Southgate blasts England critics after topping ‘toughest group’ shows they can ‘beat top teams’ | OneFootball

Gareth Southgate shakes hands with Jude Bellingham.

England manager praised his side’s “relentless” performance against Italy as the Three Lions secured a spot at Euro 2024 with a 3-1 win at Wembley.

A double from Harry Kane and a fine strike from Marcus Rashford helped England come from behind to beat the side that defeated them the final of Euro 2020.

Southgate waxed lyrical about the off-the-ball work of his attacking players and said the “legs and physically in midfield” made a huge difference against the Italians.

“So hungry, so eager to learn, so together,” he told Channel 4. “And you saw that in the performance tonight.

“We said before that mentality was the main thing. The performance was relentless tonight.

“What was really pleasing was that when we went behind we stayed calm and used the ball calmly from the back. In other big games we have lost the ball too easily.

“Our forwards worked so hard. When your front players play like that it is a great thing for the team.

“There were times in the first half we were passive near our own goal.

“The biggest difference in the last couple of years is that we have more legs and physicality in midfield. You need to be outstanding without the ball against world class teams.

“They [our forwards] are all different and bring different qualities. We have dribblers, speed in behind and players who can come short. But you always need the work ethic. In the biggest games you can’t carry players and that really pleased me in the performance.

“Ideally, we would have everyone playing regularly, but you can see Kalvin [Phillips] and Harry [Maguire] were both outstanding tonight. They are both important for us.

“They are up against really good players at their clubs. Kalvin has Rodri and [Mateo] Kovacic to compete with. But every time Kalvin plays for us he does a good job.

“We need to make sure we are one of the top seeds next month. We need to win our next two games. We want to be in control of that.

“We need to keep building. There is more to come from this team.

“This was the toughest qualifying group, with the seedings. People have criticised us for not beating the top teams enough. But we have performed really well.”

Jude Bellingham was the man of the match on Tuesday evening and the 20-year-old says he has improved as a player since joining Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund this summer.

“I am getting a little better each time I play,” Bellingham said.

“A really good night for us, we all remember what happened a few years ago when they played us here. You always aim for progression. We are heading in the right direction and a very important win for us.

“I am loving football at the minute. My management at club and country are giving me freedom to play it how I see it.

“Since the last few months I have been really working on my timing getting into the box and as I am arriving I am arriving with a big hunger.

“With the big transfer the fact is I have to deliver, whether it is a goal or assist or a match-winning performance.

“This is the club I want to be at for the next 10-15 years of my life. I am loving it there. Carlo basically said this position is where he sees me.

“100 per cent,” Bellingham responded when asked if moving to Madrid has improved him.

“When you are around those mentalities and quality of players every day… it takes you to a new level mentally, physically and technically.”