Press Association
Gareth Southgate has challenged England to keep thinking big as they look to secure a place in the last 16 of the World Cup with victory over the United States.
Captain Harry Kane has shaken off an ankle problem to be fit for today’s clash at the Al Bayt Stadium.
Southgate is looking to go one better than at last summer’s Euros, where England lost the final on penalties to Italy, which followed three years on from reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The England manager believes such progression shows his players are putting the nation firmly back on the footballing map.
“We feel that we can be competitive for years to come and that has to be the aim really, to have a sustained challenge in the latter stages on the big competitions, we haven’t done that for years and years,” Southgate said.
“These players are putting our country on the map really. They are regaining our respectability on the world stage and we have got to keep doing that.”
Asked if Kane would be in the team, Southgate replied: “Harry’s good.
“He came through training no problems so yes, it would be a brave decision to leave him out of the starting team.”
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