Harry Kane believes comeback win can bring England squad even closer together

England captain Harry Kane believes the manner of the late comeback win over Slovakia can bring the squad even closer together as they prepare for a Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland.

Kane headed home in extra time to secure a 2-1 victory but only after Jude Bellingham’s sensational overhead kick had levelled the scores deep into stoppage time.

It was another disjointed display by Gareth Southgate’s side in Gelsenkirchen but they rallied at the death to make sure their Euro 2024 adventure continues into the last eight.

“We were proud of each other,” Kane told Lions’ Den as he spoke of the relief of getting over the line.

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“We could have won that game 3-0 and done really well and come away happy. But sometimes you have to go through these moments and you look each other in the eye and go that extra bit.

“You dig yourself out of a hole and when you get through that it brings out that different energy, that different togetherness.

“Whatever scenario we have in the next game, it’s like ‘We’ve been here boys, we trust each other and we know we’ll do whatever it takes for each other’.”

Kane may have scored the clinching goal, the 65th of his England career, but he was full of praise for Bellingham’s strike.

The Real Madrid man had struggled to make an impact for much of Sunday evening at the Veltins Arena only to arrive on the scene to score with a stunning volley.

“It was an unbelievable goal and to do that in that moment speaks volumes to him as a guy and his mentality,” Kane said of the 21-year-old.

“That finish and that moment was special. That summed Jude’s season up. What he’s done at Madrid in his first season. We said in the bus afterwards that it couldn’t just be a tap-in at the back post, it had to be something special.

“That sums up who he is and what he’s done this year especially. What a finish and then it’s that relief, then you’re buzzing but you’ve still got another 30 minutes to play. I thought we handled that well.

“Knockout goals are some of the best feelings you will ever score in your career. They’re just so important. We know what it means to people watching back home and in the stadium. I remember watching major tournaments growing up and they’re special moments.

“Jude’s one and my one, they are ones you repeat, you watch back, you see fans reacting in the crowd, you see clips of the fans back in the pubs and the boxparks and all that.

“You’re proud to make people that happy. Of course they mean more if you go all the way and if you go on to win it they will become even more special.”

Switzerland are next up for England, who will travel for Saturday’s tie in Dusseldorf with renewed vigour following the Slovakia win.

“It’s going to be a tough game but every game in this tournament is tough,” added Kane.

“The Swiss have had a great tournament so far. Beating Italy is not easy. We’ll expect another tough game. But we’ll do what we always do, we’ll prepare during the week, analyse the game just gone and look at Switzerland and what they do well and where their weaknesses are and we’ll try to exploit that.

“But each game is different, scenarios are different, things might happen and you have to find a way to overcome that.”