England head coach Gareth Southgate beamed with pride as he spoke to BBC Sport following his team's thrilling quarterfinals victory over Switzerland at Euro 2024. Despite facing a formidable opponent, England demonstrated their mettle, coming from behind to win 5-3 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw.
Southgate hailed his players' performance, declaring it their best yet. "I thought the players were brilliant. It's the best we've played," he said. "We caused them a lot of problems with the ball." He acknowledged Switzerland's quality, noting their ability to press and defend, as well as their impressive movement.
The England head coach emphasized the importance of character and resilience in winning tournaments. "To come from behind again, and show the character and resilience we did; winning tournaments isn't just about playing well, you've got to show all of those other attributes," he said.
Southgate's praise reflects England's growing confidence and determination as they advance to the semifinals. With their coach's guidance and their own resolve, the team is poised to face the challenges ahead in their quest for Euro 2024 glory.
"I thought the players were brilliant. It's the best we've played. We caused them a lot of problems with the ball. They're a really good side, they're hard to press, they're hard to defend against, their movement's good. To come from behind again, and show the character and resilience we did; winning tournaments isn't just about playing well, you've got to show all of those other attributes."
We've got a good process and we've now won three. We got crucified for the one we lost [in the EURO 2020 final]. We have more regular penalty takers in the squad and more that have taken them in shoot-outs. Still, they have to show their composure and do it. Then there's the goalkeeper, who will always make one save and that gives us a chance."
(Source: UEFA.com)