An emotional Gareth Southgate admitted that 'we all want to be loved' after seeing his England side reach the Euro 2024 final on Wednesday evening.
The 2-1 win over the Netherlands meant that the Three Lions sealed a place in a second consecutive European Championship final, where they will face Spain in Berlin on Sunday evening.
For Southgate, that final will come at the climax of a tournament in which he has been the subject of criticism from fans and pundits alike, with the 53-year-old addressing this head-on in his post-match press conference in Dortmund.
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"We all want to be loved, right?," he said after seeing Ollie Watkins' 91st-minute winner seal the win. "So when you’re doing something for your country and you’re a proud Englishman, when you don’t feel that back and when all you read is criticism, it’s hard.
"To be able to celebrate a second final is very, very special. Especially with fans that travel, our travelling support is amazing.
"The amount of money they spend to travel, the commitment to do that, to be able to give them nights like this. I think we’ve given them a few over the last six years, from Russia onwards. It means a lot."
Southgate's comments come after he saw plastic cups thrown his way by fans in the stands following the goalless draw against Slovenia which sealed top spot in Group C, while the laboured 1-1 draw against Denmark in the group stage saw a minor media storm following criticism from former England stars Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.
Three Lions skipper Harry Kane addressed the comments in a pre-match press conference urging the ex-England duo to 'remember what it's like to wear the shirt', with the team's improved performances in the knockout stages helping to draw a line under the episode.
England will now prepare for Sunday's final as they aim to put the Euro 2020 final penalty shootout defeat to Italy behind them and secure their first trophy since the 1966 World Cup.
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