DOHA (Reuters) - England manager Gareth Southgate said his ambitions were greater now than when his side reached the World Cup semi-finals four years ago in Russia and he was optimistic about England's chances in Sunday's last-16 tie against Senegal in Qatar.
England qualified for the knockout stage after topping Group Two on Tuesday by beating Wales 3-0 thanks to Marcus Rashford's brace and Phil Foden's goal.
"There's a different mentality, more confidence. Our goals are different this time," Southgate, whose side scored nine goals in three matches at the tournament in Qatar, told reporters.
“In Russia the team was asking itself: Can we win a knockout round match?
"There is more ambition now, more confidence and more experience in big matches."
England's run to the semi-finals in Russia was a surprise, as pre-tournament expectations had been modest. But after finishing runners-up at Euro 2020 and Southgate's solid squad, England are among the favorites in Doha.
"We are happy with what we have achieved so far, but the decisive phase is just beginning," Southgate said.
(Prepared by Ashraf Hamed for the Arabic Bulletin)