They’ve come home: England return after World Cup heroics
Written by News on 16/07/2018
England’s World Cup team have arrived back home following their surprise run to the semi-finals of the tournament.
Gareth Southgate and his squad touched down at Birmingham Airport shortly before 4pm, but there was no fanfare as the Football Association decided against staging a homecoming event to mark their return.
This is despite the Three Lions defying pre-tournament expectations and reaching the last four of a World Cup for the first time in almost 30 years.
Southgate told Sky Sports News his team had “shown what’s possible”.
“There are certain hurdles we needed to overcome, historical landmarks, we’ve not won a knockout game for 10 years, penalty shoot-outs – we’ve shown what’s possible,” he said.
“I know there’s a lot of work and we strive to reach the level of the top five or six teams in the world but we are beating others around us and we are improving.”
Southgate said the squad could be proud of their achievement in getting to the semi-final.
“The margins are very fine,” he said.
“Previous teams have had the opportunities we had and not managed to get over the line and this team did.
“They’ve achieved as much as other teams have – only the winners in 1966 surpassed what the boys did. They have to recognise that and be very proud of what they’ve done.”
Amid criticism from some fans on Twitter, Birmingham Airport insisted the decision was made by the Football Association because of security restrictions.
England returned the day after their 2-0 defeat to Belgium in the tournament’s third place play-off in St Petersburg.
Earlier in the week, fans were daring to dream of a possible place in the final when Kieran Trippier curled in a sumptuous free-kick after just five minutes in Wednesday’s semi-final against Croatia.
But Southgate’s men faded, eventually falling to a 2-1 defeat after extra-time.
The low-key return was in contrast to the last time England reached the semi-finals in 1990, when there was an open top bus parade.
Reflecting on England’s performance, Southgate added: “That’s the privilege of being involved with England… we have a chance to be involved with people’s lives and bringing happiness to millions and we’ve lifted some of the gloom in this country.
“It’s only temporary but still a very powerful thing to be involved with. We’re looking forward to (doing) that again.”
(c) Sky News 2018: They’ve come home: England return after World Cup heroics
