It could not have been more fitting that Kieran Trippier stepped up to slam home his penalty in England’s unprecedented shootout victory over Colombia.
The Spurs right-back’s impressive performances have proved a major talking point at the World Cup thus far, capping two seasons of progress.
Against Los Cafeteros, he made eight tackles and created five chances going forward.
Indeed, the former Manchester City and Burnley defender is a major part of the reason the Three Lions have posed such a threat from set pieces in Russia.
There was a time when things were not looking nearly as promising, when he was not so much vying with Kyle Walker for a starting spot at Tottenham as essentially accepting his fate as an eternal back-up option.
When the first rumblings of Walker’s discontent at the club began to emerge towards the end of the 2016/17 campaign, Mauricio Pochettino was ready to turn to Trippier.
By then, his fitness had improved massively and he was defensively more astute than his rival, who that summer would move to Manchester City in a £50million deal.
Trippier was given the nod for the crunch games against Arsenal and Manchester United, as well as the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.
This season, he was unquestionably first choice over the often hapless Serge Aurier and it was little surprise to see him make the England squad, where in Gareth Southgate, he has found another coach who has furthered his development.
Team-mate and Golden Boot contender Harry Kane is rightly attracting the most plaudits at the tournament, but few others have matched Trippier’s contribution this summer.
In the opener against Tunisia came his first assist and ever since, his role as a wing-back has been crucial to the way England play.
There is still a debate to be had over Ashley Young and Danny Rose on the other side of the pitch, but on the right, there are no concerns. Trippier’s willingness to take responsibility has also been admirable.
The 27-year-old was arguably at fault for Yerry Mina’s stoppage-time equaliser last night, failing to clear the Barcelona centre-back’s header off the line.
“I thought we played really well in the first half and for their goal, it was a mistake by myself,” Trippier said, via the Mirror.
“I thought he was going to head it straight in, but I could not adjust when he headed it down. I was gutted.”
Mina’s goal, his third in consecutive games via exactly the same method, threatened to break English hearts, as did the shootout.
However, when Trippier stepped up, he could not have looked cooler.
Given the menace with which he, Kane, and the unflappable Eric Dier put their penalties away, one has to wonder if this is something that has been worked on at Hotspur Way.
Southgate must be thanking Pochettino for his role in shaping so many of England’s key men at this World Cup. Trippier is arguably his greatest success story.
