England fans hail Eric Dier's crunching tackle on Sergio Ramos the last time the Three Lions met Spain ahead of the Euro 2024 final... with the former Real Madrid defender's reaction revealed

England fans have been replaying footage of Eric Dier 's crunching tackle on Sergio Ramos during the last meeting between the Three Lions and Spain ahead of the Euro 2024 final.

Gareth Southgate 's side earned a thrilling 3-2 win over La Roja in Sevilla in 2018 thanks to a devastating brace from Raheem Sterling .

But it was the action of the then-Tottenham defender Dier that drew attention from fans after the clash and has lived long in the memory.

Dier chased down a loose ball in the Spain box and executed an inch-perfect, though very aggressive slide tackle on the home side's skipper Ramos. To his dismay referee Szymon Marciniak awarded the Iberian side a free-kick and handed him a yellow card, despite the Three Lions defender getting all of the ball.

The fact that he cleaned out his opposite number may have had something to do with the decision.

England fans, presumably playing the clip on loop ahead of tonight's Euro 2024 final in Berlin, have been quick to laud the challenge, with one remarking that it would probably be greeted with a red card with today's officiating.

'Still can't believe it was given as a foul and a booking, if I remember correctly, was a brilliant tackle,' one supporter wrote on X.

Another said: 'Stupid decision wasn't it... great tackle! It'd be a red card now.' A third fan wrote: 'Even Ramos would be proud of it - although Ramos would of taken the player as well.'

Dier revealed that Ramos congratulated him after the thumping tackle and defended the challenge he felt should not have seen him cautioned.

'He just congratulated me. I just think the ball was there to be won and I think I won it. I don't think it was a foul or a yellow card, really,' h e told talkSPORT .

'It's important to respect them, but at the same time, once we start the game, it's every man for himself and we have to put our foot down, put a marker down and be aggressive.

'Still with respect, but we have to be aggressive, be on the front foot and show that nothing is going to intimidate us.'

Just under six years on from that Nations League clash in the south of Spain, Southgate's side meet La Roja in the final of the European Championship, hoping to lift the trophy for the very first time.

Luis de la Fuente's side come into the clash as favourites after thrilling on their route to the final in Berlin's Olympiastadion. As for England, their path has been a little more unconvincing, though they did put in their best performance in the semi-final win over the Netherlands.