Dier: England have broken penalty 'mental barrier'

Eric Dier insists England are ready for a World Cup shootout in Qatar after they broke down "mental barriers" by beating Colombia on penalties four years ago.

The win at the last 16 stage in Russia was England's first in a World Cup at their fourth attempt.

They have also only ever won one shootout at a European Championship – against Spain at Euro 96 – including losing last year’s final to Italy at Wembley.

England were also successful in their Nations League third-placed play-off against Switzerland in 2019.

But the Colombia victory, in which Dier scored the decisive effort after goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had saved superbly from Carlos Bacca, has been hailed as a watershed moment by the Tottenham defender.

"There are ifs, buts and maybes aren’t there," he said.

"I feel like that World Cup, it’s difficult for me to say because I was involved, but I felt in that game we broke down a lot of mental barriers and stereotypes that exist in English football surrounding things like knockout games and penalty shootouts and playing against that type of opposition as well.

"I think that game I remember it felt at the time like it was a weight off our shoulders and I think you saw that in the next game against Sweden (in the quarter-final).

"No-one was talking about us winning it and that game was a moment in which we all felt like we had got over a few hurdles and now we were free to just play and some of the weight of history had been removed from our backs."

Dier has not started a game at the World Cup so far but, with England coming up against Senegal at Al Bayt Stadium in the last 16 on Sunday night, he would have no qualms stepping up if the tie went all the way to penalties.

"I’m definitely not scared to take a penalty," he said.

"I’d