England win would eclipse 1966 for Gareth Southgate
July 9, 2018
Gareth Southgate believes if England win the World Cup in Russia it would eclipse the achievement of the 1966 squad, who won the trophy on home soil.
The Three Lions won the World Cup as host nation 52 years ago and that remains the only piece of silverware England have ever won.
Southgate’s side could have a shot at history this year if they overcome Croatia in the semi-finals on Wednesday, and the manager believes if England can go all the way this year it would be a bigger achievement than the 1966 success.
“We’ve talked, touched briefly, certainly, on the team which won,” he said.
“How they’re still held and revered. At the beginning of working together with the lads and trying to sell them the vision of what’s possible, what we’re looking to achieve in the long-term.
“We also feel we’ve had events on when we’ve been in camp when some of those guys have been in, when the road was named at St George’s [Park] after Sir Alf [Ramsey, England manager in 1966].
“I’ve met quite a few of those players and we know exactly how they’re held and perhaps in the modern era that would be even crazier, social media and everything else, the global thing is so much bigger.”
England midfielder Jordan Henderson is rated as a doubt for the last four clash due to a muscle injury and Southgate admits a few members of his 23-man squad are suffering with an “accumulation of fatigue”.
England are 2.38 to win the match in normal time or 10.00 to win on penalties.
