Shaw: England team would not celebrate others’ losses

LUKE SHAW has insisted England would never celebrate another team’s demise in the way Wales did at Euro 2016 and that they remain “respectful” towards their opponents.

Footage went viral of the Welsh squad celebrating after Iceland’s win in Nice six years ago, with the clips noted by England players at the time. Chris Coleman’s team at the time explained the reaction as being the only British team left in the tournament.

The scenes in that Wales squad come ahead of Tuesday’s clash at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, where England need a point to reach the World Cup knockout stages while Wales need victory to have a chance of staying in the competition.

“Of course, it wasn’t nice. We can say things in interviews and I’d rather do our talking on the pitch, rather than off it,” said Shaw.

“I think we are a respectful group. We do things in the right way. That’s the example Gareth [Southgate] wants to set. We are fully behind that. We are fully respectful. That’s the way Gareth sets us out to be.”

Shaw was recovering from a double leg-break for Euro 2016 but the footage was seen by players. Kyle Walker, Eric Dier, Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford were in the team when England played Wales during that tournament, with their only meeting since being a behind-closed-doors friendly where Southgate fielded a second-string team.

The goalless draw against the US on Friday evening means Group B will be decided on Tuesday, with Wales needing to overturn a six-goal swing on England or must win and have results elsewhere to go their way.

While Shaw agreed that the Welsh celebrations could be an added motivation, he added: “We are at the World Cup. We have great aims for what we want to achieve. I don’t think there’s any more motivation than what we have already.

“For people from the outside of our circle, it’s going to look like the end of the world [drawing with the US] but we are all really positive. At the Euros we drew our second game and look what happened from there.

“We can’t let this result be the end of the world... The group inside we need to stick together. Be confident, positive and be ready for the next game.”