Relief and belief: Stones and England inspired by famous win over Germany

To many onlookers, it was the game that transformed the belief of Gareth Southgate’s England team, the one which elevated them from hopefuls to contenders. It is certainly how John Stones sees it and yet there was also the moment within it when destiny played its part – or maybe just plain good luck.

Stones had the perfect view. It was England’s last-16 tie against Germany at Wembley in the European Championship last summer and the defender was chasing Thomas Müller. He was never going to get back. It was the 81st minute, Raheem Sterling had sold Stones short with a back pass, Kai Havertz released Müller and the Germany forward looked certain to equalise for 1-1. And yet he shot wide.

Sterling crumpled to the turf in relief. His goal had given England the lead and, after Müller’s miss, Harry Kane’s second would secure a famous victory – one that, in many respects, frames England’s Nations League tie against Germany on Tuesday night.

It was the first time since the 1966 World Cup final that England had beaten Germany at the knockout stage of a major tournament – the inglorious run taking in the World Cups of 1970, 1990 and 2010 and Euro 96. More broadly, it was only a ninth knockout-round victory since 1966 and the list had contained only one big scalp (Spain at Euro 96).

The path to the Euro final had been lit and England would get there, although the heartbreaking twist was the defeat by Italy on penalties. But something had changed. Now they knew they had what it took to rival the elite and it will drive them at the Qatar World Cup at the end of the year.

“The Germany game was probably the turning point in that tournament of feeling the belief that we could go on and win this,” Stones says. “For us to play the way we