Deserving or not, England still alive
England has yet to prove it’s a top side in the world, according to coach Gareth Southgate.
Despite being in the Final 4 of a World Cup, the Three Lions’ path to get to this point still leaves plenty up for debate when you consider they’ve yet to face a World Cupwinner on this journey.
“Well, we’re in a World Cup semifinal. Whether we’re in the Top 4 in the world is something we still have to prove, I think,” Southgate said.
“But we’re progressing really well. We do have some good players and they need opportunities to play.”
There’s also a suggestion that English football is in the midst of an upward trend just two years after many questioned if the Premier League is developing enough domestic talent.
“Hopefully, with what our junior teams have been doing at the international level, it will be a sign to all clubs that English players can play,” Southgate continued. “We have players with super technique.
“I don’t think we would have seen the likes of (John) Stones or (Harry) Maguire playing the way they did tonight in the past. That, for me, is quite symbolic.
“It’s why I joined the FA five years ago. I believed it was possible.” This is, um, awkward. French legend Thierry Henry will be on Belgium’s bench when the Red Devils meet France Tuesday in their semifinal matchup at Saint Petersburg.
The ex-New York Red Bulls striker is an assistant coach under Roberto Martinez, meaning his allegiances could be skewed this week.
“My job’s to be good on the pitch, to help my team,” French striker Olivier Giroud said, according to the UK Sun. “But I’d be proud to show (Thierry Henry) that he chose the wrong side.”
Henry appeared 123 times for France between 1997 and 2010, scoring 51 times for Les Bleus while being a part of the 1998 World Cup-winning squad.
Brazilian star Neymar says it will be “difficult” for him to return to soccer following Brazil’s quarterfinal exit.
“I can say that it is the saddest moment of my career,” Neymar said.
“The pain is very great because we knew we could get there, we knew we had the conditions to go further, to make history.”
The Selecao were the best team at this World Cup — something that often doesn’t matter when teams enter the knockout phase.