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Jude Bellingham once more ignited a lacklustre England side, inspiring them to a 2-0 win over Panama and helping the team avoid a potential round-of-32 clash with Portugal.

Who else but Jude Bellingham to rescue England yet again?

For more than an hour, England lacked creativity, precision, and a cutting edge against a Panama team ranked 40th in the world, a nation of just 4.5 million—half the population of London. Then Bellingham stepped up.

He scored one goal—a difficult finish under pressure—and created the other, a record-breaking one for Harry Kane.

Bellingham, only 22 and already in his fourth major tournament, continues to handle immense expectations with remarkable composure. He was, by a clear margin, the best player on the pitch.

Manager Thomas Tuchel substituted him late in the game to preserve his energy for the round-of-32 fixture in Atlanta, likely against Senegal. Even after the final whistle, Bellingham still had the stamina to sprint 70 yards for a post-match television interview.

At the other end, his teammates were serenaded by fans singing “Wonderwall.” Kane smiled at the jubilant crowd. He and Bellingham remain England’s most vital players—possibly? Definitely.

This performance reaffirmed Bellingham’s importance, highlighted the absurdity of his harshest critics, and underlined the need for accurate delivery from wide areas.

England’s goals came via set-pieces: the first from a corner, the second from a cross. Kane’s header—his 11th World Cup goal—was set up by Bellingham and took him past Gary Lineker as England’s all-time top scorer at the tournament.

England must now match Bellingham’s intensity. From the start, he struck the perfect balance of energy and focus. Supporters sang about returning to the same venue on July 19—for the final. Given the high standard of other teams in the tournament, England know improvement is essential, especially after a sluggish first half where only Bellingham and Marcus Rashford stood out.

At halftime, England were on course to face Portugal in Toronto on Thursday. Cristiano Ronaldo again? A flashback to Gelsenkirchen, twenty years later. Not the same old story, surely? Something had to change.

For the first 45 minutes, Tuchel’s men were too slow to break through Panama’s mid-block. The Central Americans’ five-man defence effectively trapped England’s attackers offside.

England also looked exposed on the counter, though Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa reacted swiftly to neutralise threats led by Tomas Rodriguez, the focal point of Panama’s 5-4-1 formation.

Bellingham was the lone bright spot during a dull first half. Normally deployed as a No. 10, he comfortably adapted to the No. 8 role in the absence of Declan Rice. Tuchel wisely rested Rice, who was one booking away from suspension. Bellingham thrived as a box-to-box midfielder.

When Bellingham was 13, his Birmingham City academy coach Mike Dodds told him he could play anywhere in midfield—No. 4, 8, or 10. He mastered all three, which is why he chose to wear No. 22. That versatility was on display here, combining strong tackling with crisp passing and promising link-ups with Rashford on the left.

With little action on the field, cameras turned to the stands, spotting familiar faces like FA technical director Dan Ashworth chatting with Juan Mata, and David Dein sitting beside Tyrone Mings—a notable quartet.

England left the field at halftime to a few boos, a stark contrast to their 5-0 halftime lead over Panama eight years ago in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, under Gareth Southgate.

After the hour mark, England finally took control, with Bellingham once again the catalyst. From Bukayo Saka’s corner, he outmuscled Jorge Gutierrez and used his left foot to steer the ball past goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera from seven yards out.

Bellingham raced to celebrate with England fans, who erupted in relief—no Ronaldo showdown this time. England were heading to Atlanta, likely to face Senegal or possibly DR Congo. Confidence grew, and within five minutes, they doubled their lead.

This time, Bellingham turned provider. He held the ball patiently, waited for Kane’s run, and lifted in a left-footed cross. Kane rose above Andres Andrade and powered his header home.

The match wasn’t without setbacks. Jarell Quansah, filling in at right-back, was injured and replaced by Djed Spence—now England’s only fit right-back in the US. Former defender Lee Dixon, on commentary duty, joked about the shortage.

Noni Madueke replaced Saka as Tuchel rotated his squad. Bellingham made way for Eberechi Eze, while Jordan Henderson came on for his seventh major tournament appearance, allowing Anderson some rest.

Ollie Watkins entered as Kane was withdrawn to prepare for the upcoming knockout rounds. With Bellingham in this kind of form, England’s prospects look increasingly bright.