Some thoughts from Micah Richards who said: “We want to talk positive about England. We are on the front foot and everyone seems together – that is important.”

Bukayo Saka successfully dribbled past Michel Aebischer four times in the first half, the most one player has beaten another in a single match at Euro 2024.

Jordan Pickford has saved four of the 14 penalties he has faced in shootouts at major tournaments, twice as many as all other England goalkeepers combined saved between 1990 and 2012 (2 out of 36).

Former England midfielder Izzy Christiansen speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live:

“England trusted Trent Alexander-Arnold in that moment, to take the fifth penalty. He almost took all of the anger out from what he’s experienced at the tournament in that spot-kick.

“The deep breath he took between the referee blowing his whistle and taking the penalty made the whole stadium stop still, and he had that moment for him to set himself and finish.”

England scored all five of their penalties against Switzerland, just the second time in 10 major tournament shootouts that England have scored 100% of their penalties, also doing so at Euro 96 vs Spain (4/4).

“I am going to put it up there, special. How we fought back and to go to penalties. Last time we took at penalty shootout at the Euros we know what happened. I believed. I felt like we dominated the whole game and the chance would come and I took it – I am proud of myself for that.

“I have faith in God. To comeback from something like that [missing a penalty in Euro 2020 final] is really difficult, today I took the chance.

“I think it shows how much we want to win this tournament. Hopefully, next game we can win in 90-minutes but if this is what it takes – we will do anything!”

“We’ve been crying out as a nation for a performance we can be proud of. Today wasn’t perfect but it was such an improvement. Then it was nerves of steel when it mattered. I had no doubt in my mind.”

England’s former players hailed the courage and execution of the current generation after Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squeezed past Switzerland on penalties and into the semi-finals of Euro 2024.

The match finished 1-1 at full-time after Breel Embolo’s second-half goal was soon matched by Bukayo Saka’s trademark finish, and it stayed that way through extra time. But England put together a perfect penalty shootout, scoring all five of their kicks.

Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Ivan Toney scored before Trent Alexander-Arnold all converted the winning kick, after Jordan Pickford had saved Switzerland’s first penalty from Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji.

It isn’t always convincing, it is often confusing, but the results are as clear as Bukayo Saka’s shot: England are in Gareth Southgate’s third major semi-final after a shootout victory over Switzerland. They are now two games from glory, even if the football doesn’t always evoke that feeling.

That won’t matter to the team and it often doesn’t matter to a tournament. England have found a way. Through that, Gareth Southgate may have found a team. The introduction of Luke Shaw may end up as influential as anything else in this tournament, with a game that required others to make the difference.

Above all was Saka, who rescued England with a piece of individual brilliance, and then continued to bury the memory of Euro 2020 with another supreme penalty. Next was Jordan Pickford, who made the fateful save from Manuel Akanji. That ended up being all that was required, as all of Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold slotted home with minimum fuss, and maximum precision.