Mark Sampson’s ultimate ambition is to turn his England players into the best team in the world but he can take a major step towards conquering Europe on Thursday night when the Lionesses face Holland in the semi-final of Euro 2017.

Victory would leave them a game away from becoming the first senior England side since Sir Alf Ramsey’s World Cup class of 1966 to win a major football tournament and Sampson is suitably anxious to seize the moment. “We want to create a legacy,” the Welshman said. “But, first, we want to establish ourselves as the best team in Europe. That’s something we definitely want to tick off.”

After four wins and 11 goals scored with one conceded, England’s coach is in characteristically confident mode following their quarter-final win against France on Sunday. “We’ve played a lot of big games and they bring the best out in us,” he said Sampson, whose side beat Canada in front of 52,000 in Vancouver in the quarter-finals of the 2015 World Cup before narrowly losing the semi-final to Japan. “We can be at our best in big, tense games under pressure.”

The stress factor will be high in front of a 30,000 crowd, comprising largely fanatical Holland supporters in the eastern Netherlands at the home of FC Twente. “It’s a huge game,” Sampson said. “We’re playing the hosts in their own backyard. But beating Canada in Vancouver was a great experience for us and we’ve also beaten the United States in New York [at this year’s She Believes Cup].

“Those two games give us confidence. We know we can win in front of big crowds in these massive ‘no tomorrow’ games where you’ve got to perform at your best. We understand the magnitude of Thursday night but we’re confident we can handle the pressure. Our overriding emotion is excitement. We can’t wait to perform.”

Victory in this city nestling just inside the border with Germany would secure a place in Sunday’s final – also to be staged at FC Twente’s home – against Austria or Denmark. First, though, England must overcome a side featuring up to six players who earn their living in the English Women’s Super League. They include the goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal, who will be determined to frustrate her Arsenal team-mate Jodie Taylor, the tournament’s leading scorer with five.

Lucy Bronze, remains undeterred. “Our expectation is that we’ll come home with the trophy,” the influential right-back said. “Holland are really good, they’re the only other team to have won all their matches, but we are big-game players.”