Two days after his team beat Colombia on penalties to advance to the World Cup quarter-finals, England defender John Stones said the South Americans were the “dirtiest” team he’d ever faced.
Stones said that he’d heard “all the sort of things you don’t really hear in a football match.”
But the Manchester City man, who has two goals to his name at the World Cup, said that he was proud of the way his team stuck to their task.
“On our behalf it showed massive character to keep a cool head and not get dragged into their game,” he said.
“We stuck to our plan and kept playing our way and that’s a great quality to have. It was a difficult situation but one we’ve overcome and can be proud of.”
England face Sweden in the quarter-finals on Saturday in Samara and Stones said that was just reward for England’s efforts – and for Colombia’s.
“They’re on the plane going home and we’re in the next round,” he added.
