After their 2-1 defeat to Germany, England finished second in Group B, setting up the last-eight clash over the weekend.
Cresswell, who has played every minute for England so far in the tournament, was very vocal in the Nitra defeat on Wednesday, especially in the tepid first half, and wants his side to take the second-half fight into the Spain clash.
Speaking to reporters after the game, he said: “(We have to) show some fight, you’re playing for England, let's run harder than them, work harder than them just I was saying to the lads ‘just smash into them’, ‘I don't know you're there’ and ‘let them know they're in a game’.
“We showed that in the second half, but we've got to take that into the next game.”
England could be taking a flight home on Sunday if they bow out of the tournament to Spain, but Cresswell is not ready to go home yet.
The Toulouse defender added: “I said to the lads today, it doesn't get better than this. You're playing for England Under-21s against Germany, and next will be against Spain.
“It doesn't get better than this. We'll look back on this time and want to live this point again so it's important we stay right here right now and enjoy every moment.”
Omari Hutchinson, who provided the assist for Alex Scott’s consolation goal on Wednesday, echoed Cresswell’s calls ahead of the quarter-final, a game he described as his biggest in an England shirt.
“I think they’re very good on the ball. But we want to be dominant, so we're going to have to take that away from them,” Hutchinson urged.
“I think we can be physically better than them, so we need to outrun them and take them to the final whistle.”
Liam Delap, a former Ipswich Town teammate of Hutchinson’s, has been a big miss for England, and with one goal in their last 180 minutes of group play, Hutchinson feels that there is a difference without him.
He explained: “He gives a different presence to the team, and I think he makes some stuff easier for other players to do. But we have a great squad, and everyone can play up front.
“He’s a goalscoring striker, so it’s a shame he’s not here.”