Gareth Southgate is England’s Mary Poppins and did two huge things with Croatia win

Gareth Southgate Mary Poppins

Gareth Southgate is England’s Mary Poppins after the win vs Croatia (Image: GETTY)

Gareth Southgate, practically perfect in every way all summer, really has shown himself to be a Mary Poppins saviour to English football.

Such a far cry from the Wally with the Brolly.

But it was not just Croatia’s historic hold over England in these big games at Wembley that they wrestled their way free from in the thrilling finale.

This was the team which had also come from behind to beat England in the World Cup semi-final and they were being given a taste of their own medicine with not so much as a spoonful of sugar in sight.

Moreover, it was a bold, no-nonsense decision that the stage for the game to turn. The top-performing duo of Marcus Rashford and Fabian Delph were sacrificed to make way for Jesse Lingard and Jadon Sancho.

It still needed that little bit of extra magic. Forget his spell book, though – Southgate went straight for the England football history books.

When the England manager first arrived in the job in 2016, we were still mesmerised by Iceland and the two-dimensional tactics that had left us with our chins on the floor.

Southgate soon unveiled his own methods would be to play with the ball. But he is clearly not too proud to learn.

As time ticked down with Croatia having taken the lead against the run of play, Joe Gomez trotted across to take a throw-in mid-way in the opposition half. He launched it straight out from that Icelandic playbook.

Harry Kane goal England

Harry Kane scores in the 85th minute to win the group for England (Image: GETTY)

John Stones’ header bounced up and appeared to hit Harry Kane in the face but he still had the presence of mind to prod it goalwards with his toe as he fell. Jesse Lingard pounced and forced it over the line.

It was a moment of luck – so sorely lacking from England’s recent narrative. And with their tails up, the Three Lions were determined to take advantage, again with a nod to their history.

Ben Chilwell’s free-kick arced dangerously across the face of the Croatia penalty area. Kane lurked at the far post, stretched out his toe and this time he was just near enough to divert the ball inside the post for the winner.

Anybody else get flashbacks of Paul Gascoigne in the 1990 World Cup semi-final against Germany?

It was the perfect time for the England captain to break his duck having failed to score in an England shirt in his last 747 minutes. The goal that puts the team on the plane to Portugal next June.

Harry Kane winner Wembley

The Three Lions celebrate Kane’s winner at Wembley (Image: GETTY)

Wait 22 years for a semi-final and suddenly two come along in 11 months.

Lessons learned from the disappointment of losing the last one in Russia is what got them to their next one.

Previously, England fans would have been watching the final minutes through their fingers but there seemed a belief that they were going to get to the final whistle safely.

Their strength of character, though, had already been tested when they went behind in a game they should have won by half-time.

Southgate players

Southgate congratulates his players (Image: GETTY)

England’s football had been electric. Raheem Sterling should have scored the opener in the 11th minute when put through on goal, only to hit the Croatia goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic with a shot lacking any real artistry.

Even from the corner, when the ball fell to Kane at the far post, you expected the net to bulge. But the Tottenham man was off-balance and the ball skewed away harmlessly for a goal-kick.

Four minutes later, Sterling was again through. Kalinic came out of his area but could only head to Kane – although again his shot lacked conviction and Tin Jedvaj cleared off the line.

Then when Jordan Pickford hit a long pass to Marcus Rashford which would have graced Glenn Hoddle’s right foot, Wembley was buzzing. This was England playing in a way they had not produced for a long time.

Kane celebrates

Kane celebrates his dramatic late winner (Image: GETTY)

Yet 57 minutes into the game, England were suddenly behind. Croatia broke quickly, Andrej Kramaric twisted and turned in the box while defenders struggled to get near him.

Stones was sold by a dummy, Eric Dier’s only contribution was to stick out the shin which Kramaric’s shot promptly hit and looped into the net past Pickford.

This time, though, it was going to be different. This was not Turin, this was not Moscow. And it was not even raining.

Mind you, if Southgate had unfurled an umbrella and disappeared off into the sky, there would have been more than a few England fans floating along Wembley Way with him.