"Except they made it to the finals": Fans react to Toronto Maple Leafs and England soccer team similarities after 2024 Euros loss

Fans have drawn parallels between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the England national soccer team following the latter's 2-1 Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain on Sunday.

The Three Lions faced another heartbreaking defeat at a major tournament, with Spain emerging as the European champions for a record fourth time in the final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

Notably, it was back-to-back appearances for England in the final of the European championship. In 2021, the Three Lions experienced a tough shootout defeat at home to Italy.

The similarities of facing heartbreak in consecutive tournaments have not gone unnoticed by fans. Here's what they had to say on X/Twitter on the similarities between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Three Lions.

The notable difference pointed out by NHL fans is that England reached the finals, unlike the Maple Leafs as one X/Twitter user wrote:

"Except they made it to the finals"

Another fan opined:

"Not even close. Englands has been to the last 2 UEFA finals and regularly makes it to at least the quarter final in major tournaments. There have been a grand total of two WCs that England has failed to qualify for since becoming a FIFA member. The Leafs have won one playoff"

"Except England gets past the first round. Leafs are more embarrassing," said one X user.

"England won in the playoff rounds.The leafs don’t," another commented.

Here are some of the other top reactions to the post on X.

"I disagree… at least England make strides and have been to some finals while the Maple Leafs have 1 playoff series win in 20 years," one commented.

"lol what?! The equivalent would be if England never made it out of group round. England at least makes it to finals," said another.

"I don't see the Leafs making the final of anything though, but close enough otherwise," one opined.

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England shares similar drought to the Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the second-most successful team in the NHL, with 13 Stanley Cups. However, the club has not advanced to the final since 1967 since winning their 13th championship.

Notably, the England soccer team shares a similar drought with the Maple Leafs regarding major trophies. The Three Lions have not won a major trophy since their iconic 1966 World Cup victory.

Since then, they made it to successive European Championship finals but came up second-best on both occasions, losing to Italy in 2021 and falling to Spain three years later.