IT WAS a goal which felt instantly iconic, destined to be replayed for decades to come, particularly if England continue to progress here.
As fans braced for the end, preparing to rage against Gareth Southgate one last time or else slink away quietly, pretending this debacle had never happened, Jude Bellingham arched into the air to meet Marc Guehi's flick and spare his country an historic embarrassment.
Bellingham's acrobatic finish will take its place among the great England goals at major tournaments - David Platt at Italia 90, Paul Gascoigne at Euro 96, Michael Owen against Argentina in 1998, perhaps even Bobby Charlton's strike against Mexico in 1966-if England can, somehow, go on to win the Euros.
Why bother with a game-plan or a coherent structure when your boywonder can score with a 95th-minute bicycle kick? The question for England now is whether Bellingham's divine intervention can prove a catalyst for change and spark a turgid campaign into life?
Southgate was asked, presciently, on the eve of the game whether England needed a goal like Gazza's against Scotland in 1996 to change his side's course? The manager played down the prospect of one moment altering England's destiny but, as he begins to prepare for Saturday's quarter-final against Switzerland, he may now be inclined to think differently.
Moments of brilliance can galvanise teams and players, and Bellingham's goal has the potential to shake England from their stupor.
This story is from the July 01, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the July 01, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
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