Gareth Southgate insisted Friday England still have much to give at the Russia World Cup, saying his team have already made history, but there is more to come.

"We came into this tournament as the least experienced team, one of the youngest teams in it, but we said we are an improving side that wants to make our own history," said the 47-year-old who was capped 57 times for England.

"We've already had the first knockout (match in nearly) 10 years, first win in a penalty shootout at the World Cup for England, the highest number of goals scored in an individual game. We want to keep making that history."

(Gareth Southgate (L) and Harry Kane at the press conference) 

The team is coming off a round-of-16 match against Colombia in which striker Harry Kane netted a penalty only to see the South Americans pull out a 93rd-minute equalizer to send it to extra time and then on to penalties.

The Three Lions' nail-biting 4-3 spot-kick win allowed Kane and Co. to, perhaps once and for all, rip the shootout monkey from England's back, said the Tottenham Hotspur striker who leads the race for the Russia 2018 golden boot.

"When you go through a battle like that, and you come through winners, it gives you so much energy and so much belief to go and do it again," said Kane at a pre-match press conference at Samara Arena.

"We'd worked so hard, and to come through that, it makes us even more proud of each other. I look at (my teammates) like my brothers and they look at me the same. We'd do anything for each other and that's what we have to do for the rest of the tournament."

Sweden, however, will be happy to put an end to England's newfound positivity.

Speaking at the same press conference podium a few hours earlier, captain Andreas Granqvist said Sweden understands the task at hand, understands who they are, and understands what needs to be done to beat England.

Accepting the reality that England's players ply their trade at bigger clubs and on a bigger stage, Granqvist, whose wife just hours earlier gave birth to a daughter, said a collective effort will be required.

(Granqvist pictured after Sweden oust Switzerland in the round of 16)

"It is crystal clear. We are a team, we do this together, on and off the pitch. And this has meant that we have been as successful as we have been so far," said the defender who recently ended a long stint playing his club soccer with Russian team Krasnodar.

"We might not have on paper the best team, or individually, but as a team, we are very high achievers, that symbolizes us to a great extent."

Sweden coach Janne Andersson put it very succinctly when he described his squad as one that is "quite easy to analyze, but not to beat."

"It should not be that difficult to get an idea of what we do. The surprise? Well, the surprise is, possibly, that we are extremely consistent," he said.

Both coaches said they expect to have complete 23-man squads to choose from.

Southgate noted striker Jamie Vardy will be assessed on the morning of the match after going through light training on Friday and Andersson said midfielder Albin Ekdal has overcome a foot complaint that caused him problems in Sweden's 1-0 win over Switzerland.

With England hoping to reach a World Cup semifinal for the first time since 1990 and Sweden looking to do the same for the first time since 1994, all that remains now is to see who can ensure they leave Samara with history on their side.