WE CAN BE HEROES
Just with one goal, piece of skill or moment of magic that lives forever...
GARETH SOUTHGATE has urged his England stars to beat Germany and become immortals of the game.
The Three Lions face a crunch Euros last-16 showdown at Wembley this evening with the chance to overcome their old enemy Germany in a major tournament for the first time since 2000.
England boss Southgate admits this is a wonderful chance for his players to etch their names into folklore.
“Every time you pull an England shirt on you have the opportunity to score a goal that will be shown forever, to create a bit of skill or be involved in a match that lives on in the memory,” he said.
“That’s the beauty of playing for your country.”
Southgate points out that his players can go even further at this level than legends of the game like Alan Shearer and Paul Gascoigne.
He added: “These sorts of landmarks are always opportunities. They have an
opportunity to go beyond where some incredible players and fantastic servants of England have gone before. And that is always an opportunity to be grasped.”
The Three Lions have won just one knockout game in Euros history.
That was at Euro 96 when they went on to lose to the Germans in a semi-final shoot-out at Wembley. And they are hell-bent on gaining revenge for that disappointment, a game they lost when Southgate himself missed the vital spot-kick.
“Every time you play for England you have an opportunity to score a goal or create a moment that lives with people forever,” he said.
“That is to be cherished, really. That is what presents itself. If you think of all the big players in history across club and European football, there are significant memories, but when you picture those great players, it’s normally in an international shirt that their biggest memories are formed.
“It is an opportunity that few get and these lads have earned it.
“I’m sure they are going to relish that.”