Gareth Southgate credited a video of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning campaign for inspiring his team’s dramatic 2-1 win over Slovakia in the round-of-16. The video showed the importance of every member of the squad in achieving success, highlighting players who stepped up when needed, just like the current squad did on Sunday.
After falling behind to an early goal, England fought back with Jude Bellingham’s sensational overhead kick forcing extra time. Harry Kane’s header in the additional period secured the victory and a spot in the quarter-finals against Switzerland in Dusseldorf. Southgate praised the players who came off the bench and made significant contributions to the win, emphasizing the importance of squad depth in a tournament.
Southgate referenced the 1966 team’s challenging journey to glory, pointing out that not every player was a starter from the beginning. He stressed that the current squad needs to be ready to perform when called upon, just like the substitutes did in the game against Slovakia. The spirit and commitment shown by the players were key factors in their success, and Southgate wants to continue emphasizing the value of the entire squad as they progress in the tournament.
By showing the players historical moments like the 1966 triumph, Southgate hopes to instill a sense of perspective and appreciation for the collective effort required to achieve success in a major tournament. He believes that recognizing the contributions of every player, regardless of their role, will help create a winning team mentality that can carry them through the challenges ahead.