England fans stayed behind long after Eric Dier’s winning penalty kick to celebrate the last 16 win over Colombia in the stands of the Spartak Stadium on Tuesday night.
Gareth Southgate came out after his media duties to the pitch in Moscow to see the fans, who were still jubilantly singing after England’s first ever penalty-shootout win in the World Cup.
England now face Sweden in the quarter-finals and Southgate told his players to capitalise on this chance to live out their World Cup dreams, although he is under no illusions about what a "hugely difficult" task it will be.
"We've talked a lot to this team about making their own history, and I feel they've really bought into everything we've tried to do with them," Southgate said. "The composure they showed in their play for the first 85 to 88 minutes in a big match, under pressure, I thought was really impressive.
"I think for them, definitely a big moment. We want to capitalise on it now.
"I'm already thinking about the next game. I'd have liked a week to enjoy this one but haven't got that because Sweden are a team I respect hugely.
"We've not got a good record against them, I think we've always underestimated them. They have good plans, they have a clear way of playing - and it's bloody difficult to play against. They are greater than the sum of their parts more often than not, so that is a hugely difficult game for us.
"Because at the moment we're high as a kite and hoping to recover and we've got to get back to Repino at six in the morning, but what a great game for us to be in."
