Euro 2020: Jadon Sancho goes from caged lion to England hero in Rome
Yet it was a joyous piece of skill from the England winger, who will join Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund once Euro 2020 finishes, and reflected his growing confidence at international level.
The Ukraine pair strained to prevent him dancing through midfield, and it eventually took a cynical foul from Yarmolenko to halt the winger’s charge.
Sancho, now 21, was raised in the Kennington district south of the Thames, where cage football has been a breeding ground for bright, young English talent, players who have to be nimble-footed and daring with their skills in confined spaces.
It was reminiscent of Zinedine Zidane as Sancho body-swerved this way and that in evading the Ukraine tackles.
“I’ve never changed,” said Sancho on Sunday. “In the cages it was all about nutmegging, badding people up, and taking them on.
“When I’ve had a one-v-one situation, I’ve always tried to do the things I used to do in the cages and kind of perfect it when I’ve been in training.
