Gareth Southgate hit back at his critics as the England manager said Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane's telling contributions against Slovakia were why he avoids making changes. (More Football News)
Bellingham p🌃roduced a stunning acrobatic leveller after 94 minutes to keep England's Euro 2024 hopes alive on Sunday.
💟Captain Kane then headed home just 50 seconds into extra time as England edged into a last-eight meeting with Switzerland after a 2-1 victory over Slovakia.
Some had criticised Southgate for not rolling the changes earlier in the ඣsecond half, though the England manager says the pair's late heroics prove the decision justified.
"With 15 minutes t𓃲o go you wonder if he is out on his feet," Southgate said of Bellingham when speaking to BBC 🍸Radio 5 Live.
"Him and Harry Kane produce those moments and that is why you don't make changes when people are clamouring for more changes. We had enough attacking pl✤ayers on the pitch."
Bellingham's equaliser marked England's latest goal in European Championship history, with his overhead kick timed 𝕴at 94 minutes and 34 seconds.
England had been woeಞful up to that point, failing𓆉 to register a single shot on target after Ivan Schranz's first-half opener.
Yet Southgate believes the tide always seemed set to change after Phil Foden's second-half finish was rul🌸ed out for offside and Declan Rice was denied by the woodwork late on.
"I had a funny feeling the game wasn't dead and I know that s🍬ounds ridiculous," the former England internati👍onal added. "We were pushing and probing.
"Ultimately it is the one we𒁃 have thrown in the box that got us the goal [Bellingham's equalise♔r]."
Kane scored his 14th goal at ෴major tou📖rnaments for England with his well-taken headed finish, with only four European players ever managing more in history.
"He is an extraordinary goal scorer, he is leading the 🤡team so well," Southgate said of his talisman. "He has been exceptional as a captain keeping the ship steady.
"He has been through it before andജ nights like tonight are which the younger ones will refer back to as that is what happens in tournaments."
A meeting with Switzerland in the quarter-fina𓆏ls in Dusseldorf on Saturday will mark Southgate's 100th match in charge of his country, though he says England have not achieved anything yet.
"That's neither here nor there," Southgate responded when asked about the landmark. "We haven't come 🐻to get to a quarter-final but to get through a night like tonight was fantastic character and we now play a Swiss team that have been very good.
"We have a couple of days to recover and get r𝔉eady for🐻 them."
