SOUTHGATE’S HUMBLE SIDE SHOCKED ’EM ALL

SO they didn’t quite make it the grand stage of the World Cup Final.

But Gareth Southgate’s England have made a hell of a lot of new friends – simply by refreshingly having a sense of humility and not giving it the big I am.

Before England’s quarter-final clash against Sweden in Samara, the Swedish press had warned that they expected to face an English side full of its usual cockiness. They were pleasantly surprised. “There was a definite change,” said Paul Balsom (above), Sweden’s Torquay-born performance manager.

“The humbleness of the English team before and after the game has been unique.

“I think they should take a lot of credit for it. They’ve fostered a collective identity.

“I was speaking to some of the England staff before and after the game and I was so impressed by how humble they were and how well they spoke after the game.

“There was a real respect between the two teams and I think you saw that before and after the game.

“Sweden lost the game, but the England players and staff were an absolute credit to their country.

“I think they’ve really gone a long way to changing a lot of perceptions throughout this World Cup.”

It’s hard to imagine former Three Lions boss Fabio Capello going out and conducting a chorus from the thronged masses of England fans gathered behind a goal, as Southgate did in Samara on that Saturday evening.

The closeness between the current England players and the supporters – as well as between the players and the support staff – during this World Cup have played a key part in making it the most memorable in a generation. Modern players are consistently accused of being out of touch with the man on the street.

But England’s journey through Russia has proved that’s no longer the case.

And it’s changing the perception of English football across the world.

In the warm-up to the Sweden game, Southgate made it perfectly clear that England had huge respect for an opponent they had only beaten twice since 1968.

Other English sides might have looked down on Sweden – but they paid a heavy price.

It was something that this England vintage had no intention of doing.

And, although the result of the match may not have gone down well on the streets of Stockholm, Sweden’s staff could only stand back an admire England’s new attitude and approach.