Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane sent the nation’s hearts soaring as England beat Germany 2-0 to reach the UEFA EURO 2020 quarter-finals.

Raised just a few yards from Wembley’s arch, Sterling stabbed home from six yards in the 75th minute and Kane headed home four minutes from time to cue pandemonium.

Sterling’s fine form has produced 15 goals in his last 20 international games and the England captain’s first goal of the tournament will keep the country dreaming.

And dream we will, with England’s first-ever victory in normal time in a knockout tie at the EUROs setting up a quarter-final clash with either Sweden or Ukraine. 

Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate kept faith in Bukayo Saka after an excellent display against Czech Republic, making the 19 year old the youngest England starter in a knockout fixture since 2004. 

The only change from the 1-0 win at Wembley saw Kieran Trippier replace Jack Grealish and a change of formation.

It was clear from a scrappy first ten minutes what was at stake, with Declan Rice going into the book after bundling over Leon Goretzka just outside the box. 

Sterling had the first real effort, as he shimmied into a pocket of space and curled a long-range effort on target, sending Manuel Neuer flying to his left to make a save. 

England began to turn the screw and from the resulting corner, Harry Maguire rose highest and his header found Neuer’s body. 

The visitors gradually gained a foothold and two Chelsea players combined, with Jordan Pickford smothering Timo Werner’s attempted lob from a Kai Havertz through ball.

The first half’s flashpoint came in injury time as Sterling broke into the box with purpose and the ball fell to Kane eight yards out, with the skipper only just unable to bring it under control. 

Pickford had to be at his razor-sharp best seconds after the interval, superbly pawing over a fizzing half-volley from Havertz on the edge of the box. 

The game hit a lull midway through the second half, with Grealish’s introduction on 69 minutes a turning point.

Sterling provided the spark and his surge into the final third led to Shaw sliding the ball across goal, with he Manchester City star poking past Neuer from close range for the opener. 

That made Sterling the first man since Gary Lineker in 1986 to score the first three goals for England at a major tournament.

Wembley took a sharp intake of breath when Thomas Muller surged on goal but his low shot whistled past Pickford and the left-hand upright. 

Shaw’s attacking remit has seen him create five chances at the tournament, more than any other England player, and he was involved in the triumphant second goal. 

The left wing-back won the ball in midfield and drove at the Germany defence, offloading to Grealish whose low cross was met by a thumping Kane header into the top right.

It was England’s first knockout win over Germany since 1966 - and it felt like it.

England (3-4-3): 1 Jordan Pickford (Everton), 2 Kyle Walker (Manchester City), 5 John Stones (Manchester City), 6 Harry Maguire (Manchester United), 12 Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid), 14 Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United), 4 Declan Rice (West Ham United), 3 Luke Shaw (Manchester United), 25 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), 9 Harry Kane (c) (Tottenham Hotspur), 10 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

Substitutes: 7 Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) for Saka 69’, 8 Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) for Rice 88’

Substitutes not used: 11 Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), 13 Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield United), 15 Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), 16 Conor Coady (Wolverhampton Wanderers), 17 Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), 19 Mason Mount (Chelsea), 20 Phil Foden (Manchester City), 23 Sam Johnstone (West Bromwich Albion), 24 Reece James (Chelsea), 26 Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)

Goals: Sterling 75, Kane 86

Germany (3-4-2-1): 1 Manuel Neuer (c) (Bayern Munich), 4 Matthias Ginter (Borussia Monchengladbach), 5 Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), 2 Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea), 6 Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), 8 Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), 18 Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), 20 Robin Gosens (Atalanta), 7 Kai Havertz (Chelsea), 25 Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), 11 Timo Werner (Chelsea)

Substitutes: 10 Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich) for Werner 68’, 23 Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund) for Ginter 87’, 19 Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich) for Gosens 87’, 14 Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich) for Muller 90+2

Substitutes not used: 3 Marcel Halstenberg (RB Leipzig), 9 Kevin Volland (Monaco), 12 Bernd Leno (Arsenal), 15 Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich), 17 Florian Neuhaus (Borussia Mönchengladbach), 21 Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City), 22 Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt), 24 Robin Koch (Leeds United)