As the ‘Three Lions’ thrash Iran 6-2 in their FIFA World Cup opener
England’s 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign could not have gotten off to a better start!
The Three Lions kicked things off in Monday’s early kick-off, taking on Iran in their opening game. After a cagey start and a long pause due to an unfortunate head injury to Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, the European giants kicked off the goal fest just after the 30th-minute mark.
Highly-rated youngster Jude Bellingham broke the deadlock for his nation, scoring his very-first England goal in his FIFA World Cup debut by heading a lovely Luke Shaw cross past the opposition keeper. And just like that, the Dortmund ace, at the age of 19 years and 145 days, became the second-youngest England player to score at the FIFA World Cup, with only Michael Owen (18 years, 190 days) sitting ahead of the former Birmingham City kid.
And guess who is now the third-youngest Three Lions ace in history to find the back of the net at FIFA’s prestigious competition? That honor belongs to Bukayo Saka, the Arsenal sensation who bagged a brilliant brace to win the Man of the Match award.
The first of his two-goal haul came in the first half, with the Hale End academy graduate blasting the ball into the top of the net. His second came just after the hour mark, with the 21-year-old dribbling past a few players before drilling the ball into the bottom left corner.
This was also Saka’s debut, with the winger becoming the first player to score two goals in his first FIFA World Cup game since German icon Franz Beckenbauer. Bukayo later came off for Marcus Rashford, with the Manchester United ace reaching a milestone of his own.
The Old Trafford star needed no time to make his mark, scoring only 49 seconds after coming off the bench with his first few touches of the ball. Only two other players in the history of this competition have scored quicker goals after coming on as a substitute.
And finally, we have Gareth Southgate. The maligned Three Lions boss made history with this result as he took his record with England in major tournaments to nine wins, a feat no other manager has ever achieved, surpassing the country’s 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning tactician Sir Alf Ramsey.
With that 6-2 victory over Iran, the Euro 2022 runners-up have set themselves up perfectly to win the group. Next up for Harry Kane and Co. is a showdown with the U.S. men’s national team before their exciting clash with Wales in their final group-stage fixture.
