Maybe that will calm some of the nerves of England’s jittery fanbase, hoping to see the Three Lions win a World Cup for the first time in 60 years.
The English fans serenaded the players at MetLife Stadium with “Hey Jude” by the Beatles and “Wonderwall” by Oasis after a 2-0 win over Panama and that clinched first in Group L.
It was a jovial scene going into the knockout stage next week, which, for a period of time Saturday, didn’t seem as if it would come to fruition.
Manager Thomas Tuchel already had been hearing the second-guessing of his roster choices after England played to a scoreless draw against Ghana earlier in the week, and the pitchforks were being readied after an admittedly lackluster first half.
Jude Bellingham scores for England during its 2-0 World Cup win over Panama on June 27, 2026 at MetLife Stadium. Corey Sipkin for the NY PostBut Jude Bellingham, one of England’s best players in the tournament, helped change the narrative a bit with a flick of his leg and Harry Kane helped seal the victory four minutes later.
“It was amazing to see the fans and to hear the fans in the end of the match connected with the players,” Tuchel said. “I encourage everyone to take it in at the moment, because it’s very easy to get carried away with your own expectations. You expect to win the group and you expect to win that match. It’s just not like this, it’s hard work and sometimes you have to admit and respect just the occasion.”
Perhaps fittingly, their final match of the group stage played out in a similar fashion as their World Cup opener against Croatia, with England struggling to get a rhythm going through the first 45 minutes before finally getting it together in the second half.
England had been expected to win Group L entering Saturday’s match, but a sense of concern started to creep in as Croatia, also in their group, jumped out to a 1-0 lead over Ghana and could have pushed the Three Lions down to second, which would have given a tougher path in the knockout stage.
Instead, England came away with a win in the match and the group, setting them up to play Congo.
The pursuit of World Cup glory has hit snags over the years.
Harry Kane looks to move the ball during England’s win over Panama. John Angelillo/UPI/ShutterstockIn 2022, England made it to the quarterfinals and four years before that, England finished in fourth place. It’s put plenty of pressure on Tuchel and his squad this year and created some anxiety when it comes to the club’s performances since their World Cup opening win.
“It’s good that we had it, because it teaches us lessons,” Tuchel said after being asked about the discrepancy in performances in the group stage. “It teaches us to stay committed, to stay disciplined, to not lose belief, and to keep on knocking and knocking. … I know that it’s sometimes less spectacular to see. We know what it takes, so I know about the effort and the commitment from the team.”
Bellingham broke the scoreless match in the 62nd minute when he found himself in the right spot off the corner.
Cristian Martinez battles for possession for Panama during its June 27 loss to England. AP Photo/Yuki IwamuraBattling in front of the net for position, he managed to get a flick of his foot on the ball sent in by Bukayo Saka for England’s first goal.
Bellingham again came through for England, this time setting up Kane for the brilliant header in front of the net to make it a two-goal game and all but seal things.
England will head into the knockout stage dinged up, which had already led to some concerns. Reece James missed Saturday’s game with a hamstring issue and then Jarell Quansah, who took his place at right back, left the victory with a twisted ankle, leaving England thin at right back for their round of 32 matchup next week.
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As for making it deep in the World Cup, veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson said it’s about “staying calm and staying in the moment.”
“Really not getting too carried away, not getting too down, just focused on what we need to do, what each person’s job and role is, and making sure that we’re doing it to the best of our ability,” he said.
