Gibbs ascent shows no sign of slowing

Kieran Gibbs is confident England "certainly have what it takes" to get the better of Spain on Thursday as the Arsenal FC player targets a third major semi-final appearance in two months.

Debut
The 19-year-old made his Premier League debut in the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur FC in February and then took advantage of an injury to Gaël Clichy to feature in UEFA Champions League and FA Cup semi-finals – lost respectively to Manchester United FC and Chelsea FC – as well as cementing a place in Stuart Pearce's squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship having only previously played for the U19s.

'Learning curve'
Pearce felt Gibbs gained "two years' worth of big-match experience rolled into two months" at the end of his breakthrough season, particularly as the teenager endured some testing moments in high-profile matches. "In all those games he showed a maturity way above his years which impressed me greatly," said Pearce. "There were times when he looked a bit shaky but he came through and that's the best learning curve he'll have."

'More competitive'
Gibbs scored twice in England's 7-0 pre-tournament victory against Azerbaijan, operating from his preferred midfield role, following it up with an assured display at left-back in the opening Group B defeat of Finland. "It was a different game to what I was expecting," he said. "It was a lot quicker and a lot more competitive and I'm enjoying the experience. The performance wasn't too great but we got three points and are top of the group and it's important to remember that."

'Ability'
Another victory in Gothenburg on Thursday would make England the first team to reach the last four, but what challenge will Spain pose? "The seniors are European champions and they'll be technically gifted," said Gibbs, who knows the Spanish have plenty more in their armoury than just Bojan Krkić. "It's important for us to watch all of their players as they'll all be at the top of their game. But looking at our team and the ability we've got, we've certainly got what it takes to match them."

'Great honour'
Gibbs looks on these past few months "as a big success" but admits he had to "show mental strength" after an error against Manchester United in the semi-final second leg. On the eve of the Spain match, the Londoner was keen to put that behind him, saying: "It's been a bit of a rollercoaster but I've enjoyed playing at the top level. Hopefully I can keep at it and keep going. It's a great honour to be playing for your country."