On Thursday at 1700 BST, England Women face their German counterparts in the 2009 European Championship final. They reach the showpiece occasion courtesy of an extra-time win over the Netherlands on Sunday
But the players are soon back in training in Helsinki as they prepare to face arch-rivals Germany in the final. England's record leaves much to be desired - they have not beaten the Germans in 18 meetings
If England are to get any joy out of the Germans at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium and take home the trophy, they will need Everton goalkeeper Rachel Brown at the very top of her game
Especially as Brown and England come up against fearsome German striker Birgit Prinz (far right). The 31-year-old is a three-time Fifa Women's World Player of the Year and the Women's World Cup all-time leading scorer
England captain Faye White provides a timely boost with her return after fracturing and dislocating her cheekbone in the quarter-finals. She will have to play the most important match of her life wearing a mask
White is back in training with her team-mates and admitted: "This will be the biggest game of our careers and we cannot wait to get going. We have to focus on the job in hand."
Coach Hope Powell, who has been in charge since 1998, presides over her team's final training session on Wednesday, knowing that after 11 years of progress they stand on the brink of making history
Thursday's final gets going. Despite a lively start from England, it's the World champions Germany who take the lead from super striker Birgit Prinz after 19 minutes
More despair for England as Germany double the lead two minutes later with a thunder-bolt from Melanie Behringer. It was from 41 yards and Rachel Brown had no chance
But wait! England are right back in it with a beautifully worked goal. Kelly Smith weaves her magic and crosses for Karen Carney who blasts in to make it 2-1
It's turning into quite a game with Germany stretching their lead after the interval. Kim Kulig pokes in after the ball hits the post and it's 3-1
You can't keep the world's best players down for long and Smith gets it back to 3-2 thanks to a brilliant strike from the edge of the penalty box
They aren't World champions for nothing. Germany start to dominate and rattle in three more goals with two from Inka Grings and a late strike from skipper Prinz. Germany win 6-2
The Germans have now won five successive European tournaments and Prinz proudly holds the trophy aloft. They were pushed all the way by the English though
It's a harsh scoreline for a team in their first European final since 1984. Kelly Smith and Alex Scott played brilliantly and the whole squad can be proud of all their efforts in Finland
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