Neymar reacts
Gareth Southgate hailed his history boys as they became the first England team to win a World Cup penalty shootout and the first to reach the quarter-finals since 2006.
England will play Sweden in the last eight of the World Cup in Samara on Sunday morning (2am, NZ time) after ending their shoot-out hoodoo against Colombia.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made himself a national hero, as he saved Carlos Bacca’s penalty, before Eric Dier netted the decisive kick from the spot to secure a last-16 success.
Harry Kane’s sixth goal of the tournament, from the penalty spot, seemed destined to send England through, but Yerry Mina headed a last-gasp equaliser to force extra time and penalties.
England’s only previous penalty shootout success had come against Spain in Euro ’96 and the nation had been knocked out of three previous World Cups on penalties, in 1990, 1998 and 2006.
Asked about his team’s shootout victory over Colombia, England manager Southgate said: “They have created their own story and made history. I don’t want to go home yet.
“Shootouts are tough. We had talked long and hard about owning the process of a shootout. They kept calm. The players have taken it all on board, it’s a special moment for us.”
Southgate, though, dismissed any suggestion that this shootout victory would bury his personal ghosts after missing the decisive kick against Germany in Euro ’96.
“It will never be off my back, sadly,” said Southgate. “That’s something that will live with me forever. But today is a special moment for this team. It’ll hopefully give belief to the generations of players that will follow.
“We always have to believe in what is possible in life and not be hindered by history or expectations. I think these young players are showing that. They’re enjoying the tournament and we’re looking forward now to the quarter-finals.”
Kane is confident the shootout success and first knockout victory since 2006 will give England a new level of belief.
“It’ll give us huge belief,” he said. “Can we qualify through the group? Yes, we did that quite comfortably. Then can we win a knockout game? Can we win a shootout? We’ve ticked those boxes. This will give us more belief than ever and the fans more belief than ever back home. We’re enjoying it, they’re enjoying it. We’re just looking forward to the next one.
“We’d spoken a lot about being an inexperienced and young team, but we grew up a lot on that pitch. There were mixed emotions, highs and lows, even in the penalty shootout. We were behind and wanting Pickers to save one, and he did. It showed our mentality. England haven’t done great in the past in that, but that’ll give us huge belief as a team moving forward now.”
Colombia angered England players by delaying Kane’s penalty in normal time and by attempting to provoke them on a number of occasions, but manager Jose Pekerman instead pointed the finger at Southgate’s side and warned they could be punished against Sweden.
Southgate responded by saying: “Maybe we’re playing our game more by the rules than the rest of the world are playing. If we were down, it was because we were fouled.” Brazil forward Neymar has defended himself against accusations he overacted after a challenge during the 2-0 World Cup last-16 win over Mexico, saying: “I just feel the pain”. Neymar, 26, reacted strongly to an incident in which Mexico’s Miguel Layun seemed to stand on his ankle. Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio said the Paris Saint-Germain player’s “acting” is “not a good example for football”. But Neymar said: “It’s complicated. It’s not something I can control.”