Jamie Carragher has admitted he's surprised after Gareth Southgate said England had played with 'fear' at Euro 2024 ahead of their showdown with the Netherlands on Wednesday night.
The Three Lions have struggled at the tournament so far, despite reaching the semi-finals of the competition.
England have won just one match in 90 minutes, with that victory coming against Serbia on matchday one.
They needed extra-time to beat Slovakia, while penalties were required to get the better of Switzerland on Saturday.
Jamie Carragher has admitted he's surprised after Gareth Southgate said England had played with 'fear' at Euro 2024 ahead of their showdown with the Netherlands on Wednesday night
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Southgate, prior to the clash with the Netherlands, said England have played with 'fear' at the tournament.
That's despite all the progress they've made under the 53-year-old, having made the semi-finals of two of the last three major tournaments.
And Carragher has admitted he's been taken aback by Southgate's comments, telling Sky Sports: "It does surprise me a little bit, maybe because the expectation is so great on this team because of what they have done before.
"When I was playing it almost felt like the quarter-final was par and a semi-final was an unbelievable achievement.
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"It almost feels like now a semi-final is par for this group and that is a credit to them.
"We can’t disguise the fact the team has been poor. The last game they started well for the first 15 to 20 minutes but we have won one game in five [in normal time].
"There are very few players in the team who you could say are having a great tournament, it doesn’t feel like that.
"It felt like something shifted with those celebrations after the penalties, like 'we are in the semi-final and where we need to be'.
"We need to see the real England now and that may come from playing better opposition.
"I think England just do it, it will be really tight and I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes to penalties.
"I think England go through on penalties."
England last faced off against the Netherlands back in the semi-finals of the Nations League in June 2019.
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Gareth Southgate said England players had been playing with 'fear' ahead of their Euro 2024 showdown with the Netherlands
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The Three Lions went ahead that night through Marcus Rashford, who scored a penalty after a foul by Matthijs de Ligt.
But De Ligt levelled for the Dutch, with a Kyle Walker own goal and strike from Memphis Depay sending the Netherlands through to the final.
Southgate, meanwhile, has called on England players to seize the 'chance to make history' when they step out at the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund.
“This is now the chance to make history, which we’ve enjoyed doing," he said.
Gareth Southgate has urged England players to 'seize the chance to make history' in their Euro 2024 showdown with the Netherlands
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“A chance to get to a first final not held in England – first time England will have ever done that.
“We’re trying to break new ground. That’s difficult and it’s complicated, but the players have responded brilliantly and resilience has been built.
“You can bond and we’ve been very fortunate that we’ve had Ed Sheeran in to sing and it was great, the players had a couple of beers before the last game.
“You can bond in that way, but when you’re having to head the ball out of your box in the 92nd minute and you’re having to find a goal in the 96th minute, there’s nothing stronger than that for building the spirit of a team.”
