Maguire: It's coming home for England...hopefully

England are into the World Cup semi-finals, with Harry Maguire admitting that football is coming home for the Three Lions …“hopefully”.

Gareth Southgate’s side have made the most of landing on the favourable side of the knockout stage draw in Russia to make their way through to the last four .

Confidence is building within the squad, while patriotism is soaring back home as fans dare to believe that a long wait for senior international honours could be about to come to an end.

Maguire helped to keep those fires burning by opening the scoring in a quarter-final clash with Sweden, with his towering header getting England off to the perfect start in a 2-0 win .

The Leicester defender told BBC Sport afterwards: "You can't get better than that and we're through - that's the main thing.

"We felt we could dominate the ball today. We knew set-plays would be a big thing."

Asked if football really is coming home this summer, the 25-year-old said: "Hopefully! Fingers crossed."

Dele Alli got England’s second goal against Sweden, to help calm any nerves and make life a little more comfortable.

Harry Kane drew a rare blank, but a man who continues to top the Golden Boot charts worked tirelessly for the good of the collective cause.

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The Tottenham striker will now get the opportunity to captain the Three Lions in a World Cup semi-final – a feat only Terry Butcher and Bobby Moore have managed in the past.

Kane said of the performance which carried England to that point: "I thought we were fantastic. We faced the long ball - different to what we have faced before and we're buzzing with the result.

"We know there is a big game ahead with the semi-final but we are feeling good and we're confident.

"We just have to go again. We are enjoying it and we've got keep doing what we are doing and make the country proud."

England will face either Russia or Croatia in the last four at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Wednesday.