In a repeat of the former tournament when he scribed notes while others around him celebrated an England goal against Senegal, Keane proved once again that his focus remains on the logistics of the game rather than the frenzy of the moment.
The Irish pundit has not shied away from criticising England’s performances, yet he acknowledges that triumphs are what matter in the knockout stages. Recalling his time with a Manchester United team that often won despite being outplayed, he emphasised the importance of results over style.
Reflecting on the game, Keane said: “Sometimes after a game you reflect on it… you talk about performances, but at this level it is all about getting over the line and winning. Everyone wants a great performance, but they keep getting results.”
Looking ahead, the Irishman remarked: “You might say the next game (against Switzerland) will be tougher and you say if they perform like they they are going to go our, but let’s see how they go. We were really critical at half-time, but they found a way to win.
“The top players stepped up. God help us when Bellingham starts playing well because he has produced two big moments. Again, you go back to it and they have found a way to win and they deserve credit for that.”
