Ezri Konsa on his EURO debut, fulfilling childhood dreams and a possible start for England against Switzerland

At the beginning of the second half of extra time in Gelsenkirchen last Sunday, Gareth Southgate turned to Ezri Konsa with instructions to come on and shut up shop.

After a whirlwind spell in which England had scored twice against Slovakia and changed formation three times, it was up to the defender, on his UEFA EURO debut no less, to restore calm and help steer his team through to the quarter-finals.

"I came on at left-back, a position that I've never played before," Konsa explains. "The pressure was piling on. It's never easy as a defender coming on in a game, but I had to come on and do a job."

It was the fulfilment of a childhood ambition for the 26-year-old, who had family watching in the stands as he pulled on the famous white shirt and prepared to enter the fray.

"It's always been a dream of mine, as a kid growing up watching the EURO and the World Cup," he says. "I wanted to be involved myself and play a big part."

With Marc Guéhi ruled out of Saturday's quarter-final against Switzerland, Konsa is expected to replace the Crystal Palace defender in the starting line-up – an opportunity he's ready to grasp with both hands.

"I'm ready, no matter what," Konsa says. "It's a shame Marc is suspended; he's been outstanding for us in that back four. But, look, whatever the manager decides – if I play, if I don't play – I'll always be ready."

If selected, it will be a deserved reward for the Aston Villa man, who has barely missed a game in the Premier League over the last two seasons. It is also evidence of the strength in depth at Southgate's disposal, with the England coach having praised the impact of his substitutes, Konsa included, against Slovakia.

"Some of our bigger-name players [weren't] on the pitch," Southgate noted. "But [we had] lots of younger, less experienced players fighting for the cause to hold the result. Those sorts of moments really bond a squad and show the importance of the group."

Come Saturday, Konsa will be hoping he can add another memory to his first experience of an international tournament and help England extend their stay in Germany.

"I'm happy that it's happened to me," he says. "I'm enjoying the experience, I'm enjoying every moment of it, and long may it continue."