WORLD CUP: IT’S THE TIME FOR ACTION

COLOMBIA ENGLAND

moment of truth, for sure. We have had a great start. We won our first two games and got through now this is the business end.

“It’s a totally new tournament now. You just focus on finding a way to win. We have got the first job done and now it’s about whether we can win knockout matches.

“We haven’t been great over the years at doing that so it’s an opportunity to put that one right.

“We have done well in the group and proved a few people wrong by winning the first two games and getting through quite easily. Now, can we win the knockout games, can we win the big games when it matters, when the pressure’s on?

“That’s what I’m looking forward to, to see how we handle it.

“There’s going to be a bit more pressure on us now. ”

Tottenham star Kane – the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals so far – has revealed England have been preparing for a penalty shoot-out if the tie with Colombia goes all the way. Kane, who scored two from the spot in the 6-1 win over Panama, said: “The lads like to practise their penalties anyway.

“We’ll focus on trying to win it in normal time or extra-time but if it comes to that we will be ready.

“A lot of the time penalties is down to mentality and being calm in that situation and going through a process and doing your best to put it in the back of the net.”

Southgate (below) and his skipper have urged fans not to get too carried away with a quarter-final against Sweden or Switzerland awaiting England if they beat Colombia.

“You can’t look too far ahead,” added Kane. “I know the fans will look at the route and who we can get but we have just got to focus on getting past Colombia.

“They are a tough team and they have got some great players and we have got to be ready for that. “The last two years we’ve been doing well and building the way we want to play and it’s worked right up until now.

“I had a disappointing Euros, so did the team.

“I wanted to come here, score goals and play well, win games. And yeah, so far so good.

“But now it’s, ‘Can I do it in the pressure situations, the bigger games?’

“And that’s what makes you as a player. I’m looking forward to the challenge. We all are.”