bellingham have been bit part players so far.

But Italy’s coach has managed at the highest domestic level, winning cups and titles with clubs like Manchester City and Inter. He’s been round the Serie A and Premier League blocks many, many times, and I think that gives him a tactical edge over Gareth.

All in all it seems to level itself out, with Italy having the advantage in one area, England in another. I am just hoping the fact that both teams are evenly matched doesn’t mean they end up cancelling each other out and the game fizzles out into penalties.

Whoever wins, let’s all remember that it is just a game of football. Nothing more, nothing less; not that important in the general scheme of things.

Just kidding.

An Austria vs Finland final would be ‘just a game’. England vs Italy playing for the title of Champions of Europe has huge significance, especially for us Maltese.

Not as much as it would have done 20 or 30 years ago, true. Back then I think the Italy-England divide was much more prominent and ingrained, whereas now more and more people are patriotically and correctly putting the Maltese team first.

But it’s still the game a massive amount of local football fans have been waiting all their lives to see; a momentous clash that will lead to an inevitable tsunami of carcades whichever way it goes.

Let’s hope it lives up to the hype and expectations. Let’s hope it is a memorable and dramatic final for all the right reasons. And let’s hope, from my perspective, England manage to end the 55 years of hurt.

They haven’t had a better chance before and I can’t see them having a better chance again in the foreseeable future. The stars have aligned, the ducks are all in a row, and England are just 90 minutes away from breaking free of the shackles of perpetual failure.

Who knows, after tonight we might never need to listen to Football’s Coming Home again. After tonight it could well be an irrelevant historical lament that has no future purpose.

I’m pretty sure even UK comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel, although no doubt cheered up by the regular surge in royalty payments, would be more than happy if their tune became obsolete.

The heartache has gone on long enough. Please let it end. This time.

e-mail: james@quizando.com
twitter: @maltablade

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