JAMES Tomkins believes England Under-21s has what it takes to win the European Championships.

England face a tricky semi-final against the host nation Sweden on Friday after topping Group B with a 1-1 draw against Germany.

But West Ham United defender Tomkins is full of confidence that England can win their first Under-21 championship since 1984.

He said: "The 23-man squad we've got here has a lot of quality in it. The lads who started have had a little rest and given the other lads the chance to show what they can do.

"I think it was a good tester for us because you don't get much bigger than Germany. I think all the lads did themselves justice. The way we are playing at the moment we're full of confidence and obviously having not lost a game yet we're not fearing anyone."

The 20-year-old is also determined to hold onto his place after making his first competitive start against Germany.

"There are a lot of youngsters here and they're doing really well for themselves and I think everyone is pushing for their place at the moment because the whole team is performing well.

"We're just looking forward to the next game, the semi-final. It's a massive game and it's going to be a great experience, " he said.

Tomkins knows he must perform well if he is to keep the likes of Micah Richards and Michael Mancienne out of the side but he was pleased with his performance against Germany.

"I think it was a good experience for myself and the other lads who hadn't started. So it was good to get the game under our belts and now look forward to the next game.

"I think I got better as the game went on. It was my first competitive start so it was a good experience. It was brilliant to come out and sing the national anthem and hopefully it will stand me in good stead for years to come," he said.