England manager Gareth Southgate expressed his joy and relief after his team secured a place in the Euro 2024 semi-finals by defeating Switzerland 5-3 on penalties.
The victory came after a challenging period of personal criticism for Southgate in Germany, making the triumph particularly sweet.
“Every now and then, surely there has to be some enjoyment in this job,” Southgate said. “I love the players and sharing that moment with them. If I can’t enjoy this moment, then it’s a waste of time.”
England faced a tough challenge against Switzerland, falling behind after 75 minutes. However, Bukayo Saka scored an equalizer five minutes later, pushing the match into extra time and eventually a penalty shootout. England’s composure and precision in the shootout secured their victory and a spot in the semi-finals.
Reflecting on the recent criticism, Southgate admitted, “I can’t deny that when it’s as personal as it has been in the last few weeks on a human level, that’s quite difficult.”
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Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Southgate highlighted his commitment to improving English football and creating memorable moments for the fans. “I took this job to try and improve English football, to give us nights like this. We continue to give people fantastic memories. We will keep enjoying this journey.”
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Under Southgate’s leadership, England has now reached their third major tournament semi-final. He emphasized the team’s ambition to achieve even more historic milestones. “Now we want to deliver one more thing – we have never been to a final outside England, never won a Euros, so there are two bits of history we would love to create,” he said.
Southgate also voiced his frustration about a tactical leak before the game, describing it as “quite incredible” that his switch to a three-man defense was revealed three days prior to the match.
England will face the Netherlands in Dortmund on Wednesday at 20:00 BST, with a place in the final against either France or Spain at stake.
