England manager Gareth Southgate said his side aren't a top four side yet despite finishing fourth at the World Cup.

After the Three Lions were defeated 2-0 by Belgium in the third-place play-off, Southgate conceded his team have come up short against the very best teams and that their final placing doesn't reflect where his side are at.

However, he said the team has taken pride in their achievements of reaching the semi-final and believes their experience in Russia will help to create a brighter future for the national side.

He said: "In the end we are very proud of what we've done.

"We're under no illusions as to where we stand as a team; we've finished in the final four but we're not a top-four team yet, we know that and we've never hidden behind that.

"Against the very best teams we've come up short but we've had a wonderful adventure and some experiences that will stand this group of players and staff in really good stead for the future.

"I couldn't ask any more of any of the players today or right the way through the seven weeks we've worked together."

Belgium boss Roberto Martinez was full of praise for his side after they claimed their best-ever World Cup finish, finishing third to eclipse their previous record - a fourth-place at Mexico 86.

He said: "We wanted to win it.

"When you beat Brazil and get into the semi-final, the focus has to be to try to win the World Cup.

"But you need to be realistic when you finish the tournament and look back. These players made history back in Belgium and that's all that matters. These players deserve to have that accolade.

"The generation of Mexico 86 set a real inspiration and real vision for all the footballers in Belgium.

"Now this group of players overcame that and that's historic; it took 32 years to be able to be in this position, so there's real satisfaction and real success.

"It's the manner we achieved that - the football we played is Belgian football, it's our brand. And the togetherness and flexibility we had tactically shows what we want to be as a footballing nation.

"It has been a really nice journey, a really successful journey but in football you need to look forward and try to improve in the next opportunity that we have."

Southgate's captain Harry Kane, who leads the race for the golden boot, said his teammates put everything into the third-placed play-off against the Belgians.

He said: "In the second half we played really well.

"We had them on the ropes for the first half-hour of that and we just couldn't get a goal.

"We had one cleared off the line and we put the pressure on.

"But the lads couldn't give any more, it has been a tough tournament.

"Belgium are obviously a good team. I can't fault the lads, we gave it everything."