It’s not coming home

◆ you’ve played in the way we have and played as well as we have in the first half you want to take those opportunities in life.

“The dressing room is a very difficult place at the moment.

“But what I will say is I’m remarkably proud of a group of players who have really advanced. I think the reaction of the supporters to them, compared to two years ago, tells them that, first and foremost, that experiences with England can be positive, the country are very proud of them and the way that they’ve played and there will in time be a lot of positives to take.” What a journey it has been. From Harry Kane’s stoppage-time winner against Tunisia to Jesse Lingard’s wonder goal against Panama.

From Pickford’s penalty save against Colombia to Eric Dier’s icecold heroics moments later.

Never mind Maguire’s towering header against Sweden and the quite wonderful free-kick from Trippier in this semi-final.

As the Tottenham full-back remarked only last week when he was compared to David Beckham, ‘’not bad for a lad from Bury.’’

It meant they were ahead for 63 minutes, for a large chunk of that time also dominating their opponents only to succumb to an Ivan Perisic equaliser that took this contest into extra time.

Faced with another 30 minutes of battle Southgate addressed his players once more, going first to John Stones and then to Ashley Young, Kane, Kyle Walker and Jordan Henderson. In the end it was not enough. In the end another momentary lapse in concentration was punished by Mario Mandzukic and it is to Croatia, not an England dead on their feet and down to 10 men in the final minutes because of an injury to Trippier, who now return him to face France on Sunday.

But Southgate is no longer a football man whose international career is been defined by that penalty miss at Euro 96.

It is defined by what he achieved in this crazy, bone-dry summer of 2018, and by what he has suddenly made seem possible.

England’s journey does not finish here, even if the last thing anyone wants is another meaningless encounter with Belgium this weekend.

For Southgate and his team it continues way beyond that.

It continues with the development of this side, with the promotion of young players claiming major prizes for England’s junior teams, and a push towards Euro 2020 and a possible semi-final and final at Wembley.

And it continues, surely, to the next World Cup.

The clock is already counting down, but it does so now with a far greater sense of purpose and with Southgate and his players moving forward as one. — Mailonline.