England Boss Gareth Southgate Young Lions Hails' Progress Despite Painful World Cup Elimination

England manager Gareth Southgate highlighted the positives of the Three Lions 'FIFA World Cup campaign on Wednesday night, despite the heartbreak of a 2-1 defeat to Croatia after extra time in the Lions' World Cup semi-final at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

England took an early lead through a stunning Kieran Trippier free kick, Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic overturned Croatia's deficit. It's a place in Sunday's final against France, and feels England out.

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Speaking after the game, and quoted by the BBC, Southgate was full of praise for his young side's achievements. "

Nevertheless, Southgate," he said, adding: "Many of you have won over – and we've surpbaded many of them," he said. Great luck to reach their first World Cup final for 52 years.

They certainly do not guarantee they will come again, "he admitted.

England certainly did not take their chances in the first half, as Harry Kane and Jesse Lingard squandered their chances to extend the Three Lions' 1-0 lead

Yet Southgate sounded optimistic about the future of his youthful side. "We want to be a team who hit quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals," he baderted. "

Southgate also hailed the progress made by England since their shock defeat to Iceland in the last 16 of the 2016 European Championship.

"I'm remarkably proud of the group of players – the reaction of the fans compared to two years ago shows the country are proud of the way we played," he said.

final place against Belgium on Saturday, which Southgate described as 'not a game any team wants to play in'. Nevertheless, he insisted that his side would take the game seriously.

"We will want to give a performance of huge pride," he said.