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'It's the best feeling ever. The team is unbelievable'

Sunday 07 October 2001 00:00 BST
Comments

It was a good time to score. It's the best feeling ever. It's something I have practised my whole life, scoring goals and scoring free-kicks. It wasn't the prettiest of games but we kept fighting back. The character of the team is unbelievable. We are a young team and to come back from 1-0 to 1-1, then lose it again and come back again, is amazing.

David Beckham.

You could see that he wanted really, really hard to win this game and he showed once again that he is such a big captain because he took his chance.

Sven Goran Eriksson on Beckham.

Credit to them, they came at us. They had nothing to lose and they came here and enjoyed the game. But we got our just deserts at the end.

Beckham on the Greeks.

We struggled, we suffered. In the first half we wanted it too much. In the last minute Beckham hit his marvellous free-kick and the tickets for the World Cup were ready. We knew from the second half that it was 0-0 [in Germany] and we knew as soon as Beckham scored that the game in Germany was finished. We didn't play very well but we got the result we had to get. It is much easier now to celebrate.

Eriksson.

It wasn't really happening for us today. The crowd got upset, we got upset and that makes you more panicky. But you just have to dig deep. The captain did that when we needed it. He ran himself into the ground. It's all about character, about digging in and getting a result, and that's what we've done today.

Teddy Sheringham, who scored England's first goal.

I had quite a few free-kicks and was disappointed with most of them. When I got my last chance Teddy said he would have it – but I decided I'd take it.

Beckham.

They left it late, but what better ground to get an injury-time equaliser. I thought David Beckham was magnificent and if anyone deserves to take England to the World Cup it is him. I must congratulate Sven and the boys.

Richard Caborn, Sports Minister.

I don't like it when Ian Wright kisses me.

Alan Hansen on his fellow BBC pundit.

Nothing is lost yet, we have a second chance. Looking at that performance, we shouldn't fear the play-offs

Rudi Völler, coach of Germany, whose goalless draw against Finland means they must play off against Ukraine.

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