'England should be better but win has given belief'

Gareth Southgate says England cognize they "should beryllium amended than they person been" astatine Euro 2024 but their precocious last-16 triumph complete Slovakia has fixed them belief.

The Three Lions were connected nan brink of an embarrassing exit earlier Jude Bellingham scored a spectacular overhead footwear to level successful stoppage time.

Harry Kane scored nan victor successful other clip to group up a quarter-final gathering pinch Switzerland connected Saturday.

"There's nary mobility it will springiness nan full group belief," said Southgate.

“We cognize we should beryllium amended than we've been but we've ended up pinch a batch of young players successful important positions and trying to lick problems correct nan measurement done nan 4 weeks of nan camp.

"But nan standout is nan measurement nan players are dealing pinch it. Their togetherness, their spirit."

England's laboured capacity against Slovakia was preceded by an arsenic underwhelming group stage, though they did advancement arsenic group winners.

Southgate has drawn comparisons pinch nan 1990 World Cup and Euro 96, wherever England besides made slow starts earlier reaching nan semi-finals.

"Everybody now, 30 years on, looks backmost astatine [Euro] 96, that I played in, successful a different measurement to really it was astatine nan time," said Southgate, who missed nan decisive punishment against Germany successful nan semi-final astatine Wembley.

"We were bang mean against Switzerland, we were nan aforesaid against Scotland. Scotland missed a punishment astatine 1-0. Spain should person beaten america successful a 0-0 draw.

"1990 was similar, truthful you do spell done these moments successful tournaments."

Southgate has besides praised "excellent" quarter-final opponents Switzerland, who are classed 19 successful nan world and knocked retired holders Italy successful nan past round.

"They person had immoderate consistency successful what they do for a agelong time. Their strategy is difficult to press. They've sewage bully rotation," he said.

"Once they've been up they've been really difficult to break down, truthful they are a very bully side."