It’s not surprising that England are making hard work of the Euros – a 55-year-old itch takes some scratching.

And with a vibrant, in-form Italy to face in the final on Sunday night (Monday 3am Malaysia time), it is no more than an even bet the hex will be lifted.

It may not be a classic – deciders are usually too tense for champagne football – but if you can handle the tension, this could be off the Richter.

If England’s historic woes are well documented, Italy have theirs too – and almost as long a barren spell in this competition.

Their only win was in 1968 when they played host to three other teams and the tournament lasted just five days.

In their “semi-final”, they beat the Soviet Union by the toss of a coin and the old Yugoslavia 2-0 in a replayed final after a draw.

World Cup holders England took third place.

It was a very different world then and one of the features of both countries’ teams in the current tournament is how much they have changed from their stereotype images.

Italy has, of course, a far better overall record than England, with two World Cup wins (1982 and 2006) since WW2 to add to two in the pioneer days of the 1930s.

But just recently, they hit an unprecedented low.

After losing 6-5 to Germany on penalties in the 2016 Euros, they didn’t make it out of the group for the inaugural Nations Cup and failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup finals.

It coincided with a clutch of aging legends, including Giorgio Chiellini, a returned stalwart of the current team, saying ciao to their international careers.

Dark days, indeed, and such was the sense of disarray that football-savvy waiters from the local trattoria felt they could do a better job with the national side.

Now, under the astute management of Roberto Mancini, they’re on a 33-game unbeaten run and do much more than just defend.

So, they have an impressive redemption story of their own.

Losing a final is always a monumental disappointment and after the rising expectations of the past month, the losers on Monday are bound to be hit hard.

England’s critics, in particular, would be merciless given that it’s been virtually a home tournament for them, and the extraordinary hype that has built up.

Schadenfreude would be off the scale.

The whole country would feel a massive sense of anti-climax.

But barring an unthinkable loss on penalties or some VAR or Italian larceny, just reaching the final must surely be seen as a triumph.

The national psyche has already changed.

What strikes England watchers this time is that the team is unrecognisable from its predecessors in just about every way.

The players are likeable, decent types who are socially-minded and do not flaunt their wealth or their WAGs in the rest of the population’s faces.

They are well-behaved and well-organised and have some genuine young talents in their midst. They don’t wilt when they go behind.

And in Gareth Southgate, they also have a manager who appears to know what he’s doing.

The last Euros was one of England’s all-time lows, when Harry Kane was taking corners and the management went sightseeing the day before.

The only sights this group are likely to see are at their training camp where journalists report an atmosphere of unprecedented harmony.

Just as it’s a new Italy, it’s a new England. Italy no longer comes laden with the superstar egos of the big clubs just as England are not burdened by rival cliques – especially those of Liverpool and Manchester United.

Mancini has chosen as many players from Sassuolo as he has from Juventus.

Southgate knew many of his players when he was coaching the Under 21s and they’ve grown with him.

An intelligent, modest man, he’s won the confidence of a diverse Gen-Z group at a time England has been culturally divided.

It’s not a stretch to say the footballers have united the country.

The extra hysteria surrounding them can be put down to people only just being allowed out in numbers after 15 months of lockdowns and isolation.

The team’s progress – admittedly from a painfully slow start – has given them an extra reason to celebrate.

Italy, too, is delighted to see a previously unsung side of lesser names playing for each other.

Both countries have suffered from an almost identical number – 128,000 – of Covid-19 deaths but have had their morale lifted by this wonderful distraction.

Yes, England got through against Denmark thanks to an own goal and a dodgy penalty but were by some distance the better side. And were denied a more obvious penalty earlier.

The only quibble was the inability of VAR to reverse two wrong decisions because, it was explained, neither were “clear and obvious” mistakes.

While such nonsense prevails, players will go down easily.

Given the abuse Raheem Sterling has had to put up with on and off the pitch, it’s a bit rich to blame him for being streetwise when he’s the hero.

He has been England’s star and a candidate for Player of the Tournament.

Whatever happens, for what they have done for their long-suffering nations, both the English and Italian players are already winners.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.