Gareth Southgate has praised the contribution of Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford to England's European Championship campaign after the Three Lions booked a first major tournament final in 55 years.
England beat Denmark at Wembley on Wednesday night to secure a final against Italy on Sunday and after the extra-time success Southgate was quick to praise the collective contribution to the success.
Lingard was part of the extended 33-man squad called up before the tournament and despite being one of seven players cut he did play in the two warm-up friendlies against Austria and Romania even after he'd been told he wasn't in the final 26.
While United teammate Rashford did make the cut he hasn't started for England in the finals and was an unused substitute in the seismic victories over Germany and Denmark at Wembley.
But Southgate insists both have had a role to play in this tournament, praising the commitment of those players who were part of the larger squad at Rockliffe Hall back in May for the warm-up games, as well as the way Rashford has contributed despite his own disappointment.
"They deserve this. They've been fantastic as a group, the way they've supported each other right the way through this period," Southgate said after England reached the final.
"The guys that were with us in Middlesbrough - Jesse, Prowsey, Ollie Watkins, Trent - they've all played a part in this and they've been immense in their acceptance of the different roles and the moments to come in.
"We've got some stars who haven't had the amount of football they would want, the likes of Marcus Rashford who has just got on with things and accepted that at the moment he's had to wait and be patient but we wouldn't have got to the point we've got to without the mentality of the whole group.
"They can see what it's meant to the whole country tonight and what it has meant to the fans in the stadium. I've never known the new Wembley like this so for all of them nights like this make it all worthwhile."
