XtraTime Web desk: Manchester United forward Jesse Lingard claims that the team’s morale will be crucial in guiding England to their first ever knockout victory in 12 years.
Lingard believes that the family atmosphere in Gareth Southgate’s side will definitely have a big edge over Colombia as England quests for another World Cup triumph in 52 years.
England last won their World cup knockout game was way back in the 2006 edition, against Ecuador.
Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have all spoken recently of their past World cup debacles, where despite of performing well for their respective clubs in the competitive Premier League, they always find it a big hurdle to cross the last 16 stage.
Any time spent watching Southgate’s squad at close quarters reveals a contrasting camaraderie and Lingard feels this can work in the Three Lions’ favour at a World Cup that continues to open up unpredictably.
“We’ve become like family,” he said. “You’re going to have to get along with each other when you’re around each other this long.
“Everyone gets on. There’s no squabbling in the camp, there’s no cliques in the camp. I think that’s why we’ve done well.
“For now we’re family and we’ve really got a strong bond at the moment between everyone.”
In the type of excursion that was seemingly unlikely during the Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello eras, Lingard and Manchester United colleague Marcus Rashford went to a St Petersburg theme park on their Friday afternoon off with Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck and Liverpool duo Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
“I thought he would be more quiet than he is. He pipes up now and then,” Lingard chuckled about teenage full-back Alexander-Arnold, who starred in an Instagram story video of his team-mates making a hasty escape from a rollercoaster because they thought the safety harnesses were faulty.
“I think everyone’s happy, everyone has their own banter with each other,” he continued.
“We do a lot of bonding stuff to really get to know each other and I think that’s important as a team off the pitch, to get to know each other.
“On the pitch you learn about them as well to get a rough idea of how they play – what are their qualities, what are their weaknesses.
“I think we’ve really come together as squad and gelled over the past six weeks.”
It is that understanding on the field that will count above and beyond anything else at Spartak Stadium against a talented Colombia side who are waiting on the fitness of star playmaker James Rodriguez.
After the damp squib of a heavily rotated line-up losing 1-0 to Belgium in their final group game, Lingard is confident England have more gears to go through in Russia so long as they have road left to run.
“I think there’s another level for us. In training everyone is sharp. Everyone’s 100 per cent on it,” he added
“When it comes to the games we know we’re going to be ready. There probably is another gear we can go to. We’ll have to wait and see.”