Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer compared England manager Gareth Southgate to Shah Rukh Khan’s character in Bollywood superhit ‘Chak De India’ after England lost the Euro 2020 final against Italy on penalties on Monday. England lost 3-2 in the penalty shootout after the game ended 1-1 in the extra time. Three England players missed their respective penalties to hand Italy their second Euro title.

England manager Southgate, who himself had missed a penalty in England’s semi-final clash against Germany at the 1996 Euro, came close to redemption but his team failed to go the distance yet again. Southgate’s story is quite similar to that of Khan in the Chak de India movie where he guides the Indian women’s hockey team to World Cup glory after missing a penalty himself as a player against Pakistan.

Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan had played the role of Kabir Khan in the movie, which remains popular among Indian sports fans to date. Jaffer drew comparisons between Southgate and SRK’s on-screen character of Khan after England’s 3-2 loss in the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley.

“Only if it was a Bollywood movie,” wrote Jaffer with a picture of Southgate and SRK’s character Kabir Khan from Chak De India  England took the lead early in the final when left-back Luke Shaw continued his stellar run in the tournament and latched on to a pass from Kieran Trippier to score a stunning volley and put England ahead inside two minutes in the game. It was the fastest goal scored by any player in the final of a European Championship.

Italy made a comeback in the second half when Leonardo Bonnucci equalised for the Azzuri in the 67th minute to take the final into extra time. The score remained 1-1 at the end of 130 minutes forcing the final into a penalty shootout where Italy held their nerves to clinch the tophy.

Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka all saw their spot kicks getting saved by the Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma as Italy won 3-2.