England Under-18s head coach Neil Dewsnip admits his side were pushed all the way as they battled to a 0-0 draw with France to claim the International Trophy.
Four days on from their 2-0 victory over Poland, England found life much tougher against France, but showed enough resilience to make it six unbeaten.
And Dewsnip believes his team are well on their way to creating a winning culture at age group level.
He said: “Over the two games we’re very pleased to have won the tournament and it's great to create an identity of a winning England. I thought we were incredibly resilient and especially against a French team that move the ball superbly.
“They move the ball very quickly and often when that happens, we can get the ball and give it straight back to them which is what happened and that changed our mentality. So we ended up becoming a bit rushed in possession and that gives us something to improve on for next time.
“The defence played really well. We obviously had a strategy we wanted to adopt and the players did that to a tee.
“This competition gives us an opportunity to develop because the U18 programme isn't a European year. So we have to invent little competitions and so to win these kinds of games builds momentum around an England team.
“We have some fantastic players coming through and we all know that some of these players struggle to break into their first teams so this gives the players a chance to improve on an England pathway.”
Tariq Uwakwe nearly put England ahead after seven minutes when a clearance fell kindly to him on the edge of the area, but his half-volley just skimmed over the crossbar.
In a match that France dominated, England were fortunate not to go behind after 13 minutes when a skilful one-two move found Moussa Sylla in the area but he dragged his shot wide.
England’s best chance came on the stroke of half-time when Mason Mount picked the ball up on the edge of the area and his shot had to be tipped round the post by Alban Lafont.
Jake Turner impressed in goal for England, getting out quickly to deny Sylla just before the half-hour and saving from Rafik Guitane’s header after the break.
Jonathan Leko was a constant threat for England with his powerful running, but French keeper Alban Lafont kept out his first-half effort.
And Leko was the unfortunate player to miss in a penalty shootout at the end of 90 minutes – France winning it 5-4 as he fired over – although this had no bearing on the tournament outcome.
Looking ahead, Dewsnip added: “Next we go to Qatar in March and we'll play Qatar and the Saudi Arabia national teams.
“The method in our madness there is that it's not the realms of possibility that one of these players could be going back there for real in a few years time.”
England Under-18s: 1 Jake Turner (Bolton Wanderers); 2 George Tanner (Manchester United), 5 Morgan Feeney (Everton) (c), 6 Jonathan Dinzeyi (Tottenham Hotspur), 3 Jaden Brown; 11 Elliot Embleton (Sunderland), 4 Tariq Uwakwe (Chelsea), 8 Dennis Adeniran (Fulham), 10 Mason Mount (Chelsea), 7 Jonathan Leko (West Bromwich Albion); 9 Niall Ennis (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Substitutes: 14 Marcus McGuane (Arsenal) for Adeniran 60, 15 Andre Dozzell (Ipswich Town) for Uwakwe 60, George Hirst (Sheffield Wednesday) for Ennis 64, 12 Japhet Taganga (Tottenham Hotspur) for Embleton 83
Substitutes not used: 13 Ellery Balcombe (Brentford)
Head Coach: Neil Dewsnip
France: 1 Alban Lafont, 15 Mahamadou Dembele, 4 Boubacar Kamara, 5 Dan Axel Zagadou, 3 Malang Sarr; 7 Moussa Sylla, 6 Boubakary Soumare, 10 Rafik Guitane, 8 Mickael Cuisance, 11 Antoine Bernede; 9 Myziane Maolida
Substitutes: 17 Matteo Guendouzi for Cuisance 70, 22 Moussa Diaby for Sylla 75
Substitutes not used: 12 Thomas Basila, 2 Paul Fargeas, 13 Lenny Vallier, 14 Raouf Mriovili, 16 Gaetan Poussin, 18 Ibrahim Diallo, 19 Zaydou Youssouf, 21 Corentin Fatou
Head coach: Bernard Diomede
Attendance: 3,084
Penalties
England 4
Mason Mount – GOAL
Marcus McGuane – GOAL
George Hirst – GOAL
Jonathan Leko – MISS
Jonathan Dinzeyi - GOAL
France 5
Matteo Guendouzi – GOAL
Moussa Diaby – GOAL
Rafik Guitane - GOAL
Malang Sarr – GOAL
Myziane Maolida - GOAL
