Euro 2024 – live: England reaction, news and analysis after penalty heroics

Jordan Pickford used a secret sheet of notes taped to a drinks bottle to help England triumph over Switzerland in their Euro 2024 quarter-final.

The match finished 1-1 at full-time after Breel Embolo’s second-half goal was soon matched by Bukayo Saka’s trademark finish, and it stayed that way through extra time. But England put together a perfect penalty shootout, scoring all five of their kicks to progress to the semi-finals.

Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Ivan Toney scored before Trent Alexander-Arnold converted the winning kick, after Pickford had saved Switzerland’s first penalty from Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji.

Images later revealed the goalkeeper’s penalty prop. Under the title “Switzerland penalty taker list,” the bottle had each Swiss player’s name next to an instruction.

England’s former players hailed the courage and execution of the current generation after Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squeezed past Switzerland on penalties at Euro 2024.

The match finished 1-1 at full-time after Breel Embolo’s second-half goal was soon matched by Bukayo Saka’s trademark finish, and it stayed that way through extra time. But England put together a perfect penalty shootout, scoring all five of their kicks to progress to the semi-finals.

Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Ivan Toney scored before Trent Alexander-Arnold converted the winning kick, after Jordan Pickford had saved Switzerland’s first penalty from Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji.

England and manager Southgate have come in for stinging criticism during the tournament after several underwhelming displays, with Gary Lineker describing the 1-1 draw with Denmark as “s***” on his podcast. But an improved showing against Switzerland, followed by five precise penalties, brought out high praise.

As Bukayo Saka stepped up for the penalty against Switzerland, a lot of the England staff were conscious of the weight on his shoulders. Some tried not to mention it, but it did hang there. He’d taken many for Arsenal in response to that Euro 2020 miss, but it was nothing like this.

“I know there’s a lot of nervous people watching, like my family…” Saka himself said afterwards. That’s enough of a thought to flash through your mind in itself.

He wasn’t thinking of any of it in the moment, though. It was also why Gareth Southgate and the England staff were fully confident in him. They’d gone through so many preparation processes as a group. There was also Saka’s individual character – and quality. They didn’t need to mention it, because they knew he was ready.

Another game for England without entertaining the masses, but another step closer to the Euro 2024 final – and perhaps another hint as to where the future lies, whether that comes during this tournament or not.

Not from another one-paced, uninventive display. Not with the supposed tactical shift either, which did little to change the speed of England’s play or the way they constantly checked inside to play safe and create too little. But if the original 90 minutes didn’t contain sufficient drama, their second late equaliser in as many matches and a subsequent penalty shootout victory perhaps offered just enough.

Instead, the big positives for England to take might be from what they didn’t do to start with: the changes made, the introductions of personnel and pace, the ability they clearly possess to alter their approach in important stages of games.

Karl Matchett in Dusseldorf on Southgate’s glimpse of a possible future:

First things first: a recap of last night’s on-pitch action, beginning with Miguel Delaney’s match report from Dusseldorf – Bukayo Saka’s rescue act, the penalties and the 80-odd minutes of inactivity which preceded it all.

Good morning – welcome to the start of the final week of Euro 2024. And England are still involved! A penalty shoot-out victory over Switzerland in Dusseldorf means they’ll face Netherlands in the last four, with France and Spain also clashing in the other semi-final.

Coming up: all the reaction to last night’s win, the latest England news and updates from around the tournament.