"Ready to make history" - as England go into tonight's Euro 2024 semi-final
The Three Lions face the Netherlands in Dortmund tonight
Last updated 10th Jul 2024
Gareth Southgate says England are ready to make history by reaching a first final on foreign soil.
After topping their group in unconvincing fashion, the Euro 2020 runners-up needed a stunning Jude Bellingham strike to save their blushes against Slovakia before beating Switzerland on penalties.
England are now preparing for a third semi-final in four major tournaments, with Ronald Koeman's Netherlands standing between them and a second successive European Championship final.
If__ they win - they'll face Spain in Sunday's final, after they beat France 2-1 in last night's semi.
Southgate has been criticised for his team's style despite getting this far and the manager revealed the negative mood around the team impacted the players during the group stage.
"There's been a definite shift," the England boss said on the eve of the Signal Iduna Park showdown.
"I was really interested (because) as a coach sometimes you take a step back and you observe.
"One of the strengths of us over the last seven, eight years has been less fear, less inhibition.
"But I think at the beginning of the tournament, the expectation weighed quite heavily and of course the external noise was louder than it's ever been.
"I felt we couldn't quite get ourselves in the right place and, in the end, what was impressive was that the players ground it out, they ground results out and found ways to win.
"I felt that shifted once we got into the knockout stage and definitely in the quarter-final. I thought we saw a better version of us with the ball, freer.
"I'm not sure any of the messaging changed, but I just felt the group changed.
**"A chance to get to a first final not held in England"**
"You're now into that moment in the tournament where it's what's possible, what's achievable, rather than what might go wrong.
"This is now the chance to make history, which we've enjoyed doing.
"A chance to get to a first final not held in England - first time England will have ever done that.
"We're trying to break new ground. That's difficult and it's complicated, but the players have responded brilliantly and resilience has been built.
"You can bond and we've been very fortunate that we've had Ed Sheeran in to sing and it was great, the players had a couple of beers before the last game.
"You can bond in that way, but when you're having to head the ball out your box in the 92nd minute and you're having to find a goal in the 96th minute, there's nothing stronger than that for building the spirit of a team."
Now comes their toughest challenge yet against the team seventh in FIFA's world rankings, just two places below England.
Asked if he expected the Dutch to sit in like many of their opponents so far in Germany, Southgate said: "That wouldn't be normal for the way Dutch teams play and it's not what we've seen from them.
"I think it will be an exciting game. You've got a lot of very good players on the pitch, a lot of good forward players, both teams.
Southgate has a full squad available for the first time at these Euros, with Marc Guehi back from a one-match ban and Luke Shaw fit to start after making his long-awaited return against Switzerland.
Earlier in the tournament in Germany, frustrated England fans greeted the end of the group draws against Denmark and Slovenia with boos.
Some beer cups were even aimed Southgate's way after the latter stalemate in Cologne, where he warned the "unusual environment" around them was making life harder for the players.
High-profile criticism from former internationals like Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer added to the background noise, which all combined to have a negative impact on the team.
"I think we saw a truer reflection of ourselves in the last game and there was a lot within that performance to build on and take into the game tomorrow."
Southgate says his squad now want to "use the opportunity to change history as a motivation" after overcoming a sense of fear.