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."
Euro 2024 social round-up: The Dutch take over Munich and Ed Sheeran's private performance
The Euro 2024 round of 16 comes to an end on Tuesday.
Romania and the Netherlands are in action in Munich, with their fans creating quite the atmosphere.
Turkiye and Austria face off later on.
And there was also plenty of reaction from the previous matches of the round, too. We've picked out some of the best social media posts.
Private Ed-ucation
England thought they were heading out of the tournament until Jude Bellingham's moment of brilliance against Slovakia on Sunday.
And along with a quarter-final against Switzerland coming as a reward, the Three Lions' squad got an extra treat when pop sensation Ed Sheeran visited their camp to put on a private performance.
Clips of the gig made it onto social media. Perhaps that is what England need to add some spark to their performances?
Oranje takeover
The Dutch fans have been an off-field highlight in Germany, and they were in fantastic voice again as they travelled in their thousands to Munich to cheer on Ronald Koeman's team against Romania.
It was a sea of orange (or Oranje), and it really is some sight.
Fans in unison
But it wasn't just the Dutch fans enjoying themselves in Munich ahead of kick-off.
In fact, supporters of both the Netherlands and Romania joined up to have a sing and dance in the fan park before the match.
Ronaldo's tears
Cristiano Ronaldo was in the limelight on Monday, albeit not for the reason he would have wanted.
The Portugal star missed a penalty in extra time against Slovenia, and relied on his goalkeeper Diogo Costa to get the Selecao out of trouble by making three saves in the shootout.
Ronaldo was in tears at the interval in extra time, though it all worked out in the end. Portugal will face France in the last eight.
CR7's free-kick woes
That penalty was not the only set-piece Ronaldo squandered against Slovenia, with the 39-year-old also trying his luck from free-kicks.
In fact, Ronaldo has now taken 60 free-kicks at major tournaments, yet he has only scored one (against Spain at the 2018 World Cup).
Opta Analyst posted a handy graphic of all those free-kick attempts on X, while also providing a comparison with Lionel Messi, who has scored five out of 53 free-kicks at major tournaments.
Talk about adding insult to injury, guys...
Bellingham's 'most important goal'
Bellingham was the man in England's 'diary room' on Tuesday, and he mentioned how he made sure to give Marc Guehi credit for helping to tee up his overhead kick against Slovakia.
The 21-year-old called it "the most important" goal of his life, too.
There's plenty of spirit in the England camp. Can they translate that into a better performance, though?
Safety first...
Gareth Southgate has come in for plenty of criticism for his conservative tactics at Euro 2024.
And that has seen some accounts join in with what has become something of a pile-on... Including, bizarrely, KFC.
Their official X account posted an AI-generated image of Southgate in a hi-vis, helmet and gloves while frying chicken. Poor old Gareth.
Memphis' new(er) look
Memphis Depay debuted a headband in the group stage, but it looks like he's now switched up the colour from white to black.
He has scored one goal so far, though that came in a defeat to Austria. Will this new look change his luck?
Pogba rules out retirement despite four-year doping ban
Paul Pogba insisted he will not be retiring from football despite his four-year doping ban.
The Frenchman tested positive for doping twice, including for DHEA in September last year, and was handed the sanction in February.
The ruling means he will not be able to play football until August 2027, when he will be 34, but he is awaiting a date for his hearing with the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) to see if his suspension will be reduced.
"There's still a chance to fight this injustice, which is what I believe it is," he told Sky Italia while attending France's last-16 tie against Belgium at Euro 2024 on Monday.
"Let’s see. Things are hopefully going to get better. I am always positive, but let's see.
"I have never said I am finished, that Paul Pogba doesn't exist anymore. Because Pogba is still here. Today I'm here. I am Pogba. You have never seen me say that I'm finished.
"I still feel like a footballer, I'm still training, and these are now moments where I have to be positive. I'm with my family, spending a lot of time with them, watching my kids grow up."
The rules of Pogba's ban prevent him from playing football professionally or training with Juventus, though the midfielder has continued individual training with coaches.
Asked if the suspension will affect his position at the club, Pogba added: "The latest news is I'm still a Juventus player. So, you need to speak to them.
"I am still contracted to them. I haven't had the chance to speak to them, the sporting director or the coach. I don’t know much, there's a bit of silence. Maybe they're waiting for the appeal to see what happens, but the rest you have to ask them."
Southgate salutes England's 'togetherness and spirit' but acknowledges need for improvement
Gareth Southgate hailed the togetherness and spirit demonstrated by England, but acknowledged the need to improve ahead of their Euro 2024 quarter-final with Switzerland.
The Three Lions were considered one of the pre-tournament favourites to go all the way in Germany, but have produced generally underwhelming displays in their four matches so far.
England topped Group B despite winning just one of their three games, and were just seconds away from a humbling last-16 exit against Slovakia, until Jude Bellingham's sublime acrobatic effort spared their blushes.
Harry Kane then completed the turnaround in the early stages of extra time, as Southgate's relieved side scraped through to the last eight by the skin of their teeth.
Nevertheless, the England boss is adamant his players' last-gasp exploits against Slovakia will provide momentum ahead of facing Switzerland in Dusseldorf on Saturday.
"There's no question it will give the whole group belief," said Southgate.
“We know we should be better than we've been, but we've ended up with a lot of young players in important positions and trying to solve problems right the way through the four weeks of the camp.
"But the standout is the way the players are dealing with it. Their togetherness, their spirit."
Southgate referred to the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96 as similar instances where England were slow out of the blocks, before going on to reach the semi-finals at each tournament.
"Everybody now, 30 years on, looks back at [Euro] 96 in a different way to how it was at the time," the Three Lions boss added.
"We were bang average against Switzerland [in the opening game at Euro 96]. We were the same against Scotland; Scotland missed a penalty at 1-0 [down]. Spain should have beaten us in a 0-0 draw [in the quarter-finals].
"1990 was similar, so you do go through these moments in tournaments."
The 53-year-old will oversee his 100th England game in charge against Switzerland, becoming only the third Three Lions head coach to reach triple figures after Walter Winterbottom and Bobby Robson.
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