English media ecstatic as Three Lions sail into semis

English media heaped praise on Gareth Southgate’s team for reaching the World Cup semifinals and told the country to cancel plans for Wednesday evening when they face Croatia seeking a place in the final.

“Wednesday’s canceled! Fans go wild as Three Lions reach first World Cup semifinal for 28 years,” said The Sun on Sunday after England beat Sweden 2-0 in the Russian city of Samara.

The Mail On Sunday’s online edition said, “The dream goes on! England in ecstasy.”

It said 32 million people had watched on TV.

The Sunday Mirror paraphrased the song written when England hosted the 1996 European Championship, saying, “England are in the World Cup semifinals – could this really be the summer football comes home?”

The broadsheet Observer said in its report, “At the final whistle, the victorious players converged on one another. It took a few seconds for them to gather their breath and then, finally, they could join the party that was already under way behind the goal to their right.”

The Sunday Telegraph said Southgate “has liberated England and now the country’s ambitions ought to be higher than 1990” when they last appeared in a semifinal, losing to West Germany.

The paper compared Southgate to the England coach 28 years ago, Bobby Robson.

“The similarities between Southgate and the late Sir Bobby are striking. Both are synonymous with modesty, consideration and togetherness.

“Like Robson, Southgate has struck gold by playing three at the back and encouraging freedom of expression while backing youth.”