GARETH SOUTHGATE will fire up England for tonight’s Battle of Britain by showing a video of Wales gloating over their humiliating Euro 2016 exit.
The clips of Gareth Bale and Co wildly celebrating the shock loss to Iceland wound up Three Lions’ players, staff and fans.
Asked if the video has been used as a motivational tool, boss Southgate replied with a broad grin: “I couldn’t say! We are aware of some of that.”
SunSport on Sunday reported how Luke Shaw admitted Wales’ taunting “wasn’t nice” and the England star vowed his team-mates will do their talking on the pitch.
And, after a 64-year wait to play in a World Cup, Wales must either win by four goals or more or defeat England by a lesser margin and hope the USA draw with Iran if they are to progress to the last 16.
Southgate’s side are through unless they lose by four goals and will be confirmed as Group B winners with a victory.
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On the rivalry with Rob Page’s Wales, he said: “We know they have additional motivation to play against us, from what they are saying, so we have got to be prepared.
“Like any two countries who border each other, there is a competitive rivalry.
“For me, it’s a great sporting rivalry, no more than that — that feeling might not be mutual but I can understand that.
“I live in Yorkshire — they feel the same about the rest of England!”
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There are seven members of England’s Euro 2016 squad in Qatar — including skipper Harry Kane — and some have spoken behind the scenes about the video.
Back then Chris Coleman’s Dragons reached the semis despite losing a group match to England.
Asked whether the Welsh are more patriotic, sing their national anthem with more pride and will be more fired up tonight, Southgate replied: “They do have a great anthem to be fair. It’s stirring.
“But if people want to say that they are more patriotic, then no problem but they wouldn’t know our dressing room very well. Or any of the England dressing rooms I was in as a player.
“That’s an easy narrative for people to say but it’s not my experience.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
