COMMENTATOR Clive Tyldesley nailed it with an accuracy that would sadly be lacking in those famous white shirts when it mattered on the Moscow stage.

“They are an easy team to like.”

That, in a nutshell, sums up this present England. A bunch who have breathed class, decency, respect and manners back into the Three Lions.

Not the best – and some of the eulogies that have followed Wednesday’s World Cup exit have been completely over the top.

Certainly not the finished article – a promise of things to come if the side can mature together whets the appetite for the next few years.

And sadly not the players who will be forever remembered as the group that finally brought football home. Not this time, anyway.

But Gareth Southgate’s class of 2018, and class being the appropriate word, have claimed a prize that hopefully should create an equally long-standing legacy.

They have restored integrity into our international game. Suddenly we’re proud to follow England again.

Watching England is no longer a chore but a pleasure.

It’s been many years since I last enjoyed backing our lot at a major tournament. Probably back to France in 1998 and the moment when Michael Owen burst on the scene against Argentina.

Another entry in the catalogue of false dawns.

Since that moment, England have been associated with a collection of primped prima-donnas, with that conceited air of almost doing their country a favour by bothering to turn up.

The Englands of Ashley Cole, John Terry and Wayne Rooney weren’t for me. The so-called “golden generation” summed up the spoilt rich-kid attitude of the Premiership.

Yes, of course they were trying. But deep down did it really seem to hurt?

Who can forget Rooney’s infamous outburst at the cameras after England had stumbled to a draw with Algeria in South Africa in 2010?

It smacked of “how dare the little people show their disapproval”.

Fast forward eight years and the slate has been wiped clean.

The pay packets on display will still occupy the exorbitant bracket but the individuals themselves demonstrate a decency and a sense of enjoyment in what they are doing that seemed so lacking in their predecessors.

As players, they are grounded; most having worked their way up the ladder to the top level.

The statistic that the squad had represented 41 of England’s 92 club summed up that lower-league apprenticeship that many had gone through. Few silver spoons among the sponsorship endorsements.

It meant most fans could relate to someone out there as they rejoiced in the carnival atmosphere that match days brought to every city centre up and down the country. Well, nearly every one.

Bradford City followers have been spoilt for choice – homegrown Fabian Delph or “one of our own” Jordan Pickford.

England’s young keeper will depart Russia with his reputation increased ten-fold. He is now viewed as one of the most promising young stoppers in the world game.

But then we all knew that would happen anyway after his eight months at Valley Parade.

The fact that Dele Alli, on the eve of the biggest game in his life against Croatia, described a defeat at City as the hardest night of his career underlined the squad’s down-to-earth footballing roots.

Who would have expected to see James Hanson’s name to appear in lights in every preview of a World Cup semi-final?

Instead of tiresome pictures of WAGs frittering hubby’s fortunes in the spas of Baden Baden, we’ve seen film of Pickford’s dad dancing round the living room as his son defied Colombian penalties.

Rather than hourly updates on Mrs Beckham or Sven’s latest squeeze, there was the wonderful press release from Chesterfield announcing that Harry Maguire’s brother was excused match duty because he had Russian flu and the only cure was a flight to Moscow.

Maguire, the lad who watched England with the fans in the Euros two years ago, is another poster boy of the Southgate school of excellence.

Like Pickford, his reputation has soared over the last month. But there’s no chance he will get big time.

As one of the defensive triumvirate all born within a 20-mile Yorkshire radius, he has epitomised that feeling that this team really are “one of us”. Normal blokes with a fantastic talent and bursting with pride at the chance to show that in a jersey they clearly love.

That, for me, is what this World Cup has been about.

Of course, it could all come crashing down and the latest “if only” episode may spark another barren generation. This is England we’re talking about.

But this feels different. This feels right – and I’m sure it will be fun to watch.