After its large victory against Ukraine on Saturday night (4-0), the England team advance to the semi-finals with full confidence, a renewal enabled by the work of Gareth Southgate, at the head of the Three Lions for five years.

Focus on a profitable style for the teammates of Marcus Rashford and Harry Kane, qualified in the last four as in 2018.

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By qualifying England for its second consecutive semi-final in a major tournament, Gareth Southgate put his country "on the football map", with pragmatism, great confidence in his players but also strong choices. On Wednesday, against Denmark, the Three Lions will aim for the first Euro final in their history, after the failures of 1996, on penalties against Germany, and of 1968, against Yugoslavia (1-0), two years after their world title at home. Never since had they integrated the last four in two successive competitions.

"It is very pleasant to obtain results which allow our country to be put back on the football map," admitted Gareth Southgate after the demonstration against Ukraine (4-0).

If the best is perhaps yet to come, with the last two matches taking place at Wembley, Southgate is already part of the elite of English coaches.

Play time for young people 

In five years, he has made a team traumatized by a humiliating elimination against Iceland (2-1) at Euro 2016 a very credible contender for the continental title.

Appointed first for an interim of four matches - two wins and two draws - it was almost to popular acclaim from the players that the former Aston Villa and Middlesbrough player, himself selected 57 times for the squad. England, had been confirmed in his post.

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Taking advantage of his previous responsibilities at the head of the Hopes, he gave a saving youthful boost to the England team which - apart from phenomenon, such Wayne Rooney - did not easily trust young people. The selections of Jude Bellingham (18), Bukayo Saka (19) or Jadon Sancho (21), confirm that, for him, the value does not wait for the number of years.

Without ever departing from a completely British phlegm, he created around his group a cocoon of calm and confidence totally impervious to the mood swings of public opinion and of a very versatile press.

The goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, despite his balls with Everton, Raheem Sterling, lacking in efficiency with Manchester City at the end of the season, or Harry Kane, ghostly in the first round, are the most striking examples.

Space for players

Conversely, the "hype" surrounding Jack Grealish, darling of many supporters and the media, the status Marcus Rashford thought he enjoyed or Phil Foden's incredible season with Manchester City only earned them limited playing time. , sacrificed on the altar of complementarity and a pragmatic game plan but validated by the results.

These strong choices have never caused any scandal, probably because it leaves a lot of space for the players to express themselves and not only as footballers.

"As a coach, you always have to be there to support the person, improving them as a player becomes secondary, to a certain extent," he explained on the federation's website.

Its participatory, even collaborative, approach empowers the players.

"I like that the players take the floor during meetings, I like that they have an opinion on the game, because in the 85th minute, when they have a decision to make who could decide whether to win or win. defeat, we will not be able to make this decision from the edge of the sideline, "he added.

Rewarded tactical choices

Beyond its human management, this Euro has also endorsed its tactical choices.

His decision to rework a game plan with 3 central in defense during the last League of Nations, when he had gone to 4 after the World Cup, surprised.

He then explained that his team could not appear well in the Euro if it did not master several patterns of play.

The historic victory against Germany in eighth (2-0), with three central, before the demonstration against Ukraine in quarter with four, comes, once again, to prove him in retrospect.

It is also not excluded that his team will return to 3-4-3 in the next round against Denmark.

With so much success?