Forget the calibre of opposition, it is only about winning

This should not be a revelation, but the best teams do not always win cup competitions.

It feels necessary to remind everyone of this, given the sneering about the calibre of teams England have beaten to reach the semi-final.

We have all heard the sniping: “They have not beaten anyone decent yet.” I do not understand this mentality. To win, you need everything to come together.

First, you need quality. Then you need to be prepared to take every chance that comes your way. England have not always been so prepared to make the most of these opportunities, which is why they lost to Iceland two years ago.

And, yes, there are moments where you need luck. Go through every major competition and I guarantee you will find even the most celebrated teams needed the run of the ball to get the across the line.

Things have fallen England’s way to get this far, but it does not matter. In a tournament it is not about which team you beat. It is only about winning.