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It is done. The mission, accomplished. England have beaten Germany in a knock-out match at a tournament, for the first time since 1966. It is done. The mission, accomplished. England have won – actually won, not just progressed via penalties – a knock-out match at a European Championship tournament for the first time in the history.

But it is not done, of course. The mission is not accomplished. For once these hoodoos were banished, these landmarks set, the challenge is to take it further. To take it beyond the quarter-final in Rome on Saturday. To bring it back to Wembley. To bring it, as the song says, home.

But first, this. Undoubtedly, the highpoint of Gareth Southgate’s career as England manager, and possibly, a high point for English football this century, too. Have there been better England teams? Arguably. There was a golden generation do not forget. But they never displayed the gift of alchemy quite like this. Turning what had been a pretty base tournament to here into a nugget of sparkling wonder. A convincing, deserved win over the greatest rival, over a tournament favourite, a nation who have come to feel as comfortable at Wembley as the hosts.

England have booked their place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 after second-half goals from Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane handed them a 2-0 win over Germany at Wembley

Captain Kane headed home from close range late on to make it 2-0 to England after a nervy clash with their rivals at Wembley

Raheem Sterling had fired the Three Lions into the lead earlier on, also firing home from close range for Gareth Southgate

The Manchester City winger fired home Luke Shaw's cross from close range to give England the late after 75 minutes

Sterling wheels away to celebrate with his team-mates after finally finding the opening goal of the game at a tense Wembley

Sterling was mobbed by his England team-mates as he ran across the touchline to celebrate scoring once again at Wembley

England fans were jubilant in the stands as they celebrated Sterling's second-half goal after a nervy encounter at Wembley

The German stars were left dejected after falling one goal behind as they desperately chased an equaliser in the game

Gareth Southgate celebrates at the full-time whistle after pulling off another tactical masterclass with the Three Lions

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire roars with delight towards the England supporters as he celebrates victory

England had Germany. That feeling was growing as the game went deeper into the second-half.

There were moments when Kai Havertz in particular looked capable of inspiring the opposition, but they were growing fewer. And then Southgate made the change the game, the crowd, the pundits, the millions at home, demanded. He brought on Jack Grealish.

It is not right to say that Grealish alone changed the game. Harry Kane scored one goal and was involved in another. Raheem Sterling scored his third in four matches. A victory like this belongs to all.

But, undeniably, Grealish played a part in England’s first goal. Undeniably, his cross made the second. Undeniably, England were energised by his arrival. It was a match-winning substitution, because it was when Grealish was on that the match was won.

What a wonderful goal, England’s first. Sterling began the move with another powerful run towards the penalty area. He laid it off to Kane, who found Grealish, who played in Luke Shaw on the overlap. His cross was perfection and there was Sterling to finish it off – the first player to score England’s opening three goals at a tournament since Gary Lineker.

The second was simpler, but no less important. Big for Grealish, bigger for Kane as his tournament opener.

The cross was on a plate, but Kane’s movement was outstanding, too. On the touchline, Jordan Henderson waiting to come on as a substitute, picked Southgate up by his boots, lifted him and wouldn’t let go.

Between the goals, a mistake by Sterling almost let Thomas Muller in to score. Had that gone in… who cares? It didn’t.

England have agonised enough about what might have been. This is about what was. A landmark victory. The one that renders history bunk. All that history most of this team weren’t around for anyway. 

Gareth Southgate's starting line-up sing the national anthem in front of the raucous crowd inside Wembley on Tuesday night

The number of fans permitted for the game in London was lifted to around 43,000 fans as Covid restrictions continue to ease

Germany started brightly and England defender Kyle Walker was forced to head behind for safety after an attack early on

England looked to be in trouble when Leon Goretzka burst through from midfield before Declan Rice fouled the German star

England star Harry Kane is sandwiched between Goretzka and German defender Mats Hummels as he competes for the ball

England forward Raheem Sterling tried his luck from distance in the early stages, forcing a good save from Manuel Neuer

It doesn’t take much to make an Englishman feel nervous against Germany but, even if it did, the first ten minutes here would have succeeded. It was one of those passages of play in which the Germans just look, well, smarter. 

Not more technically proficient, just intelligent in their movement, their use of the ball, the way they operate between the lines.

Even with central defenders and two midfielders with a mission to protect, nobody seemed to know what to do with Kai Havertz and Thomas Muller. It was a rerun of the second half in Bloemfontein 11 years ago, when Germany’s wit left England nonplussed and the winning margin stretched to a humiliating level.

Leon Goretzka had a pop from range after four minutes that Jordan Pickford could have saved in his sleep but four minutes later the same player burst through and, approaching the edge of the area, forced Declan Rice to foul him.

Managers Gareth Southgate and Joachim Low bark instructions at their players from the touchline during the first half

England tried to make the most of their set pieces with Harry Maguire trying to guide the ball back across goal early on

Germany striker Timo Werner used his pace to get away but Jordan Pickford made a super save to keep his effort out of goal

Kane thought he had an opportunity to open the scoring but Hummels and Manuel Neuer did enough to clear the danger

German forward Kai Havertz fired a superb attempt from distance but England stopper Jordan Pickford produced a sharp stop

The Everton and England stopper produced an acrobatic save to deny Havertz from scoring the opening goal at Wembley

Referee Danny Makkelie of Holland produced the game’s first yellow card and England massed a wall, vertical and horizontal, to repel a free-kick in a dangerous position. This it did, Rice’s boot keeping out Havertz’s strike.

Yet the innocence of youth got England back in the game. Did Bukayo Saka even notice how dangerous Germany were looking. If he did, he didn’t care. It was Saka, running at the opposition, that sparked England to life.

Others may have reaped the reward from his efforts, but it was his boldness that showed his team-mates what was needed.

England found a way in and, after 16 minutes, Raheem Sterling had the first chance, a cracking shot after cutting in from the left, tipped round by Manuel Neuer.

Matthias Ginter was booked for a foul on Luke Shaw and, with Kieran Trippier back in the side, the quality of England’s dead balls improved, too. The best cross of the half, though, came from Kalvin Phillips, struck perfectly from the right and met by Harry Maguire, who should have done better with his header, which flew over.

There was a tense moment during the second half when captain Kane went down clutching his knee after an aerial duel

Maguire makes a lunging tackle to try and steal possession away from Havertz with both sides desperate for the first goal

Sterling was left unmarked in the box and made no mistake as he fired past a helpless Neuer in the Germany goal

After goals against Croatia and the Czech Republic, Sterling continued his fine goal-scoring form to break the deadlock

Shaw played a superb ball across the face of goal after fine build-up play and Sterling was there to fire into the net

Thomas Muller had a great chance to pull a goal back for the Germans immediately but he missed the target with his effor

The Bayern Munich veteran was left on his knees as he missed the chance to bring the Germans level with 10 minutes to go

Germany were on the back foot, but always a danger counter-attacking. In the 32nd minute, their two Champions League winners from Stamford Bridge – England have three from the same club, all on the bench – combined for their best chance of the half. It was a lovely ball from Havertz that put Timo Werner through, but Pickford was alert to it and came out to save at his feet.

At the other end, though, another striker was struggling. Harry Kane touched the ball twice in the opening 35 minutes and it was not until he was fouled by Ginter in a dangerous position after 42 that there was a reason to note his presence on the field. In the final seconds of the half, though, he spurned England’s best chance.

It was a great run by Sterling, surging into the box and the ball falling to Kane in an excellent position to finish with his left. For some reason, however, he decided to try to round Neuer to make sure and Mats Hummels got the ball away.

It should have been his first goal of the tournament. Instead, the scores were level at half-time and within minutes of the restart Pickford was forced into an acrobatic save from a Havertz shot. England fans were on tenterhooks again. Normal service, resumed.

Kane then guaranteed England's place in the quarter finals when he headed home past Neuer to spark jubilant scenes

Kane wheels away to celebrate in the corner as England secured a famous result over their old enemies at Wembley

Kane looked emotional on the floor as his team-mates piled on top of him after scoring his first goal of the tournament

Goalkeeper Pickford roars with delight after another superb display between the posts to keep a fourth Euro 2020 clean sheet

England stars take a lap of honour around Wembley at full time as they now turn to the quarter-final clash on Saturday night