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It was tense, it was scruffy and even ugly at times. But that precious moment when Harry Kane put the game to bed was worth its weight in gold to the entire nation, let alone the England captain. Kane cut an emotional figure as he collapsed to the turf after heading home Jack Grealish’s perfect delivery, you could see what this meant to him.
After clashing knees with Mats Hummels, Kane in truth, looked a dead man walking.
He’d struggle to affect the game and missed a golden chance in first-half stoppage time that he’d have scored 10 times over for Tottenham.
As Kane hobbled around the pitch, looking to the skies, you just questioned whether this would be his tournament.
You even questioned whether Southgate was wrong to leave Dominic Calvert-Lewin out of the squad.
Yet the England manager persisted with Kane. He never stopped believing in his skipper, who looked dead on his feet.
It’s clear Kane is not his usual self. But he’ll be there, just when you need him most.
Southgate could easily have taken him off, Marcus Rashford was even ready to replace him.
And that moment when Kane was on hand to head home from six yards, really was something special. It proved exactly why England fans should keep trusting in their boss.
His handling and treatment of Raheem Sterling has been second to none.
The Manchester City winger has endured a difficult season but Southgate never stopped believing in his man, who was once a target for England’s boo-boys.
Make no mistake, Sterling is now a national hero.
He has been England’s man for the big occasion at Euro 2020.
The boy from Brent knew this was his time to shine.
Ahead of the Group D opener against Croatia, he told Rio Ferdinand he would score and he’s kept that momentum going.
Southgate quite easily could have taken either but he kept the faith and in the end, he was spot on.
This was a truly special afternoon for England and maybe, just maybe, this was the game that gives them the belief they can go all the way.
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