Jurgen Klinsmann warned England not to get too carried away with their 2-0 win over Germany in the last 16 of Euro 2020 but insisted: “It’s your tournament.”
Late goals from Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane sealed a famous win and left Klinsmann claiming a first title since 1966 is there for the taking.
Klinsmann told the BBC: “You’ve got to keep the team right there in the moment, live the day and prepare them in the best way possible for the quarter-finals.
“Don’t go ahead and think, ‘OK, we could be back here for the semi-finals’. But they won’t.
“The energy they had tonight, the chemistry, looks amazing. They all get along, everything seems to be in sync and in balance – it’s your tournament.”
Former England stars Alan Shearer and Rio Ferdinand also believe Gareth Southgate’s men are on the cusp of something special.
Thrilled to bits @England #EnglandvGermany — Sir Geoff Hurst (@TheGeoffHurst) June 29, 2021
Southgate’s men will start as favourites against Ukraine in the quarter-finals, before a potential semi-final clash with either Denmark or the Czech Republic.
Shearer said: “If you could have picked something like that then you would have.
“England will never, ever have a better opportunity of winning the Euros than this opportunity now. If they’re lucky enough to get to the final that will have been six games played at Wembley, and you can’t ask for more than that.
Get in. Come on @England. Well done lads 🏴🙌🏆 pic.twitter.com/GK5IapQZYi — Wayne Rooney (@WayneRooney) June 29, 2021
Ferdinand added: “When you look at that draw, I know those lads will be sitting in their hotel thinking, ‘there’s no-one there who we can fear’.
“France were the only team you could look at and say, ‘they’re going to give us a really hard game’. There’s no-one in there you look at and think, ‘we would rather skip them’.
Sir Geoff Hurst, whose hat-trick sunk the Germans at Wembley in 1966, tweeted that he was “thrilled to bits” by England’s performance.
Redemption for Gareth 🏴 — Tony Adams (@TonyAdams) June 29, 2021
Tony Adams, who captained England at Euro 96 when Southgate’s penalty missed denied them a place in the final, simply tweeted: “Redemption for Gareth”.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulated the team, tweeting: “Well done @England! We’re all behind you – bring it home!”
