Euro 2020: ‘Achieved one challenge but that’s not the Everest we set ourselves’: Southgate urges England to refocus

England continue their quest for the Euro 2020 title when they take on Ukraine in the fourth and final quarterfinal in Rome. Before Gareth Southgate’s side take to the pitch in a bid to make their second consecutive semifinals at a major tournament, the manager has urged his wards to play without fear.

Southgate laid emphasis on that the players, who scripted a stunning 2-0 win against Germany during their last-16 clash at Wembley, need to refocus and not look too far ahead.

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“We’ve achieved one challenge but that’s not the Everest we set ourselves,” Southgate said. “We want to push on.”

“It’s another chance for the team to make history. We’ve moved on from Germany pretty quickly and it’s not easy because you get all these lovely messages. But the mindset has got to be about Saturday. Not beyond Saturday.”

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“We’re not complacent. We’ve got to stay composed, but not fearful. We’ve got to be on the front foot. We’ve got to take the next step forward.”

England face Ukraine at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, having played their first four games on home turf. The winner will take on either the Czech Republic or Denmark, who play earlier on Saturday, in the semi-final.

England, captained by Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane, topped their group with seven points from three games. They won two and drew one. In the last-16, they brushed Germany aside, bagging their first win against their rivals in the knockout of a major tournament for the first time in 55 years.