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'Tiredness no excuse' - Trippier on Euro 2024 agony

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'We have to hold our hands up' - Southgate says Spain were deserved winners

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Kieran Trippier says England cannot use tiredness as an excuse for failing to win Euro 2024.

The Three Lions lost 2-1 to Spain in the final in Berlin, which means the men's 58-year wait for a major tournament win goes on.

After Sunday's defeat, England boss Gareth Southgate said some of his players were "a little bit short of their physical peak" during the month-long tournament.

But Newcastle defender Trippier, who started six of England's seven games, said that was not an excuse.

"The team that we鈥檝e got is fit," added Trippier. "If you see the running stats, I think we鈥檙e probably the highest in the whole tournament. So that鈥檚 not an excuse.

鈥淭hey [Spain] get the second goal and it鈥檚 always difficult when you鈥檙e chasing the game against a team like Spain.

"Football is all about fine margins. It鈥檚 one of those where the lads gave everything."

England reached a second successive European Championship final despite failing to win two of their three group games. They were booed off the pitch by the their fans after draws against Denmark and Slovenia.

They were moments away from going out at the last-16 stage to Slovakia before Jude Bellingham's acrobatic equaliser, while England needed penalties to overcome Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

Trippier, who was appearing at his fourth major tournament for his country, said he was optimistic about England's future.

Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, 19, only made his England debut in March but played a key role in the run to the final, while defender Marc Guehi, 24, was also appearing at his first major tournament and impressed in Harry Maguire's absence.

In addition, Cole Palmer, 22, scored in the final after coming off the substitutes' bench.

鈥淭hey will have learned a great deal from his tournament,鈥 added Trippier about the inexperienced players in Southgate's ranks.

鈥淭he young players stepped up in big moments for us. They can learn a lot from this. It will make them grow."