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• Rice: England would 'do anything to protect' Southgate

  England avoided an early exit at Euro 2024 after last-gasp Jude Bellingham heroics and Declan Rice says the Three Lions "would do anything to protect" manager Gareth Southgate.

  Ivan Schranz's first-half opener seemed to have Slovakia on course for a shock last-16 upset, only for Bellingham to rifle home a remarkable 94th-minute leveller in Gelsenkirchen.

  Bellingham's eye-catching overhead kick sent the tie to extra time, in which Harry Kane headed home just 50 seconds into the additional 30 minutes at Arena AufSchalke on Sunday.

  England have now won their last four games having conceded first at the European Championship, after losing their first six such matches, and Rice says that battling performance was for the under-fire Southgate.

  "I cannot describe the feeling representing England in the European Championship round of 16, you look up at the clock and you think 'we could be going home here'," Rice told BBC Sport.

  "Players are saying that to each other with one minute to go and there is that inner fight and spirit in us.

  "We have got that togetherness tonight, we would do anything to protect this manager. Keep going and keep fighting, it is an honour to be a part of it – we are going to keep going."

  Bellingham's stunning leveller, timed at 94 minutes and 34 seconds, marked England's latest goal at the European Championship.

  Arsenal midfielder Rice says that only serves to highlight the bravery of Bellingham, who etched his name into England folklore with what Kane earlier described as one of the country's best goals in history.

  "It is crazy because if that was me that was going over the bar," Rice joked.

  "It was a big moment for him, at 21 years old that takes a lot of guts. People don't understand what you have to go through to get over the line.

  "We are not playing against invisible men. They are top footballers, they kept going after us. It is about waiting for those moments as the game got stretched we created more.

  "The fans tonight I cannot speak highly enough of them. So grateful they are all here to experience that."

  Rice was part of a confrontation with Slovakia manager Francesco Calzona at full-time, with England in celebratory mood after setting up a last-eight meeting with Switzerland on Saturday in Dusseldorf.

  Calzona was left disheartened, too, after feeling his side were equal to Southgate's men.

  "We played on par basically with England, we almost qualified," Calzona told reporters. "We were very nearly there, unfortunately things went the way they did.

  "I'm very proud to see this team do so well, the other team sending on defenders to preserve their result."

• Southgate pinpoints Kane and Bellingham contributions as reason to not rush changes

  Gareth Southgate hit back at his critics as the England manager said Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane's telling contributions against Slovakia were why he avoids making changes.

  Bellingham produced a stunning acrobatic leveller after 94 minutes to keep England's Euro 2024 hopes alive on Sunday.

  Captain Kane then headed home just 50 seconds into extra time as England edged into a last-eight meeting with Switzerland after a 2-1 victory over Slovakia.

  Some had criticised Southgate for not rolling the changes earlier in the second half, though the England manager says the pair's late heroics prove the decision justified.

  "With 15 minutes to go you wonder if he is out on his feet," Southgate said of Bellingham when speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live. 

  "Him and Harry Kane produce those moments and that is why you don't make changes when people are clamouring for more changes. We had enough attacking players on the pitch."

  Bellingham's equaliser marked England's latest goal in European Championship history, with his overhead kick timed at 94 minutes and 34 seconds.

  England had been woeful up to that point, failing to register a single shot on target after Ivan Schranz's first-half opener.

  Yet Southgate believes the tide always seemed set to change after Phil Foden's second-half finish was ruled out for offside and Declan Rice was denied by the woodwork late on.

  "I had a funny feeling the game wasn't dead and I know that sounds ridiculous," the former England international added. "We were pushing and probing.

  "Ultimately it is the one we have thrown in the box that got us the goal [Bellingham's equaliser]."

  Kane scored his 14th goal at major tournaments for England with his well-taken headed finish, with only four European players ever managing more in history.

  "He is an extraordinary goal scorer, he is leading the team so well," Southgate said of his talisman. "He has been exceptional as a captain keeping the ship steady.

  "He has been through it before and nights like tonight are which the younger ones will refer back to as that is what happens in tournaments."

  A meeting with Switzerland in the quarter-finals in Dusseldorf on Saturday will mark Southgate's 100th match in charge of his country, though he says England have not achieved anything yet.

  "That's neither here nor there," Southgate responded when asked about the landmark. "We haven't come to get to a quarter-final but to get through a night like tonight was fantastic character and we now play a Swiss team that have been very good.

  "We have a couple of days to recover and get ready for them."

• Bellingham warns England must capitalise on last-gasp heroics against Slovakia at Euro 2024

  Jude Bellingham revelled in his last-gasp heroics for England but says only time will tell how important that effort was at Euro 2024.

  The Real Madrid midfielder delivered a stunning overhead-kick equaliser against Slovakia, with his 94th-minute leveller sending the last-16 clash to extra time after Ivan Schranz's first-half opener.

  Harry Kane subsequently headed home just 50 seconds into the additional 30 minutes to send Gareth Southgate's side through to the last eight with a 2-1 extra-time victory on Sunday.

  Though celebrating another landmark moment in his career, Bellingham warned England must now capitalise on their salvaging act and go deeper into the tournament in Germany.

  "It's 20 or 30 seconds until we're out of the European Championship and the mood now is a massive difference, and what it can do for the team going forward," Bellingham told UEFA's official website. 

  "It's a massive moment, but it's a long tournament and we'll only know it if we go on to win the cup. We'll decide in the next two weeks how important it is."

  Bellingham's leveller was timed at 94 minutes and 34 seconds, the latest England goal in their European Championship history.

  It was also their first shot on target of the game in Gelsenkirchen, and Bellingham says it will be one to remember.

  "It's got to be up there," the 21-year-old said of his late strike. "There's a few nice ones, ones that mean a lot to me personally, but this one was so important.

  "Both for today and the mood change if it doesn't happen. It's right up there."

  England are set to meet Switzerland in the quarter-finals on Saturday in Dusseldorf, where Southgate's side will be expected to improve.

  Bellingham acknowledged those expectations weight heavy on the Three Lions, though performances like the Slovakia showing act as a "release".

  "You're 30 seconds away from going home, feeling like you've let your nation down, and one kick of the ball and everything's great," Bellingham added.

  "It's a feeling I don't want to be in, but when it comes, it's a great feeling.

  "Playing for England is a great thing, but it's a lot of pressure as well. Being on the pitch and scoring goals for me is a release, it's a very happy moment."