Napoleon liked his generals to be lucky, but would he have hired Gareth Southgate?
If you set aside dates and nationalities, based on Euro 2024, the England boss would have been at the French emperors right hand as he marched across Europe.
But before this tournament, Southgate would have been viewed as no more than a middle-ranking officer.
Good with young recruits, but stubborn, too slow to react and not brave enough.
But after an amazing sequence of dramatic late goals over the past couple of weeks, his fortunes have done a 360.
Just how much credit Southgate deserves for these get-out-of-jail escapades coming from behind in the last three games is a divisive subject even now.
But having reached his second successive final in the Euros, and been in the semi-final and quarter-final of the past two World Cups, he cannot be a complete dummy.
As one of his critics, this column has to acknowledge that but isnt going to now hail him a genius either.
He got lucky again against the Netherlands as he did against Switzerland and Slovakia.
He still used essentially the same players and didnt change till very late, although it was his two subs who combined to snatch the winner out of nowhere.
For England, it was a euphoric moment especially as the scorer, Ollie Watkins, has risen from playing sixth-tier football four years ago.
A fairytale that might have been too far-fetched for Hans Christian Andersen.
He opted for the right pair in Watkins to inject pace and Cole Palmer for creativity, but left it perilously close to being too late.
Most other coaches act decisively around the hour mark, but not Southgate.
The same turgid tippy-tappy, going nowhere stuff is allowed to continue. Tired players limp on while fresh ones fester on the bench.
One of the strengths of this England squad is its depth up front and in midfield highlighted by telling contributions of three number 9s.
Besides Watkins and Harry Kane, Ivan Toney was a hero against the Swiss.
Palmer has surely proved his worth by now but has yet to start and Kobbie Mainoo, who has been a revelation, had to force his way into the side.
Even against the Dutch, English hearts sank when we saw the same line-up.
Kieran Trippier was still at left-back despite Luke Shaw having come on at half-time to offer much-needed balance against the Swiss.
And after Englands best half of the tournament against Netherlands, the familiar sideways passing and tired pressing returned until deep into the second half.
And we havent mentioned the penalty that levelled matters after Xavi Simons stunning opening goal.
It was a penalty that only VAR could give and the Dutch have every right to complain.
Indeed, they have more right than the Germans did over the handball incident in the quarter-final with Spains Marc Cucurella.
The ball was blasted at Cucurellas hand which was by his side and within close range: he couldnt avoid it but we have, as the saying goes, seen em given.
Known as 21st century penalties under the new rules, they usually are so it was a pleasant surprise to see a bit of discretion from the referee.
Alas for the Dutch, they didnt get any with Denzel Dumfriess tackle on Harry Kane.
An unwritten law in football is that if the forward completes his shot before hes fouled, it is not a penalty.
Its the inconsistencies that get you.
Southgate and England have been lucky in this tournament, but then England had suffered a very long run of bad luck prior to his appointment.
There were the tournament-ending injuries to Bryan Robson, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen; Sol Campbells disallowed goal against Argentina in 1998.
Countless missed penalties including one by Southgate himself in Euro 96 and all the way back to the Hand of God by Diego Maradona in 1986.
For decades, England and lucky seldom appeared in the same sentence.
But in Euro 2024, Southgate has not just ridden his luck, he has used it to propel him into another stratosphere.
Indeed, so superior do Spain look that you fear a spanking in Berlin in the early hours (3am) of Monday in Malaysia.
You can just see those statuesque defenders standing like poles on a ski slope around which the Spanish forwards will eagerly slalom.
Who on earth is going to stop Lamine Yamal? Or Nico Williams on the other flank? Or the dancing feet of Danny Olmo?
On paper, it doesnt look like an even contest, but England will not be lying down.
Its been suggested that theyve become the new Germany in not doing much but just hanging on in games before suddenly finding a late winner.
But Germany used to win tournaments like that so England need to go up another notch to be compared.
For the hopefuls, there are plenty of examples of the inferior team winning trophies.
Denmark, late replacements for Yugoslavia, did it to Germany in Euro 92.
Greece won in Portugal in 2004 where there were two golden generations one Portuguese and one English.
Going way back, West Germany beat the magical Magyars of Hungary in the 1954 World Cup.
In club football, Chelsea knocked out the great Barcelona side and then Bayern Munich on home turf to win the 2012 Champions League.
Liverpool, 3-0 down to AC Milan, came back to pull off the Miracle of Istanbul in 2005.
Manchester United scored twice in injury time to beat Bayern in 1999. Wigan beat Manchester City to win the 2013 FA Cup final.
From what weve seen so far in this tournament, there is a gulf in class between Spain and the rest.
The only way you can see England winning is by defending for their lives, frustrating Spain and snatching something on the break.
Its a supreme irony but those who have lambasted Southgate for not releasing the handbrake will now be hoping he keeps it on.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.