Gareth Southgate says his England team have 'broken through a number of barriers' with their run at the World Cup.

The Three Lions were knocked out at the semi-final stage after losing 2-1 to Croatia in Moscow on Wednesday.

The England fans stayed behind long after the final whistle to cheer on their players, which was a far cry from the public backlash they received two years ago after they were eliminated by Iceland at Euro2016.

And speaking to reporters after the game, Southgate believes his side have reconnected with their disenfranchised fan base.

"The reaction of the supporters from then compared to two years ago says the country is proud of what they've done and the way they've played," said Southgate.

"Over time there'll be a lot of positives to take. it's a bit too soon to put the positives into context.

"But I'm hugely proud of what they done, I couldn't ask them to do anymore for me or the country. They've broken through a number of barriers over the past few weeks."