A mickey-taking French reporter has given England players all the motivation they need ahead of tonight's Euros opener. A row was sparked by a French reporter sitting at the back of a packed England Press conference.

The journalist asked Roy Hodgson and Steven Gerrard how it was possible for England to still call themselves a serious footballing nation when they have not won a major tournament since 1966.

Liverpool ace Gerrard, bristling, said: "That sort of thing is all the motivation we need.

"We know we have our critics and we know we have under-performed for far too long.

"But we also know we are better than our results at the last few major tournaments suggest.

"I have belief in myself and the players. I know how they can perform when they get it right, I see it week-in, week-out in the Premier League.

"I think one tournament very soon it will click and we will get that bit of luck that you always need.

"Then we will prove an awful lot of people wrong - especially that bloke at the back today."